Jim
2005-02-08 15:16:50 UTC
Spiritual purity, as God sees it.
What makes us spiritually pure (pleasing or acceptable to God)? What makes
us spiritually unclean (detestable to God)?
It is human nature to be religious. It's human nature to cling to all kinds
of traditions and methods that have been set down for us by other human
beings.
In themselves, such methods and traditions may not be bad at all. If we can
learn the proper way to save time, or to ensure the purity of our food, thus
assuring (or even improving) our health, that doesn't sound too bad. But
when we place our own ideas above God's own revelation of truth, then we get
ourselves into trouble. We especially get into trouble when we replace
God's truth with our own ideas of religion and spiritual purity.
Religious leaders often mix in their own ideas with what God says. The
"elders" in Jesus' day had developed an elaborate religious system,
incorporating some good ideas into their traditions of purity.
The ideas were no doubt inspired, in part, by the Law of Moses, being a kind
of logical extension of some of it's many ordinances. And the traditions
had practical benefits, in some cases. Yet they had nothing to do with
serving God, worshiping God, or knowing God. But they still made them
binding on anyone following their teachings.
Not only did people do such things in New Testament times, they do it quite
a bit today. The traditions are varied, of course, but they soon become
evident in every Christian group. For example, consider the following:
1.) You must be baptized this way, and in no other way.
2.) A person who smokes, drinks, etc., is not God's child.
3.) We must meet on this day, as opposed to that day.
4.) You must say this prayer, or you can't be saved.
5.) If you don't read the KJV, you are wrong.
6.) We must celebrate the Communion this way, and at this time.
7.) We must meet in a church building (or in a house) to be real believers.
8.) We must all dress this way, wear our hair like this, etc.
9.) Women must never teach or speak God's Word in public.
10.) No musical instruments are allowed in "God's House"
11.) If you don't "speak in tongues", you don't have the Spirit.
12.) If you "speak in tongues", you're wrong.
And so on. We all have our ways and our little preferences. Tradition is
not always bad in itself, so long as we know the difference.
We all need to be careful, then, to know what God Himself is really saying
to us in Jesus Christ, and in the Scriptures. If we follow too closely the
whims and ideas of mortal men, we will soon drift away from the reality of
God Himself in Jesus Christ, and end up with nothing more than another
religious tradition. We will be dead inside, not living in Christ.
Jesus alone has genuine life to offer us. Let us be careful, then, to
follow the living Lord Jesus.
To better understand the possible contrast, read the following passage from
Mark's Gospel (6:53-7:23). I suggest that you also read the same passage in
your own Bible at home. Take God's Word in the Scriptures to heart.
------------
Crossing the sea, Jesus and the disciples reached land at Gennesaret, and
drew to shore. As they were getting out of the boat, the people recognized
Jesus right away. And they started running all over; carrying the sick
around on stretchers to the places they were told He was. So everywhere He
went in the villages, or towns, or the open fields, or in the markets, they
placed the sick, and asked Him to allow them to just touch the fringes of
His robe. And all who touched Him were healed.
Some Pharisees and Scribes came down from Jerusalem and gathered around
Jesus. And when they saw some of His disciples eating bread with unholy
(that is, unwashed) hands, they found fault.
Because the Pharisees, and all the Jews held to the elders' tradition of not
eating until they washed their hands [up to the elbows]. Or, arriving from
the marketplace, they would not eat until they had immersed everything in
water. There were also many other traditions the people had been taught to
observe, such as the ritual cleansing of cups and pitchers, and of kettles,
and couches.
So the Pharisees and Scribes asked Him, "Why don't Your disciples walk
according to the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat their bread with
unwashed hands?"
But He answered them, saying, "Isaiah prophesied the truth about you,
hypocrites! For it is written, `This people honors Me with their lips, but
their heart is far away from Me. And their worship of Me is a sham, for
they teach human rules as Torah.' You abandon the commands of God, while
holding to human traditions: the ceremonial cleansing of pitchers and cups,
and the other things you do."
And He told them, "You are good at setting aside God's command in order to
keep your own traditions. For Moses said, `Honor your father and mother,'
and, `He who curses father or mother shall be put to death.' But you say,
`If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever I own that might have
helped you is Korban (that is, "a gift to the Temple"),"' you no longer
permit him to do anything for his father or his mother, ignoring God's Word
in favor of your own tradition that you teach instead. And you do many
things like this."
Then, calling the whole crowd over to Him, He said, "Listen to Me, all of
you, and understand! There is nothing from outside a person that can enter
him and make him unholy. But the things which go out from him, those are
what makes a person unholy. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
But when He had entered a house, away from the crowd, His disciples
questioned Him about what He had said. And He said to them, "Are you as
foolish as they are? Don't you understand? Nothing that enters a person
from the outside can make him unholy, because it doesn't enter his heart,
but the stomach, and then leaves as waste." (By this He was declaring all
foods to be clean.)
Then He said, "That which flows outward from a person, that's what makes him
unholy. Because from the inside, from the human heart, wicked ideas flow
outward: adulteries, and every improper sexual behavior, murders, thefts,
greedy desires, taking advantage of others, lying and misleading people,
uncontrolled lust, hateful attitudes, bad mouthing and cursing, pride and
arrogance, and reckless living. All these unholy things flow outward from
the inner self, making a person unholy."
-----------
God's best to all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and truth.
Jim
What makes us spiritually pure (pleasing or acceptable to God)? What makes
us spiritually unclean (detestable to God)?
It is human nature to be religious. It's human nature to cling to all kinds
of traditions and methods that have been set down for us by other human
beings.
In themselves, such methods and traditions may not be bad at all. If we can
learn the proper way to save time, or to ensure the purity of our food, thus
assuring (or even improving) our health, that doesn't sound too bad. But
when we place our own ideas above God's own revelation of truth, then we get
ourselves into trouble. We especially get into trouble when we replace
God's truth with our own ideas of religion and spiritual purity.
Religious leaders often mix in their own ideas with what God says. The
"elders" in Jesus' day had developed an elaborate religious system,
incorporating some good ideas into their traditions of purity.
The ideas were no doubt inspired, in part, by the Law of Moses, being a kind
of logical extension of some of it's many ordinances. And the traditions
had practical benefits, in some cases. Yet they had nothing to do with
serving God, worshiping God, or knowing God. But they still made them
binding on anyone following their teachings.
Not only did people do such things in New Testament times, they do it quite
a bit today. The traditions are varied, of course, but they soon become
evident in every Christian group. For example, consider the following:
1.) You must be baptized this way, and in no other way.
2.) A person who smokes, drinks, etc., is not God's child.
3.) We must meet on this day, as opposed to that day.
4.) You must say this prayer, or you can't be saved.
5.) If you don't read the KJV, you are wrong.
6.) We must celebrate the Communion this way, and at this time.
7.) We must meet in a church building (or in a house) to be real believers.
8.) We must all dress this way, wear our hair like this, etc.
9.) Women must never teach or speak God's Word in public.
10.) No musical instruments are allowed in "God's House"
11.) If you don't "speak in tongues", you don't have the Spirit.
12.) If you "speak in tongues", you're wrong.
And so on. We all have our ways and our little preferences. Tradition is
not always bad in itself, so long as we know the difference.
We all need to be careful, then, to know what God Himself is really saying
to us in Jesus Christ, and in the Scriptures. If we follow too closely the
whims and ideas of mortal men, we will soon drift away from the reality of
God Himself in Jesus Christ, and end up with nothing more than another
religious tradition. We will be dead inside, not living in Christ.
Jesus alone has genuine life to offer us. Let us be careful, then, to
follow the living Lord Jesus.
To better understand the possible contrast, read the following passage from
Mark's Gospel (6:53-7:23). I suggest that you also read the same passage in
your own Bible at home. Take God's Word in the Scriptures to heart.
------------
Crossing the sea, Jesus and the disciples reached land at Gennesaret, and
drew to shore. As they were getting out of the boat, the people recognized
Jesus right away. And they started running all over; carrying the sick
around on stretchers to the places they were told He was. So everywhere He
went in the villages, or towns, or the open fields, or in the markets, they
placed the sick, and asked Him to allow them to just touch the fringes of
His robe. And all who touched Him were healed.
Some Pharisees and Scribes came down from Jerusalem and gathered around
Jesus. And when they saw some of His disciples eating bread with unholy
(that is, unwashed) hands, they found fault.
Because the Pharisees, and all the Jews held to the elders' tradition of not
eating until they washed their hands [up to the elbows]. Or, arriving from
the marketplace, they would not eat until they had immersed everything in
water. There were also many other traditions the people had been taught to
observe, such as the ritual cleansing of cups and pitchers, and of kettles,
and couches.
So the Pharisees and Scribes asked Him, "Why don't Your disciples walk
according to the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat their bread with
unwashed hands?"
But He answered them, saying, "Isaiah prophesied the truth about you,
hypocrites! For it is written, `This people honors Me with their lips, but
their heart is far away from Me. And their worship of Me is a sham, for
they teach human rules as Torah.' You abandon the commands of God, while
holding to human traditions: the ceremonial cleansing of pitchers and cups,
and the other things you do."
And He told them, "You are good at setting aside God's command in order to
keep your own traditions. For Moses said, `Honor your father and mother,'
and, `He who curses father or mother shall be put to death.' But you say,
`If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever I own that might have
helped you is Korban (that is, "a gift to the Temple"),"' you no longer
permit him to do anything for his father or his mother, ignoring God's Word
in favor of your own tradition that you teach instead. And you do many
things like this."
Then, calling the whole crowd over to Him, He said, "Listen to Me, all of
you, and understand! There is nothing from outside a person that can enter
him and make him unholy. But the things which go out from him, those are
what makes a person unholy. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
But when He had entered a house, away from the crowd, His disciples
questioned Him about what He had said. And He said to them, "Are you as
foolish as they are? Don't you understand? Nothing that enters a person
from the outside can make him unholy, because it doesn't enter his heart,
but the stomach, and then leaves as waste." (By this He was declaring all
foods to be clean.)
Then He said, "That which flows outward from a person, that's what makes him
unholy. Because from the inside, from the human heart, wicked ideas flow
outward: adulteries, and every improper sexual behavior, murders, thefts,
greedy desires, taking advantage of others, lying and misleading people,
uncontrolled lust, hateful attitudes, bad mouthing and cursing, pride and
arrogance, and reckless living. All these unholy things flow outward from
the inner self, making a person unholy."
-----------
God's best to all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and truth.
Jim