Between the Testaments, right after the Maccabean revolt, a group we've come to know as "the Pharisees" had a serious concern for their people. Hellenization--Greek culture--was pressing in. Foreign domination was alive. The world was changing. And these learned men wanted to make sure that their people still found their "Bible" applicable to their lives. You know ... like an early "Life Application Bible" thing. So they gathered the texts and the traditions and they started laying out how these should be observed. Mind you, Jesus said, "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:20). That is not "They're despicable people." It's "That's a high standard." Jesus said they "tithe mint and dill and cumin" (Matt 23:23). That's attention to detail. Jesus said they "search the Scriptures" (John 5:39). They had a lot to commend them. So, for instance, they took God's "No work on the Sabbath" command and created 39 categories of work forbidden and the concept of a "Sabbath day's journey" (2,000 cubits). Rules like these became religious law, causing Jesus to say they "have neglected the weightier provisions of the law" (Matt 23:23). He cited Isaiah (Isa 29:13) and told them, "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men" (Mark 7:8). And we wise Christians nod our heads and agree with Jesus about them ... and then duplicate their behavior.
Growing up, I was told that rock and roll music was a sin. I'm looking ... I'm looking ... nope! Nothing in there about that. I was told that smoking was a sin. Smoking ... smoking ... smoking ... not in there either. We have clergy where no such clergy existed in Scripture. We think of "church" as particular buildings when no such buildings were used in the New Testament. No drinking, no dancing, no tattoos. Bow your head and close your eyes to pray. Oh! How about altar calls? Did you know they didn't exist until the 1800's when Charles Finney invented them? The Sinner's Prayer, "never challenge a pastor" (the "Lord's anointed"), no instruments in church. We have a ton of rules that aren't biblical and, yet, we tote them around like we're the spiritual ones and those who don't follow them are ... less ... you know ... like the Pharisees did.
In the end, we all know how Jesus referred to the Pharisees as "hypocrites" who followed legalism but failed to follow God's instructions. Jesus pronounced "woe" to the Pharisees (Matt 23:1-36), and that's not just a "that's gonna hurt" statement. It was an expression of grief over them (Matt 23:37-39) and a warning of impending judgment. I would suggest that emulating the Pharisees in pursuing the traditions of men and ignoring the real heart of God's Word is not a good course of action. We do need to know what He says and what He means and then take it seriously (James 1:22). We don't need to make up our own rules (Deut 4:2).
2 comments:
The problem always seems to start from a good intention. The Pharisees wanted to keep the nation pure, good intention. The Pharisees added a greater distance to purity, problem. We should want to keep our hearts and minds focused on God, good intention. Rock and Roll is not focused on God so it must be sinful, problem. And on the list goes.
It is true that well-meaning people who genuinely wish to please God through their choices and behavior can get caught up in the wrong set of rules--i.e. the ones presented to them by other seekers rather than those conveyed by God Himself. I can imagine two separate scenarios where believers might be easily misled in this fashion: (1) those raised in a “Christian home,” whose primary caregivers directed their religious practice, particularly regarding behaviors either permitted or forbidden; and (2) those converted from perhaps a mostly nonreligious lifestyle, who rather abruptly learn from others of the “OK to do” and “not OK to do” categories for Christian behavior. Both scenarios would promote many “traditions of men”--some pleasing to God but some not at all. The best course of action, as I see it, is for each person seeking to know God’s will to study His Word for themselves and come to their own conclusions and form their own convictions under the leading of the Holy Spirit (while also utilizing guidance from mature believers, of course). As the Lord works in their lives and renews their minds, Spirit-led Bible students might form personal persuasions regarding some of those worldly activities and habits you mention (and many others, of course), but it will be from the Lord and not a matter of substituting men’s word for God’s Word--i.e. becoming religious rather than holy.
On a personal note (and the reason this issue remains important to me): I was brought up in a religious system that is almost entirely built upon “traditions of men”--one that barely resembles the Christian faith formed in me from God’s Word over the past fifty years. The first time I read the 23rd chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew, I was aghast to read Jesus’ clear condemnation of seemingly “religious” spiritual leaders of the type I trusted and followed for many years. Worst of all is to realize how surely I would have heard those dreaded words from Matt. 7:23: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Praise God for freedom from the fatal “traditions of men” to life in the Spirit!
Post a Comment