Sunday Shorts - Our Own Rules

Mark 7:8 “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (NIV)

One of the biggest things that Jesus had to contend with was the fact that some contemporary religious groups had made up their own rules and regulations about applying their faith rather than following the simple commands of God. Take the Pharisees, for instance. They had taken God’s laws about working on the Sabbath to an absurd degree so that if you had a false tooth and kept it in your mouth during the Sabbath, you were actually carrying something which was vehemently prohibited and considered to be a blasphemous breaking of God’s command. Rules like that enabled the Pharisees to consider themselves spiritually superior as they fanatically followed them; everyone else was imperfect and sinful, unworthy of God’s blessing. 

When Jesus appeared, He questioned these absurdities and exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. This is why He said they were more into following and idolizing their own rules rather than humbly applying God’s commands. And the more that Jesus pointed this out, the more religious enemies He encountered. Christ was upsetting their rigid religious hold over the people by setting them free with loving commands and compassionate teaching. 

Thank goodness we’re not like those absurd Pharisees, right? Wrong! 

When Christians become hateful and harass others who are different, marginalized, or foreigners, they are following their own traditions rather than Jesus. When pastors preach about crushing or killing their political enemies, they are making up their own faith and have departed from Christ’s compassionate teaching. When church members support lying leaders and excuse their false statements, they have let go of the commands of God and are supporting the Father of all lies. And when Christian people embrace false conspiracies and pass on wrong untruthful messages or memes, they are worshiping absurd and dangerous ideas for which they will be judged by Jesus for their careless words and sinful statements. Being a Christian does not excuse us from being held responsible; being followers of Jesus does not pardon our prejudice. When we let go of the commands of God and hold on to human traditions, we are putting our souls in jeopardy from which only confession and repentance will be the remedy.

Point to ponder: Am I guilty of following false ways? If so, am I willing to repent?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we think that You approve of everything we believe, say, or do. We want You to do our bidding or agree with our understanding. Reveal to us our sinful ways and help us to regrasp and apply the simple commands of loving God and one another. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.