VAIN WORSHIP IS HOLDING TO MAN’S COMMANDS/TRADITIONS
VAIN WORSHIP IS HOLDING TO MAN’S COMMANDS/TRADITIONS
And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! —Mark 7:6-9
Do I hold the Word of God as the highest standard for life or do I have other added traditions of man that I regard as just important?
Jesus said, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!” When tradition becomes as important, or more important, than the Word of God then that is actually a rejection of God’s Word. This happens when there is “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” When that happens Jesus said that “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me.”
So the question is “What am I holding to as of first importance— the Word of God or the tradition of man?” How can I know the answer? Well, take a look at what you are holding to, what you are willing to stand for? If it is God’s Word and being obedient to what He has to say as of first importance then there is your answer. But if you are standing for some tradition and are willing to stand for that over the Word of God… then you also have your answer.
The Word of God is of vastly more important than vain worship which includes “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” This vain worship was spoken of, and Jesus quotes from, Isaiah 29:13. Vain worship is an honoring of our Lord with the lips, but the heart is far from Him. So it comes down to a heart issue and a relationship issue. So, how’s your heart… how’s your relationship with Jesus? (John 15:1-17).
Dear Father may I hold to Your Word above all else and share Your Word above all else. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xOCRYENXTk&list=UUf1NPIFOBwzTLVQiEDnq4Cw&index=18