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CHAPTER ONETHE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND THE TRADITIONS OF MENQuestion # 1.5 - There are many people who claim to be preaching and teaching the truth. Yet there are almost as many differences in what is taught. Furthermore, many of these teachings contradict each other. Can everybody be right? Do all who quote God's Word honestly represent God's Word? "Now the serpent... said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye may not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" - Genesis 3:1-5. Question # 1.6 - Many denominations have there own liturgy books. These books contain church traditions which are upheld as doctrine, and rules of conduct. Some of these rules might easily be shown to contradict scripture. What does Jesus say happens when the commandments of God are changed through the traditions of men? "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God Commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father and mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father and mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" Matthew 15:1-9. "Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders...? He answered and said unto them...Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do...Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition... Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye"- Mark 7:6-13. The point Jesus was making here is the basis of the theme for this entire series of studies. It is very important for the reader to grasp the significance of this concept. "Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men" (Mark 7:8) can be simply illustrated in this way- Laying aside the commandment of God-----> Ye hold the tradition of men- (God's Word)--------------------->(An assumption or interpretation of God's Word) "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition...Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered..."(Mark 7:9, 13) can be further illustrated like this- Laying aside the commandment of God---->Ye
hold the tradition of men- ^ For example, this method clearly illustrates how the serpent beguiled Eve in the garden-" Although subtly done the rephrasing of God's words effectively nullified God's explicit commandment. It is very important, therefore, that we should always be able to point directly at God's Word and say "This is our doctrine, this is what we believe." This can be very simply illustrated as such- Our Doctrine = (God's Word) End of Chapter One, Part Two. To Be Continued in Part Three Bibliography for The Commandments of God, and the Traditions of Men Bible Study Tom Raddatz
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