Let's look at some interesting scriptures comparing the times that Jesus lived in to our time today.
The very same topics that we discuss here was also discussed in the day of Jesus. The mainstream preachers of Christ's time all claimed to be Children of God because their claim was that they were the Children of Abraham therefore they are Gods' people. This was their claim to being God's people.
JOHN 8:33-45 [33] They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say thou, Ye shall be made free? They claimed belief on the God of Abraham, they claimed to be in bondage to no man. But what did Jesus tell them? [34] Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. [39] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. [40] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. [41] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. [44] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. [45] And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
There is more on this engagement between Jesus and the Mainstream teachers of His day who claimed to be God's children because they were the children of Abraham in John 8.
Certainly the Pharisees studied the bible as it existed then as did Jesus.
Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Yet these two factions, Jesus and the mainstream religious teachers of His time had almost opposite understandings of the Bible. It is fair to say not all Jews of that time had the same understanding as the mainstream religious teachers of the day.
Luke 1:5-6 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. [6] And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
So there seems to be a trend here.
The mainstream religious teachers all claimed to be God's people, they read God's Words, yet they "Transgressed the Commandments of God by their own doctrines and traditions." (Matthew 15:3-9)
Yet there is no indication that Zacharias or Jesus did this and followed them or their teachings and traditions. So we have one example of understanding that was gained by study in obedience to the instructions in God's Word, ( Zacharias and Jesus), And another example of study in disobedience to the instructions of God's Word by following man-made teachings and traditions that led many away from God and His Word. (Mainstream preachers of that time - see Matthew 15:3-9)
There were more than just Zacharias.
Matthew 2:1-2 1, Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Here is another example of people who had a completely different understanding than the mainstream religious teachers of that time. Is it wrong to assume that they, like Zacharias, also studied in obedience to the instruction?
And Peter, which side of this topic did he fall on?
Acts 5:32-33 [32], And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. [33] When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
Now why was it that the Jews sought to persecute Jesus and the prophets? It was because they refused to obey the instruction of God, and created their own instructions, and the other example did not. So fast forward to today. We have mainstream religious teachers today still teaching that "Transgression of God's Commandments by following their own traditions and doctrines."
This is not a judgment, rather, a simple fact.
It is mainstream Christian Tradition to transgress God's 4th commandment Sabbath of the 10 commandments that give us a knowledge of what sin is *Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4 and replace it with the Catholic Sabbath of Sunday worship. It is mainstream Christian Tradition to create images of God in the likeness of some long haired men's shampoo model, transgressing the first and greatest commandment. It is mainstream Christian Tradition to transgress God's Food Laws, and create their own definition of what is clean and unclean.
So it seems that even today, if a person studies in obedience to God's simple instructions he see's the scripture one way. If a person studies scripture in disobedience following the traditions and teachings of man in place of God's Word and to God's simple instructions, he sees the scripture in another way. I believe what Peter taught, that the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Truth) is given to those who do not "Transgress the Commandments of God by their own religious doctrines and traditions. But I also know from Peter and Jesus that this belief will infuriate "many" who come in Christ's/God's name.
[23] "When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them."
Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved."
My hope is that you might consider these words and understand.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (Is it evil or righteous to transgress the commandments of God by doctrines and traditions of men?) [20] For every one that does evil (Transgress God's Commandments by their own Traditions) hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. Is this why the Mainstream preachers of Peters time set about to kill or silence Peter, so he wouldn't expose their transgression of God's Commandments?
[21] But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest,.(let your light shine) that they are wrought in God.
So a circle is complete once again. Those who live a doctrine created (wrought) by God have a different understanding than those who live a doctrine created by man who follow the traditions of man. The above was shared with me recently by a friend. I hope it was a blessing to you as it was for me. Now the important question is who should we obey God or man? (see Acts of the Apostles 5:29. What are your thoughts?
God bless
GOD'S WORD vs TRADITIONS OF MEN PART 2/2
It is amazing how those that do not have God's word to support their traditions that lead others to break the commandments of God accuse those who have God's WORD of things that are not true.
For example, the religious teachers in the days of Jesus said that he had a devil and his followers were a cult this was also independently verifiable in the days of Jesus and the Apostles. Just ask the Jews who hung Jesus on the cross (John 7:20; John 8:48; 52; Matt 10:25 12:24; Acts 28:22).
This could be said of all those who followed Jesus throughout time even before Jesus the religious teachers of all time killed the prophets and messengers sent to them by God to share His Word (Luke 11:47; Matthew 23:31)
Stephen was stoned to death because he believed in a teaching of obedience to Gods' Word and according to the Jews it was independently verified that he was blaspheming because no one could argue with the scriptures that he was presenting (Acts of the Apostles 6:8-15).
Paul, Peter and most of the Apostles were also executed because it was independently verified by the religious teachers of their day that they could not respond to God's WORD the Apostles were sharing with them telling them that only Gods' Word is true and we ought to obey God rather then men (Romans 3:4; Acts of the Apostles 5:29).
Not to mention all those of the reformation and the birth of Protestantism and the inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church which executed millions of God's people because it was independently verified by the Roman Catholic Church that they were all heretics and did not believe the Church traditions and chose to believe and follow the scriptures so should be burned at the stake.
Now today nothing has changed. Many who do not follow the man-made teachings and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church including Sunday worship are considered to be a cult and of the devil and treated the same way as Jesus, the prophets, Apostles and disciples of Christ simply because they choose to believe and follow the scriptures.
According to the scriptures, only God's WORD is true *Romans 3:4 and we should believe and follow them over the teachings and traditions of men that lead us away from Gods' Word to break the commandments of God (Acts of the Apostles 5:29).
According to the scriptures, God has His people are in every Church living up to all the light that God has given them *John 10:16 but God is calling us all back to His Word to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Jesus tells us that the hour is coming and now is that Gods' true worshipers will worship Him in Spirit and in truth and that God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
Jesus warns us in Matthew 15:3-9 and tells us that if we follow man-made teachings and traditions that lead us away from God's Word to break the commandments of God we are not worshiping God and to fear God and give glory to Him because the hours of His judgement has come and worship Him who is the creator of all things *see Revelation 14:7-12.
Sunday worship is a man-made teaching and tradition handed down from the Roman Catholic Church that has led many away from God and His Word to break Gods' 4th commandment of the 10 commandments *Exodus 20:8-11 that give us the knowledge of what sin is when broken *see Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4; James 2:10-11.
Many follow this man-made teachings and tradition out of ignorance and in times of ignorance God winks at and does not hold us accountable for sin until he gives us a knowledge of the truth of His Word which at this time calls all men everywhere to believe and follow what His Word days *see James 4:17; Acts of the Apostles 17:30-31; compare with Hebrews 10:26-31.
Check for yourself. There is not a single scripture in all of Gods' Word that tells us that Gods' 4th commandment of the 10 commandments has been abolished and we are now commanded to keep Sunday as a holy day of rest. This is a man-made teaching and tradition that has led many away from Gods' Word to break the commandments of God.
Sunday worship is a man-made teaching and traditions handed down by the Roman Catholic Church to Protestantism after the reformation that has led many away from God and His Word to follow man-made teachings and traditions handed down from the Romans Catholic Church. The question then remains to all of us which is who do we believe and follow; God or man (see Romans 3:4; Acts of the Apostles 5:29)
May God bless you as you seek Him through His Word.
May God bless you as you seek Him through His Word.