Matthew 15:7-9
Mat 15:7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The scribes and pharisees had come to Jesus and asked why His disciples did not follow the guidelines that had been laid down by previous rabbis and jewish scholars.
Jesus replies with these verses. He tells these people that they are hypocrites. Isaiah foretold of this (Isa 29:13). The people speak of God and honor Him with their words, but their hearts are not in it. They don't really believe it when they worship and honor God. When they talk about God, they don't really believe it. God (Jesus) is not in their hearts.
This makes me think of John 15:4-6
Joh 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
In verse 9, Jesus tells them that they worship God in vain. Why is their worship in vain? Because they have put their own rules and beliefs before those of God. The doctrines (beliefs) that they teach (and practice) are their own. Not only are they not found in the bible, but often times would run counter to the spirit of the written word of God.
At the time, the bible consisted solely of the old testament, but we can apply these verses to our lives today. As such, we would also have to apply the new testament to our lives.
Are we putting our own beliefs and wishes before the word of God? Do we say that because "my God is a loving God, so He won't get mad", or "God will forgive me if I do this, so it must be OK." If so, it is a dangerous place to be.
People often times put too much faith in simply saying "Jesus is my saviour" without knowing exactly why Jesus is their saviour, or what Jesus (or the old testament) taught. The only way to know the will of God is to have read His bible.
Do you know your doctrines (beliefs)? Do they agree with the bible? Have you checked to see if they agree with the bible? If not, you should. If you have, and the bible does not agree with what you believe in, what are you going to do about it?
===
FP adds the following commentary:
I have found in every denomination certain practices and doctrines, dogma, that have some basis in scripture but usually are developed by church leaders for some particular agenda or purpose.
No communion; closed communion; no bulletin; no Lord's prayer; no alcohol; infant baptism, water [immersion] baptism; sprinkling baptism; confirmation; no confirmation; no repentance; scripted prayers; vain repetition; idolatry; indulgences; selling artifacts; co-redeemers; worshipping big name Christians; non-biblical sermons; book studies rather than bible studies; Sunday only religiosity; born-again speaking in tongues as only ones saved; too much tongues; craziness in worship; stifled worship...
Pharisees reborn to some extent in every kind of church.
Tithing lectures; big church buildings.......Holier than thou attitudes......Hell and No Hell.....Dress Codes and come as you are........ offering plates and bozo buckets.........Grape Juice and Mogen David...........Church Leaders and Church Peons........Den of thieves or????................Real worship or pretense??.....
Where is the discernment??
No wonder believers that love the Lord Jesus are church shopping.
Enforced Unity Message- do not disagree with our tenets or you are guilty of being a heretic….Phony TV faith guys selling you cloths, water, etc, from wherever….Touch the TV screen as a point of contact……….Screaming TV preachers…..Preachers claiming they do not sin anymore…..Church leaders covering up for underlings that abuse kids….Preachers that tell you to have faith for your finances but do not have the faith to pray themselves for God to supply rather that beg and cry for viewers to supply. Oh, ye of little faith…
How can the believer trust when the Leaders do not trust themselves??
Church guys selling vitamins………Using the church as a sales platform for personal businesses…….Sermons where Jesus is not even mentioned, even once………..
No wonder the unsaved avoid us like the plague. Scary aint it!!
I have seen just about everything, brother!!
Did I leave out any general practices of men??
How was that for a good all-purpose venting??
Mat 15:8 "This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The scribes and pharisees had come to Jesus and asked why His disciples did not follow the guidelines that had been laid down by previous rabbis and jewish scholars.
Jesus replies with these verses. He tells these people that they are hypocrites. Isaiah foretold of this (Isa 29:13). The people speak of God and honor Him with their words, but their hearts are not in it. They don't really believe it when they worship and honor God. When they talk about God, they don't really believe it. God (Jesus) is not in their hearts.
This makes me think of John 15:4-6
Joh 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
In verse 9, Jesus tells them that they worship God in vain. Why is their worship in vain? Because they have put their own rules and beliefs before those of God. The doctrines (beliefs) that they teach (and practice) are their own. Not only are they not found in the bible, but often times would run counter to the spirit of the written word of God.
At the time, the bible consisted solely of the old testament, but we can apply these verses to our lives today. As such, we would also have to apply the new testament to our lives.
Are we putting our own beliefs and wishes before the word of God? Do we say that because "my God is a loving God, so He won't get mad", or "God will forgive me if I do this, so it must be OK." If so, it is a dangerous place to be.
People often times put too much faith in simply saying "Jesus is my saviour" without knowing exactly why Jesus is their saviour, or what Jesus (or the old testament) taught. The only way to know the will of God is to have read His bible.
Do you know your doctrines (beliefs)? Do they agree with the bible? Have you checked to see if they agree with the bible? If not, you should. If you have, and the bible does not agree with what you believe in, what are you going to do about it?
===
FP adds the following commentary:
I have found in every denomination certain practices and doctrines, dogma, that have some basis in scripture but usually are developed by church leaders for some particular agenda or purpose.
No communion; closed communion; no bulletin; no Lord's prayer; no alcohol; infant baptism, water [immersion] baptism; sprinkling baptism; confirmation; no confirmation; no repentance; scripted prayers; vain repetition; idolatry; indulgences; selling artifacts; co-redeemers; worshipping big name Christians; non-biblical sermons; book studies rather than bible studies; Sunday only religiosity; born-again speaking in tongues as only ones saved; too much tongues; craziness in worship; stifled worship...
Pharisees reborn to some extent in every kind of church.
Tithing lectures; big church buildings.......Holier than thou attitudes......Hell and No Hell.....Dress Codes and come as you are........ offering plates and bozo buckets.........Grape Juice and Mogen David...........Church Leaders and Church Peons........Den of thieves or????................Real worship or pretense??.....
Where is the discernment??
No wonder believers that love the Lord Jesus are church shopping.
Enforced Unity Message- do not disagree with our tenets or you are guilty of being a heretic….Phony TV faith guys selling you cloths, water, etc, from wherever….Touch the TV screen as a point of contact……….Screaming TV preachers…..Preachers claiming they do not sin anymore…..Church leaders covering up for underlings that abuse kids….Preachers that tell you to have faith for your finances but do not have the faith to pray themselves for God to supply rather that beg and cry for viewers to supply. Oh, ye of little faith…
How can the believer trust when the Leaders do not trust themselves??
Church guys selling vitamins………Using the church as a sales platform for personal businesses…….Sermons where Jesus is not even mentioned, even once………..
No wonder the unsaved avoid us like the plague. Scary aint it!!
I have seen just about everything, brother!!
Did I leave out any general practices of men??
How was that for a good all-purpose venting??
posted by MarkD at 12:15 PM
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