Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 189

July 8;    Mark 7:7;    35/260(III);    ‘The Commandments of Men’

Mark 7:7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 

The Pharisees and scribes constantly followed Jesus to watch what He and His disciples did so that they could criticize them.  The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus never sinned.  If Jesus violated the Word of God as He was accused of by the religious leaders, than He did sin.  What our Lord and His disciples did violate were the commandments of men.  Rules made up by the religious leaders, that had nothing to do with God’s Word.  The Pharisees were upset that Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands in the manner that the Pharisees taught.  These regulations had nothing to do with the Word of God.  The Lord Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 when He responded to the religious leaders, telling them that they teach their made up doctrines as if it were God’s Word.  Religion has always done this and continues to do this, to this day.  Those who do not know the Bible, are deceived by these commandments of men, thinking that the doctrine of these ‘men of God’ truly are what God says.  The Lord loved us too much to allow us to be deceived by deceived men.  This is why He gave us the Bible.  You must base your beliefs about the Lord based on what God’s Word says, not the commandments of men.  In most cases those who teach the commandments of men are sincere, they have been taught these religious, man-made commandments.   For our eternal protection and success in this life, God gave us His Word.  Know the Word, refusing anything else.