Man-made vs God’s Law
Elijah prophecies that men will claim to be close to God but truly only teach their own doctrines. This is the role of religion and is not what we should seek. We should seek closeness with God through relationship to him alone.
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth 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.Matt 15:8-9
Consider what God, through Moses, gave as the test for a prophet:
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.Deut 4:2
Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.Deut 12:32
If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.Deut 13:1-10
Washing hands isn’t the issue, nor is food - eating unclean food won’t kill you (however science proves that there are consequences over time). The true sickness of man is an evil heart (Jer 17:9). We should focus on fixing the heart first. After that, things will almost naturally fall into place. This is what the apostles decide in Acts 15, as well.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?Jeremiah 17:9
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas […]Acts 15:13-22
Questions
- What are ways to keep ourselves from slipping into the trap of building our own fences and elevating them above God’s word
- Religious manifesto to traditions (cred Radamez Servera, thanks be to Ryan for showing this tool)
- Create transgression against God’s commandments
- Invalidate the commands of God
- Create lip service to God
- Create distant Hearts
- Create lame worshippers
- Elevate the word of man above God
- Religious manifesto to traditions (cred Radamez Servera, thanks be to Ryan for showing this tool)
Why the reluctance to heal
Despite not being a part of his “current mission” (expanded in Acts 1,12), a gentile woman still has faith enough that God moves in her. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His first calling is to his own but a show of faith reveals exactly who is his.