Empty Traditions?
The other day I learned a ‘Little Lesson’ from my Devotional. This is something that really hit home to me; as I have in the past several years, realized I was on the wrong path. Maybe some of you have been on this same journey too.
My devotional says… ‘Is your faith in Jesus Christ based simply on following the empty traditions you learned as a child, or do you truly know the One who uniquely created you?’
It goes on to say. ‘Jesus loves you and wants to have an intimate, dynamic relationship so you can experience not only forgiveness of sin, but also the abundant life he has promised (John 10:10). Why not ask the Holy Spirit to touch your heart today, and let Him show you a whole new way to love the Lord’ -Homeschool Mom’s Bible (I put a link at the end of the post for the devotional)
So here’s a question to ask yourself today.
Is my faith in Jesus Christ based on following empty traditions?
Think of one of the most amazing men for Christ, Paul/Saul.
Before he was converted, he was following ALL the traditions of the Jews! When Paul gave his testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26 he said the following:
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. (BibleGateway.com KJV)
So then, let’s look it up; What is a Pharisee?
What kind of life did Paul live when he was Saul?
What ‘Religion’ was he?
What I found was very interesting. This is speaking of Pharisee’s:
Religiously, they accepted the written Word as inspired by God. At the time of Christ’s earthly ministry, this would have been what is now our Old Testament. But they also gave equal authority to oral tradition and attempted to defend this position by saying it went all the way back to Moses. Evolving over the centuries, these traditions added to God’s Word, which is forbidden (Deuteronomy 4:2), and the Pharisees sought to strictly obey these traditions along with the Old Testament. The Gospels abound with examples of the Pharisees treating these traditions as equal to God’s Word (Matthew 9:14; 15:1-9; 23:5; 23:16, 23, Mark 7:1-23; Luke 11:42). (gotquestions.org I’ll put a link at the bottom of the post, in case you want to read the whole thing)
So Saul was following the traditions, and walked after the most straitest sect of their religion. Did doing the traditions save him? Did he really know the ONE that created him?
Just as Saul, we need to have a meeting with Christ
on the road we are traveling.
Just as Saul, We need to ask, ‘Who art thou, Lord?’
We need to KNOW who Jesus is.
We need to get past the empty traditions.
We need to focus on having a intimate relationship
with Our God, and Our Savior.
That’s why He created us.
When our heart is focused on KNOWING Christ and KNOWING His will for our life, we can finally put things in perspective. We can put our relationship with Him FIRST and the Holy Spirit can show us a whole new way of Loving the Lord.
Let’s Talk, Have you come to the place in your life where you have found and put your faith in Jesus, rather than traditions or practices?
Link to Pharisees Info. http://www.gotquestions.org/Sadducees-Pharisees.html
Link to Paul’s Testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2026&version=NIV;KJV
