Traditions of Men Taught as Truth of God
The definition of the “Rule of Law” has changed over the years. We need to remind ourselves; He who “Rules” authors the “Law.”
One must keep in mind the Old Testament (Covenant) was a covenant of law. There is no mercy in a law. The law puts forth an action that is either required or forbidden. When the requirement specified in the law is ignored, denied or rejected that person who has, for whatever reason, not met the requirement and perpetrated an infraction of the law is automatically, by default, guilty. Included in the law is a proscribed punishment and to satisfy that law it will be exacted of the offender. Depending on the nature of the infraction, considering extenuating circumstances, a judge may have authority to be lenient. In a case of murder with malice of forethought,1 (for instance) the death penalty is mandatory.
“You call me Master and Lord: you speak truth; for you know I am. If then I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, in truth, I say, A servant is not greater than his lord; neither is an ambassador greater than the one that sent him. If you know these things, you are filled with joy when you do them” (John 13: 13-17).
“The Lord of Hosts says, A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if I am a father, then where is my honor? If I am your master, why don’t you stand in awe and reverence in my presence? Priests, that despise my name. And you say, In what way have we despised your name?
“You offer impure bread on my altar; and you say, Where have we polluted you? Because you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t it evil? and isn’t it evil to offer lame and sick animals? Offer any of these to anyone in authority over you; regardless of who you are will he be pleased with you and not hold you in contempt?” (Malachi 1: 6-8)
“For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins . Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 5:1-6).
The New Testament (Covenant) is based on fulfillment of that same law given at Mt Sinai. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives (Hebrews 9:17). The promised Messiah had not come nor had he suffered the passion of death on the cross for the sins of the world. Jesus came to fulfill the promise to reconcile mankind to Himself and the Father God.
When Messiah (Jesus) came and offered Himself on the cross grace, mercy and forgiveness flowed down from God as a mighty river.
It is difficult to compare the altar in the Temple with the sanctuary and chancel of a church. As a matter of fact the only Temple mentioned in the New Testament is the human body. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own” (I Corinthians 6:19)?
The Temple was the place God chose where He visited the earth. It was called the holy of holies behind the altar of burnt offerings. The blood of the sin offering was carried by the Chief Priest on the day of Atonement. It was symbolic of the blood of that Messiah was to carry into the Holy of Holies in Heaven to atone for the sins of the world.
Therefore when Christians come together in corporate worship where ever that may be.
Where ever men and women come together in Jesus name, invoke Him and worship it must be in the same reverence, in Spirit and in Truth, reserved for the Temple. God is there (Matthew 18: 20). “That they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11). To fail to reverence God in worship is the same as when The Priest failed to do so in the Temple.
At the time Malachi’s prophecy the Priests were corrupting Temple worship with unsatisfactory offerings on His altar. It encouraged unacceptable worship among those that came into the temple. Both were a stench in the nostrils of God.
The worship in a church is corrupted when a pastor or his people do not offer their best to the Lord. Much of the worship in churches is unacceptable to God because it is the traditions of men not according to the word of God. Much of the worship, frills, accompaniments, extras, ornamentation, adornment, decoration; regalia, panoply, paraphernalia, apparatus, finery and equipment in a modern church together with the music dedicated to God is a stench in the nostrils of God as well.
The temple of the Holy Spirit (heart and mind of each person) needs to be cleaned and refurbished before worship is offered to the Living God and His Son (Romans 12: 1-2). The weakness of the church that renders them ineffective in the work of God today stems from this very condition. The Spirit of God is hindered by hearts and minds that are not “staid on Him.”
The Word of God exhorts, “[All] have sinned” (Romans 3: 23)]…“against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
These are only a few of the promises of God to His people:
“The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (II Chronicles 16:9).
“You wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
“Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones. Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase: So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3: 7-10).
For every high priest [pastor] taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.(Hebrews 5:1-3).
The nations of the world are in serious trouble: they are beset on every side with economic woes, crime, war, abuse and famine. When there is a drought it is from a lack of rain. When there is hunger is is from a lack of food. All of the black storm clouds that loom on the horizon of today’s world and bring fear into the hearts of mankind are result of a most serious scarcity. There is a lack of God in the world because those that believe have a lack courage to speak in His name.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin…” (II Chronicles 7:14).
- Whoso sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.(Genesis 9:6)
- Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father (John 4:21).
- Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20)
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