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A Holier-Than-Thou Loophole?
“Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’ Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.'” Matthew 15:1-6
The traditions of the elders sprang up in Judaism alongside scriptural teaching. Long lists of sayings like, Cleanliness is next to Godliness, were traditional wisdoms and human interpretations of the scriptural commands but not actually inspired by God [2 Timothy 3:16-17].
However, the religious leaders taught these human maxims with the same–and sometimes even higher–regard as the Word of God itself.
So when they spurned Jesus for breaking their human-crafted ordinances, He rightly asked them, Why are disobeying God’s Law to uphold your human regulations? In other words, Who’s in charge in the hearts of this world? Why are you denying God’s infinite Sovereignty to maintain your own finite authority? You’re twisting the truth into a lie but still calling it truth.
Just how were they doing this? Traditionalists thought they created a holier-than-thou-loophole in the commandments. God said not to dishonor parents. But maybe we could take the honor that is rightly due our parents–i.e. helping them in their old age–and consecrate that time, relationship and money instead to God.
Clearly, it sounded right and good to a lot of someones along the way. But Jesus was letting the religious know that–no matter what they called it–God is not honored when the parental roles He established are dishonored.
We cannot improve on God’s commands. Nor can we get around them by observing one to the neglect of another. God does not view this as holy, though we may fool people or even ourselves for a time. And God will hold us accountable for this willful mistreatment of His Word, for this perversion of originally intended meanings.
Holiness has no loopholes.
Do you bend God’s Word to suit yourself? Do you subscribe to human traditions as if they were God’s authoritative Word? Or do you rightly fear God and obey His commands in love?
KCS
The Cross of Compassion
“John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:12-14
After Jesus heard about the fate of his cousin, John the Baptist, He went some place where He could mourn. Alone.
As the Son of God, He knew the events that needed to take place for the sake of all mankind, but He also knew and loved the people to and through whom these events needed to happen.
Knowing that John was going to die didn’t make it any easier to receive the news that he had. Just like knowing that Lazarus was going to die, and that Jesus was going to raise him from the dead, didn’t soften the news of his passing [John 11:35].
God loves us. His Son, Jesus, loves us. His Holy Spirit loves us. The Trinity of the Godhead is so grieved by the loss of our physical life, because death is not what God created us for. He created us for life–eternal life–and by choosing sin, we chose death.
The crowds were likely oblivious to Jesus’ personal anguish at this point, and they followed Him in hopes that He could remove their own anguish. And He did. Even grieving John’s death, and maybe especially because Jesus was grieving–because He was remembering how fragile and important this human life is–Jesus had compassion on the crowds.
He didn’t get frustrated that they wouldn’t leave Him alone at a time like this. He didn’t send them away. He didn’t ignore them and run further away Himself.
He served God through His grief. He healed the sick that were brought to Him out of genuine concern for their suffering.
As Christians, our perspective needs to be that of Christ. It is not easy to lay self aside daily and take up the cross of compassion. Genuine concern for the suffering and misfortune of others when we ourselves have troubles does not come naturally. In our sinful nature, we want to prioritize our problems above other people’s problems. We want others to meet our needs regardless of what they might be going through.
But Jesus shows us the true meaning of love and compassion. To do for others even when no one is caring for you.
How compassionate are you? Is it selective depending on your circumstance? Remember that God is faithful and unchanging. His compassion for each of us never falters. It is infinite and unwavering. And we are made in His image [Genesis 1:26-27].
Will you allow God to transform you through the renewing of your mind [Romans 12:2]? Will you allow Him to equip you to take up the cross of compassion for this lost and dying world [Matthew 10:38 & 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23 & 14:27; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 13:20-21]?
KCS
In the Truth But Not of It
“‘Have you understood all these things?’ Jesus asked. ‘Yes,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings outs of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.'” Matthew 13:51-52
Once again, Jesus shows that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it [Matthew 5:17]. The disciples are learning about the same God they’d known all through their Judeo upbringing, but they are learning about Him in a new way. The new learning, however, in no way negates the old learning. Rather, it completes their understanding.
And then He gives them a charge, not unlike the Great Commission itself–instruct the teachers of the law about the kingdom. For when you do they will be able to rightly understand the place of the law in the scheme of eternity. They will be able to more fully treasure their God-given tradition when the knowledge of God is restored to them.
In other words, the disciples were not to withhold proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven from the religious leaders, the most learned men among them. Instead, they were to help to guide the religious leaders back to the light of truth so that they too could rightly proclaim the gospel in full understanding of their Old Testament heritage.
Like the teachers of the law, there are still those today who are raised in church–of any denomination–and cling to traditions because they feel right or familiar, but without knowing why. As our understanding of God grows through prayer and Bible study, so should our witness to those who live in the truth but not of it.
Are you studying to show yourself approved [2 Timothy 2:15]? Are you allowing scripture to thoroughly equip you to proclaim the gospel light [2 Timothy 3:17]? Or are you possibly living as one of these who is in–surrounded by–the truth you practice, but not wholly made of–conformed to–its likeness?
KCS
Digestible Truth
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.'” Matthew 13:34-35
Jesus spoke in parables so that God’s truth would be easier for the human mind to comprehend. It’s like pureeing and straining food to spoon feed to a baby. It’s like when an author uses figurative language–analogies, similes and the like–to help a reader visualize. Parables were verbal object lessons at a time that material possessions weren’t readily available and the spoken word held more cultural worth.
God is incomprehensible. He is infinite and eternal. And His truth was shattered and hidden by sin in the Fall.
Our human minds don’t operate at full understanding. Miscommunications, deceptions, misconceptions, perversions, distortions, omissions and exaggerations abound. Even the academics that we have learned and pass on to the next generations is incomplete at best, but often misinterpreted through the lens of our preferences. Meaning, we hear what we want to hear [2 Timothy 4:3].
It’s not easy to find the truth let alone to understand it. But it is possible.
To this day, the parables of Jesus help us to better understand God’s Word and what He is doing in the grander scheme of eternity. But we have to study His truth, His whole truth and consider the world through the lens of nothing but His truth. Even then, our understanding will be imperfect as long as we live in these earthly bodies [1 Corinthians 13:9-12].
Are you intently looking into God’s Word to learn the truth? Do you allow the Holy Spirit to quicken understanding to your heart and mind?
KCS
The Generation Garden
“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.'” Matthew 13:22-23
There were those in the crowds that followed Jesus that, though they recognized the truth, the truth was that they weren’t ready to lay down their earthly life for eternal life. A moment of pleasure and human success now meant more to them than an eternity of the joy of the Lord and the reward of the victorious in the hereafter [Revelation 3:21 & 21:7].
Sadly, these simply walked away, knowing the truth full well. The pursuit of money and things strangled the eternal life out of them [Matthew 19:23-24; 1 Timothy 6:9-10 & 17].
How many billions of people today do recognize God’s truth, but aren’t willing to give up any of their earthly comforts–no matter how impoverished–to accept His salvation or answer His call?
But there was one more group among the crowds in Jesus’ day–those whose hearts were ready. They knew God. They wanted to know Him more–more than they wanted to maintain their human reputation or cultural status, more than they loved their money or their possessions, more than their own comfort or the pride of providing for themselves. Their hearts were not hard-packed paths or rocky outcroppings or thorny byways, their hearts were well-kept, tender soil, tilled and weeded like a garden bed ready for planting.
When Jesus’ Word came to them it took root. It grew and it flourished until it bore spiritual fruit [Matthew 7:15; Galatians 5:22-26].
All of us have gone astray, all of us have sinned [Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23]. So how do we ready our hearts to receive God’s Word?
Each of us is born with a measure of childlike faith, like a seed containing a plant start and enough food to sustain it until it roots and nourishes itself in the soil. If our parents or guardians or community raise us in the fear and admonition of the Lord, if they fill the pots of our lives with the soil of God’s Word, if they water us with prayer and praise and shine on us with love, then we will see their faith and begin to grow.
But that is not enough. The new plant must put down roots of its own and push up seed leaves. It must begin to nourish itself by staying in God’s Word, by praying and praising out of a genuine love for and faith in God, and it must seek the Holy Spirit to flow through its life, producing the firstfruit of repentance and then the fruit of the spirit.
Is your heart prepared to receive God’s Word? Are you already nurturing the seed of faith within?
KCS
Dueling Tongues of Fire
“And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.'” Matthew 12:31-32
Sin is that state of all humanity. It is hamartia in the Greek, missing the mark, falling short of the glory of God [Romans 3:23]. Blasphemy is speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things. Sacrilege means violating or misusing what is sacred or holy.
Jesus is very clear here that profaning Jesus’ name is forgivable–sinful, but forgivable nonetheless as is all sin. Using God’s name in vain, that is emptily, is also forgivable–sinful, but still forgivable when we come to repentance [Exodus 20:7]. However, profaning–disrespecting or being irreverent toward–the Holy Spirit is unforgivable [Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10].
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent as a Comforter, a Counselor, an Advocate [John 14:26]. He is the paraclete that comes alongside us. He quickens our understanding, giving us access to the mind of Christ [1 Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 3:5]. He speaks through us on our own behalf and on God’s behalf before men [Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11-12; Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Peter 1:12; 2 Peter 1:21].
The Holy Spirit empowers us to will and to act in accord with God’s purposes [Acts 1:8, 4:31 & 20:28; Romans 15:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Hebrews 2:4]. The Holy Spirit encourages us, though all the while we have trouble in this world [John 16:33; Acts 9:31]. The Holy Spirit at work in our lives shows that God has accepted us [Acts 15:8].
He is the conduit of God’s love in our hearts [Romans 5:5]. He is the accountability partner for our consciences [Romans 9:1]. He is the righteousness, peace and joy of the kingdom of God in us [Romans 4:17]. He sanctifies us, that is, sets us free from sin, making us holy unto God [Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Titus 3:5]. The Holy Spirit is God’s official seal on our lives, testifying to our reconciliation with God the Father, and He is a deposit in our physical life guaranteeing our eternal life [2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14 & 4:30; 2 Timothy 1:14].
When irreverent words form in our mouths, they are rooted in the heart [Matthew 12:34]. The Pharisees were so hateful of Jesus, that they accused God’s Holy Spirit as being the Prince of demons–Beelzebub. That is truly profaning God’s Spirit. To call Him the very thing that He created, that rebelled against Him taking a third of the angels and humanity with him, and that God will one day destroy.
In this day and age that we live, irreverence is considered common place, acceptable humor and even charming or a sign of great intelligence. However, discernment is of the utmost importance. For once we’ve crossed the line of revering, deeply respecting God’s Holy Spirit, with our tongues, the whole course of our physical and eternal life are set on fire by hell itself [James 3:6].
Conversely, God sent His Holy Spirit as tongues of fire to rest above the heads of the disciples in the upper room, reversing Satan’s counterfeit irreverence with a deep-seeded fear–that is a proper respect–of the Lord [Acts 2:3].
Which tongue of fire leads your life?
KCS
What Does God’s Word Say About Columbus Day?
“In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pith on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouting on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and fave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him, ‘he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.'” Luke 10:30-37
A lot of people look at history and denounce God because of what so-called Christian European nations did. Take Columbus for example. He came looking for trade routes to Asia, but inadvertently rediscovered continents that had been forgotten about during the Dark Ages.
The rediscovery in and of itself is neither good nor bad. But we have to critically examine what happened after the rediscovery in light of the Bible to understand whether or not Columbus, the conquerors and explorers after him, and the European sovereigns that hired them, were acting as Christians [Matthew 7:15-20].
Columbus’ ship brought diseases from Europe that the Native Americans had no immunity to. This, unfortunately, is a terrible thing, but it wasn’t a willful infecting of the indigenous peoples. Had Europe been practicing Biblical dietary and sanitary laws, however, maybe there would not have been the tragic loss of life for medical reasons.
But Columbus also set up colonies in already inhabited lands. He took gold and spices from the people to bring back to Europe. And he stole people. All for his own glory and honor in the Spanish courts.
Had Christopher Columbus or European nations acted as Christians in all of this, they would have…
- recognized that the Native Americans were their neighbors.
- recognized God as Sovereign over all and worked to live in peace, probably from back on their own continent [Romans 12:18].
- acted in Godly love toward them, rather than treating them as property for their own gain.
- realized the harmful effects of the ill health they had brought to the natives and sought to bring medical care if possible.
- considered anyone who took the riches of the New Worlds back to Europe robbers unless they had earned these things for themselves from the indigenous inhabitants.
We can’t change history. But we can critically examine it through the lens of scripture. Just because someone lived in a so-called Christian nation or called themselves a Christian, or just because they cited a scripture passage as justification for their actions, does not mean that they were acting according to the will of God.
Do you recognize God’s truth in history? Are you equipped to speak to those who deny God because of the misuse of His Name in history and in the world today [2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 3:15]?
KCS
Discipleship Past, Present and Future
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.'” Matthew 10:21-23
As Jesus is sending out the twelve disciples He reaches back into Israel’s history and speaks to how the broken commandments will effect them both now and in the generations to come.
In the desert wandering, God commanded Israel to honor their parents [Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 & 27:16] and to treat foreigners fairly, remembering that they too were once foreigners in Egypt [Exodus 22:21].
Through the prophets, God calls Israel out on committing these very sins [Ezekiel 22:6-7; Micah 7:6].
Now the disciples are being sent out to witness among this disobeying, foreigner mistreating nation. Into an environment of family treachery where they can’t even trust that their own flesh and blood won’t hate them and turn them over to the religious leaders on account of their faith in Christ. To be sure, they will be hated, but if they stand firm in their faith, they will be sothesetai–saved, healed, preserved, rescued, delivered [set free], protected.
In this case, I believe their faith would preserve them from the persecution, because God had a plan and a purpose for the disciples’ ministry during Jesus’ time on earth. Later on, this promise to sothesetai meant that sometimes they would be rescued, sometimes set free, sometimes protected, sometimes healed, but despite persecution that would lead to death for many of them, by grace through their faith they would be saved–eternally.
In the same breath, Jesus also speaks through the ages to all followers to come who would deny themselves and take up His cross [Matthew 10:38 & 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23 & 14:27]. Right until the end of the age we will face the same persecution that the disciples did from family, friends and governments [Matthew 24:9-13; Mark 13:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5].
But just as the disciples were instructed, when we are faced with persecution, we can flee to another place. We can take the gospel to others who might receive it more gladly. Though many have felt compelled by the love of the Holy Spirit to give their lives to minister to the very people who persecute them [Matthew 5:44].
If you have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, you too have been commissioned to disciple the nations [Matthew 28:18-20]. But in this world, you will face trouble because of the name of Jesus [John 16:33]. Will you deny yourself? Will you daily take up the cross of Christ? Will you stand firm in your faith no matter the difficulty? Will you lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance when persecution comes?
KCS
The Truest Moment of Our Understanding
“While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.” Matthew 9:18-19
Amazingly, faith in Jesus seems to reign in hearts throughout Capernaum, including in a ruler. Of all people, this public or government official, humbles himself before Jesus. He takes a knee, knowing that his own authority and sovereignty are powerless to restore his daughter’s life.
The truest moment we can come to understanding our own sinful state is to realize just this–that we are powerless.
God is all-powerful and good. With just the power of His Word, He spoke everything that is into existence. And that same Word still holds us all together–literally. [Scientists have discovered that sound waves are the glue that hold atoms–the smallest unit of matter that composes every thing in Creation–together.]
I don’t know about you, but my words can’t hold anything together…not even myself. In fact, they usually betray me, burn down everything I’ve carefully constructed and singe those I hold dear [James 3:3-6].
My will controls no one but myself and that not always effectively. My grace is limited. My mercy and kindness and love and understanding–everything about me is limited. Finite. Powerless. I have no authority over Creation. I have no ability to create something from nothing or to speak life into death. Demons don’t flee from my name or tremble in my presence. The wind and the waves don’t obey me.
I am completely powerless.
And so are you.
When Satan said we could be our own gods, he lied [Genesis 3:5; Isaiah 14:14].
Nothing created has the power to take the place of its Creator. Think about it, the true effect of sin on the physical world is that we told God, We’ll run our bodies and this planet by ourselves, thank you very much. And He said, Ok. But then He really let us live as our own gods just like we insisted–and still insist–on.
Gods [little g] who are powerless to hold atoms together.
Gods [little g] whose wills control nothing–not even self–most of the time.
Gods [little g] who are incomplete, finite, lovers of ourselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, with an incomplete understanding of what is good, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure [2 Timothy 3:2-4].
No wonder the result of sin is death. Sin means we rebel against God, taking on the burden of keeping His Creation–including the life of our own bodies–in perfect motion. And we can’t do it. Everything in our hands falls apart.
The ruler recognized this truth.
The ruler knelt before Jesus in faith. Just put your hand on her, Jesus. Life flows from your hands, but death flows from mine.
Do you live as your own sovereign authority? Or have you bowed your life to the loving power of the One True God?
KCS
The Pharisee Irony
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'” Matthew 9:9-13
Again in Capernaum, Jesus’ new hometown, He finds and calls another disciple. Remember, the ordinary practice was for students to choose their Rabbi, but Jesus pursues the heart just as His Father God does.
Matthew was not at all liked. Since he was a Jew who worked for the Roman Empire, fellow Jews considered him a traitor. The Romans imposed heavy taxes and road usage tolls on the poor working folks.
But Jesus doesn’t care about social perception or social standings. He doesn’t care about resumes or reputations. He only cares about sinners repenting and being reconciled with Him.
Obviously Matthew knew of Jesus and His ministry. But more to the point, Jesus knew Matthew’s heart. He knew full well that this traitorous tax collector wanted to follow Him and was just waiting for the right moment, the right opportunity.
Of course, the Pharisees do their self-righteous thing. They judge Jesus by the company He keeps. They ask a question to puff themselves up and put the disciples down. Why? Because–despite being experts in the Old Testament scripture–they really had no idea what God desires.
They knew the letter, but not the heart.
When Jesus responds, He gives them some spiritual food for thought. The Pharisees were religious about observing the sacrificial laws, but they had no mercy for their fellow man. They thought they were the picture of spiritual health. They thought that they knew the law well enough to judge anyone and everyone. With all of their knowledge of scripture, they should have recognized Jesus’ Godhood. But they were so prideful and self-righteous that their knowledge of scripture was exactly the thing that caused them to look down on Jesus instead.
So what does Jesus mean when He says that He didn’t come to call the righteous? Didn’t He come for everyone? He sure did. But not everyone will come to accept Him. Of these, the self-righteous seem to have the hardest time accepting the simple gospel truth and the free gift of God’s grace. Because they think they’ve already arrived.
It seems extreme, but it’s still possible to be so puffed up by our study of God’s Word, that we miss the point and, ultimately, God Himself.
Study to show yourself approved [2 Timothy 2:15]. Be thoroughly equipped [2 Timothy 3:16-17]. But think of yourself with sober judgment through it all [Romans 12:3].
Are you being tripped up by religious habit or spiritual pride? Unsure? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any Pharisaical tendencies in your heart.
KCS
Generation Heroes 