In those days, when the Law was practiced, even in the time when our Lord was here on earth, Judaism comprised of those who faithfully followed “Kabbala, an esoteric Jewish mysticism that has always been essentially an oral tradition in that initiation into its doctrines and practices conducted by a personal guide to avoid the dangers inherent in mystical experiences. Esoteric Kabbala is also “tradition” inasmuch as it lays claim to secret knowledge of the unwritten Torah (divine revelation) that was communicated by God to Moses and Adam. Though observance of the Law of Moses remained the basic tenet of Judaism, Kabbala provided a means of approaching God directly. It thus gave Judaism a religious dimension whose mystical approaches to God were viewed by some as dangerously pantheistic and heretical.” (Wikipedia). It seemed that God’s divine revelation (Torah) given to the nation of Israel through Moses, was not enough. They had to apply mysticism to supplement God’s laws. A danger path that has branched out, creating other religions contrary to the Word of God. The world is deep into deceit guided by the traditions of these blind guides.
Paul warns the Colossians saying, “See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit, following human tradition, just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding Christ, for in Him the whole fullness of Deity continues to dwell in bodily form. (YAHSHUA) having canceled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us. This He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross, disarming the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it” (Col. 2:8,14-15). The new covenant between YAHSHUA and His bride, is a covenant of blood, free from religious traditions, qualifying those who want to follow His Word. The pure and simple message of the Gospel is based on the love of God toward sinners, and His redemptive sacrifice through the shedding of His blood. It is not a religion, but it is however, a relationship with God as our part of the covenant established by YAHSHUA with all those who embrace His love. “If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world [why do you submit to rules and regulations? -such as] do not handle , do not taste, do not even touch, referring to things all of which perish with being used, To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines. Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance for wisdom in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh” (Col. 2:21-23).
Religion and tradition carry no weight on faith, the basis for our spiritual success. Several denominations of the Christian faith burden the people with regulations not found in Scripture. They are man-made regulations in order to exercise their control over ignorant people. From outward appearances to interpretation of Scripture, these denominations hold in bondage those whom the Lord has set free, when God’s intention was “the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints, the work of ministering toward building up Christ’ body the church until we all attain oneness in the faith and in comprehension of knowledge of the Son of God that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood, the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him” (Eph. 4:12-13). “Our Lord suffered and died outside the gate in order that He might purify and consecrate the people through His own blood and set them apart as holy; Let us then go forth to Him outside the camp [at Calvary], bearing the contempt and abuse and shame with Him, for here we have no permanent city, but we are looking for the one which is to come” (Heb. 13:12-13). That’s what relationship with God is all about. Not religion with man-made traditions: don’t do this or that, do not touch that, do not eat. Conviction does not happen in the outward, for it is an inward; a work from the Holy Spirit, it is not from man-made rules and regulations to satisfy their tradition to conform to their religion.
Lord, give us a spirit of revelation into the knowledge of Your love; guide us out of religious practices into the glorious relationship with You. Where there is confusion of belief show us the truth; where there is self-righteousness, show us your scared hands and feet and bathe us with Your precious blood, washing us clean of religion that leads us to tradition, blinding our eyes to see Your ways of love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. Amen!
Light from the Word 