God gave the Israelites the Old Law Covenant to live by. He didn't expect them to be able to do so perfectly, but they often didn't even try. He warned them what would happen if they turned their backs on his true worship --that he would withdraw his protection of them-- but they repeatedly did so. For example, they were told:
"For the eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength
in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.
You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on there will be wars against you.”
2 Chronicles 16:9
At such times they went so far as to worship pagan gods --and, as if that wasn't bad enough--
they even offered their living children as burnt offerings to Baal!
God disciplined them by allowing worldly forces to plunder their nation & take many of them prisoner . . . and in time the remnant of them would repent, & were allowed to go back to their land. However, over time their religious leaders
began adding man-made traditions to their worship, which was totally unacceptable!
Jesus Christ made that fact amply clear when he told them:
“Why do you
overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition? You have 'made' the word of God invalid because of your tradition. You
hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said: ‘This people honor me with their lips, but
their hearts are far removed from me. It is
in vain that they keep worshipping me, for
they teach commands of men as doctrines.’” (
Matthew 15:3, 6b-9 --- See also
Isaiah 29:13)
Mark 7:5-9 reads similarly . . .
So these Pharisees and scribes asked him: “Why do your disciples not observe the tradition of the men of former times, but they eat their meal with defiled hands?”He said to them: “Isaiah aptly prophesied about you
hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but
their hearts are far removed from me.It is
in vain that they keep worshipping me, for
they teach commands of men as doctrines.’ You
let go of the commandment of God
and cling to the tradition of men.”
Christ also said to some of the Pharisees . . .
"
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings! But
you did not want it.
Look! Your house is abandoned to you.’”
Luke 13:34, 35a
Now, please notice the apostle Paul's later inspired warning to
Christians:
"Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the
philosophyand
empty deception according to
human tradition, according to
the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ."
Colossians 2:8
"Let no man deceive you with empty words,
for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience."
Ephesians 5:6
"Therefore, I
appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers,
to
present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,
a
sacred service
with your power of reason.
" Romans 12:1
True Christian teachings
never change.
When Christ described his followers in the future, he pointed this out:
“Nevertheless . . . the
true worshippers will worship the Father with
spirit and truth,
for indeed . . . those worshipping him
must worship with
spirit and truth.”
John 4:23, 24
“
Your word is
truth.”
John 17:17b
He also made clear that the worship of a great many who claim to follow him today, would not be acceptable:
"Many will
say to me in that day:
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy ... expel demons ... and perform many powerful works in your name?
And then I will
declare to them:
‘I
never knew you
! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’"
Matthew 7:22, 23
"For
false Christs and
false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders
to lead astray,
if possible, the chosen ones. You, then,
watch out. . . ."
Mark 13:22, 23
Thus, God's Word shows that beliefs, teachings, & practices
that are not in the Bible are
erroneous and
unacceptable to him,
forevermore.
True Christians follow God's Word just as Christ himself did.
That is what
'Christian' means
. . . 'a follower of Christ'.
They neither twist its meaning ... nor try to add to, or, take away from it.
For they
acknowledge with their whole hearts that
. . .
"The very essence of your word is truth,
And all your righteous judgments endure forever."
Psalm 119:160
Just as our Creator abandoned the errant nation of Israel,
he will likewise dispose of apostate Christian religions at the hands of the worldly nations. (
See Revelation 17)
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