Matthew 15-NKJV
1. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
2. "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.''
3. But He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
4. "For God commanded, saying, `Honor your father and your mother'; and, `He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'
5. "But you say, `Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me has been dedicated to the temple''
6. `is released from honoring his father or mother.' "Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
7. "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8. `These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
9. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' ''
10. Then He called the multitude and said to them, "Hear and understand:
11. "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.''
12. Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?''
13. But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
14. "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.''
15. Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us.''
16. So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?
17. "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
18. "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
19. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
20. "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.''
This seems rather straight forward. But it doesn't necesarily limit itself to the Pharisees of the day. Teaching as doctrines the comandment of men... or not teaching parts we are afraid may limit our numbers. Remember when in John 6 when Jesus told his disciples that they couln't be saved unless they ate his flesh and drank his blood? John 6:66. From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Jesus asked the remaining disciples, will you also leave me? They replied, to whom would we go? You alone have the words to everlasting life. Every plant not planted by the Father will be uprooted. You shall know them by their fruit, another verse says.
interesting how John 6:66 reveals the spirit of anti-christ...
In 1&2 Peter , Peter writes to the new church which is undergoing great hardships for their faith, by the establishment. 1 Peter 2:1. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2. as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
11. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12. having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,
14. or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
15. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men
16. as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God.
17. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
2 Peter 1: 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3. as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4. by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6. to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7. to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
Then follows it up with this...
2 Peter 2:9. then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10. and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11. whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
As a blogger , it is easy to send you to sites that slam the current (or former) administration(s). It is tempting to rail against the error of others, and exhibit self-righteousness. But the word condemns me for it. Be cautious in reading all the sites available to you, that you don't let the information darken your spirit, becoming bitter against the world. Read the bible more than you scan the internet. The net will entice, and inform, but the word of God is our only yardstick for truth. Read a wide variety of informers. Listen to preachers outside your denomination. Open yourself to views that directly oppose what you already believe, and take the new view to the word of God to see if you have been wrong on a point all along. It happens. Foremost, only let the word of God shape your heart!
