C. Religious Leaders.
1. It is common for religious people to place their trust in a preacher, priest, or pastor. They reason that surely these Amen of God@ could not be wrong or lead them astray. Many times, people will quote some great religious leader in defense of their beliefs and practices: AYou see, great and godly men are in favor of it so it must be right.@
2. I remember door-knocking in Australia and coming to the house of a certain denominational lady. After some discussion, we asked, AIf we could clearly show you in the Bible where your church is teaching and practicing incorrectly, would you change?" She thought for a moment and replied, ANo, I like my pastor and I believe him.@
3. There is a great flaw in this thinking. After our lives are over, we will not be judged by what other people have said, no matter how godly or smart we may think they are, but by the words of Jesus. In John 12:48, Jesus declared, AHe who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.@
4. In Matthew 15, Jesus rebuked some of the Pharisees (who were seen by many as the religious leaders of the day). His disciples couldn’t believe His boldness and afterward said, ADo You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?@ Jesus replied, AEvery plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit@ (Matt. 15:12-14).
5. The Corinthians were being misled by some false teachers and Paul told them, AFor such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds@ (2 Cor. 11:13-15). False teachers can easily appear to be Aservants of righteousness,@ but whether they know it or not, they are really servants of Satan.
6. False teachers are a reality and people are often deluded by smooth talking preachers. We are constantly warned in the New Testament about false teachers, false apostles, false prophets, antichrists, and those bringing a different gospel. That is why we need to be like the Bereans in Acts 17 who carefully examined Paul=s teachings in light of the Scriptures and were said to be Amore noble-minded than those in Thessalonica@ (Acts 17:11). I could be leading you astray at this very moment; how do you know that I am not?
D. Creeds and Traditions of Men.
1. This is similar to the last one. This is where many of the religious groups out there get their authority. A creed is defined as Aa formal statement of religious belief.@ Look out into Christendom today and you will find creed books, catechisms, manuals, articles of faith, constitutions, confessions, standards, and disciplines.
2. So, what=s wrong with them?
a. First of all, human creeds are divisive; they keep religious people divided into parties and sects. You see, a creed serves as a wall to include its adherents and to exclude everyone else. Adherence to denominational creeds causes much of the religious division in the world today, and the New Testament is very clear that division is sinful.
(1) In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed for unity among those who would believe in Him through the apostles= word.
(2) In 1 Cor. 1:10 Paul said, ANow I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.@
(3) And in the list of the deeds of the flesh in Gal. 5, one is Adissensions@ and another is Afactions.@
b. But it=s more than that.
(1) I like how Benjamin Franklin put it (not the revolution-era statesman and inventor, but a 19th century preacher), AFirst, any creed containing more than the Bible is objectionable, because it does contain more than the Bible. Second, any creed containing less than the Bible is objectionable, because it does contain less than the Bible. Third, any creed differing from the Bible is objectionable, because it does differ from the Bible. Fourth, any creed precisely like the Bible is useless, because we have the Bible.@
(2) As Leroy Brownlow said, AI do not care to have a church manual similar to the one that existed in the first century. I want to have the same one.@
(3) The fact is, creeds are filled with the traditions and commands of men, many of which conflict with each other and more importantly, they often conflict with the commands of God.
3. Turn with me to Mark 7.
a. This is a parallel passage to that confrontation in Matt. 15 that I mentioned earlier. In verses 1-5, some Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t ceremonially wash their hands before they ate. This of course was not commanded in the word of God, but simply a tradition of the elders.
b. Take a look at Jesus= response in verses 6-13: AAnd He said to them, >Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, >This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.= Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.= He was also saying to them, >You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. For Moses said, >Honor your father and your mother=; and, >he who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death=; but you say, >If a man says to his father or his mother, anything of mine you might have been helped by is Corban (that is to say, given to God),= you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.@
c. It=s hard to figure out exactly what they were doing; it seems to have been a way to get out of taking care of their parents in their old age by giving or promising that money they would have used to God instead. Jesus= rebuke however could not be any clearerCwe are not to teach as doctrines the precepts of men.
4. Should our authority be the word of God or human traditions, church laws, decrees of councils, and creeds which are constantly being changed and revised because of their imperfections? I think you know.
E. Majority Decision.
1. This is the AEveryone else is doing it@ argument and appeal. Teenagers love to use it, but sadly, many adults do as well. You know, you moistened your finger to see which way the wind is blowing, and that is what you follow.
2. Is this a good standard of authorityCis truth found in the majority?
a. The majority of people used to believe that the world was flat; did that make it flat? The majority of doctors used to think they didn’t need to wash their hands before an operation; did that save the people they were infecting? Just because the majority of the population may now accept something like homosexuality or abortion, does that mean it has ceased to be sin?
b. Jesus told us that the majority of people in this world will go to hellCso why would we want to make our decisions about morality and religion based on them? AEnter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it@ (Matt. 7:13-14).
c. If you followed the majority in Noah=s day, you would have drown in the flood and in Joshua=s day, you would have perished in the wilderness.
d. Moses warned the Israelites, AYou shall not follow a multitude in doing evil...@ (Ex. 23:2).
3. Rather than simply follow the majority, our attitude should be like that of Joshua: A...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord@ (Josh 24:15). The fact that the majority approves of a thing, whether it=s the nation or the Christian world today, does not at all mean that God approves of it. Again, we will not be judged by what others have said or done on the Day of Judgment.
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