The Traditions of Men

"then he need not honour his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition." (Matthew 15:6)

We all have cultures and traditions that guide our actions and relationships. Some of these traditions are unique to some places and regions. Some people dress in a particular manner for certain occasions; some traditions demand that you eat certain foods with your hand, while some people use wooden sticks to eat. Some traditions are fine with certain marriage rites, while it's taboo elsewhere.

In as much as traditions are woven into our daily lives, sometimes they stand as a barrier hindering us from enjoying the blessings of God when we exalt them above God's word. In Matthew 15:3-6, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for prioritizing the traditions of men over the commandments of God. These traditions often become the truth instead of just being a tradition and are given more importance than the Word of God. These hinder our understanding of God's truth and prevent us from experiencing His blessings. We forget that the earth itself was framed by the word of God, and so we submit and run our lives by this human tradition instead of holding on to the truth of God's word.

God warned the Israelites in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, "When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it."

He was telling them not to be so keen about the ways of life and tradition of the people they are moving to possess their land. God says, don't enquire about their tradition; rather, stick to my commandment. Let your life be ruled and governed by my word. Apostle Paul also warned in Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." So, what tradition are you holding on to that is hindering you from accessing the manifold power of God?

Although many Christians love the Lord deeply, some do not believe that the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 are still in operation today. Some of them may believe that miraculous healing stopped after the last apostle, John, passed away. These believers may be considered "unbelieving believers" since they say they believe the Bible, but their adherence to man-made theological traditions creates a spiritual barrier that prevents them from fully embracing the power of the Holy Spirit.

This barrier is similar to the walled cities that the Hebrew people encountered, which prevented them from claiming their Promised Land. Rather than pushing through the barrier, it can be easier to become passive and dismiss the possibility of spiritual gifts as not being their "cup of tea." So, from now, weigh every tradition and cultural value with God's word. Let your heart pant after pleasing God and doing His will. When you do, your life will be a platform for the manifestation of the supernatural.

The Traditions of Men

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