The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He did not make me?’ Can the pot say of the potter, ‘He knows nothing?'” (Isaiah 29:13, 16, NIV 1984).
My Musings – Worship that consists of rules taught by men really is turning things upside down. The lips may be saying one thing, but the heart is saying, “He [God] knows nothing.” When we do this, we are letting “go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” (Mark 7:8, NIV 1984).
My Advice – “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of…the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14–17, NIV 1984).
“Rules taught by men” and “traditions of men” may have their place. But not in place of or in contradiction of God’s Word. In such cases, “we must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29, NIV 1984). So, be very careful. Sometimes they may “[have] a form of Godliness but [deny] its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:4–5, NIV 1984).
The Brew Is A Musing 