When Religion Condemns Obedience

Scripture: Matthew 15:1–14

“Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” — Matthew 15:6

There is something terribly troubling about religious people becoming so devoted to their traditions that they begin opposing the very God they profess to honor.

The Pharisees confronted Jesus because His disciples failed to observe the traditional ceremony of washing their hands before eating. Their concern wasn’t ordinary cleanliness but compliance with religious customs handed down through generations. To them, disregarding these traditions was evidence of spiritual carelessness.

Jesus turned the accusation around. He exposed how their traditions had actually undermined God’s commandments. They had become so concerned with maintaining their religious expectations that they were neglecting the very things God required.

When the disciples informed Jesus that the Pharisees were offended by His words, He didn’t apologize or soften His message. Their offense did not make His words any less true.

Sometimes the greatest opposition to obedience comes from people who sincerely believe they are defending God’s honor.

That is a sobering thought. Religious traditions are not necessarily wrong. Many serve valuable purposes, helping us preserve order, express reverence, and pass along our faith. The danger arises when we elevate those traditions to the level of divine commandments.

When that happens, we may begin measuring spirituality by conformity to our expectations rather than faithfulness to God’s Word. We may even condemn someone for violating a custom that God never established.

But there is another side to this matter. Not everyone who challenges a tradition is obeying God. Rebellion can disguise itself as spiritual courage just as easily as tradition can disguise itself as holiness. Both must be examined in the light of Scripture.

Jesus wasn’t interested in being controversial for controversy’s sake. He was concerned with restoring the proper relationship between God’s commands and human traditions.

We would do well to examine ourselves before criticizing others. Are we defending something God has commanded, or merely something we have grown accustomed to? Are we genuinely concerned about holiness, or are we uncomfortable because someone has stepped outside our expectations?

The danger is not that we have traditions. The danger is that our traditions may become more important to us than the truth they were intended to serve.

Something to Consider

Could our commitment to religious customs ever become so strong that we mistake genuine obedience to God for spiritual rebellion?

When tradition becomes the measure of righteousness, obedience to God may begin to look like disobedience to men.

–PGR

When truth collides with tradition.