ESOCS Devotional 18 February 2023
TEXT: MARK 7:10-13
MEMORY VERSE:
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Mark 7:13
The Scribes and Pharisees practised apostasy to a nuisance level. They would always reject the laws of God by interpreting them to suit them for their personal gains. In our text, Jesus used the law of God that taught children to take care of their parents to illustrate the extent to which the Scribes and Pharisees had gone in their apostasy from the word of God.
The Pharisees avoided helping their families and made the people do the same. They required that the children’s support for the parents should be given to the temple of which they would be the recipients. They said such money is a gift – “Corban”. This way, they not only violated but rejected the law of God that children should honour their parents (Exodus 20:12) and help poor family members (Leviticus 25:35-43) by establishing their own traditions, as it relates to contribution to parental support. The effect was that they did not apply the law of God to their lives.
When a religious law invented by man takes the place of God’s laws or its rejection, then, the word of God cannot affect the hearts of the people. It also leads people away from God by moving them away from His word. This way, leaders start lording over the hearts and minds of their members in order to maintain their positions, support their unlawful financial gains, etc.
Legalistic religions and the laws of man should not take over the laws of God. Any Church leader who indulges in that is heading towards perdition. Helping those in need, especially in the realities of today, is one of the ways to honour God.
- Is any of your church’s doctrines in any way in conflict with God’s laws?
- Pray for Church leaders in charge of writing the church’s doctrines and regulations.
FURTHER READING: Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Proverbs 21:13, 28:27; Acts 20:35
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 18 February 2023
