The true followers of Christ are called to live their lives according to the teachings of Jesus. Throughout Jesus' ministry He made it a point to set His own will aside to do the will of the heavenly Father. He did this in spite of the fact He had the same human nature we have; a nature that cries out for us to do our own will out of our selfish desires. The bible tells us of how Satan appealed to Eve's selfish desire to trick her to eat the fruit in the garden. "You will not surely die," the serpent told her. "For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4-5). Satan, the father of lies, likewise continues to try to fool mankind into believing all kinds of deception. Jesus foretold us that in the future many who claim to be Christians will find solace in well-crafted manmade traditions and doctrines that have a likeness of the truth, but are based on false teachings.
"For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Therefore, these deceptive doctrines contain watered-down and sometimes completely false teachings that fool congregations into following a lie. This is because it appeals to those who wish to hear these teachings. Although in their own minds those who teach these false doctrines may mean well, they are nonetheless guilty of deceiving their followers into eventual eternal damnation. However, we who are the true servants of the kingdom of heaven depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us the truth about all spiritual matters and guide us in our walk while protecting us from these false teachings.
The Gospels give us many examples of the results of false teachings illustrating how the Jews swayed from the truth by following their many manmade traditions and teachings. For example, "Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. So, the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: "Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands." Jesus answered them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.' You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men" (Mark 7:1-8). Jesus' rebuke applies to today's modern churches who make the claim they are Christ based but neglects the very teachings of Jesus. They follow many senseless manmade practices that appeal to the masses and then judge those who choose to reject these false teachings! Woe to those who mislead the lost with these worldly designs.
Therefore, for those who seek to live for the Lord and not follow the practices of mankind there is good news! Jesus taught us a better way; in fact, the only way for us to serve our Father and the kingdom of heaven. During Jesus' ministry His own disciples did not always understand what He was saying when He taught. For example, "Meanwhile, the disciples urged Him, "Rabbi, eat something." But He told them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." So, the disciples asked one another, "Could someone have brought Him food?" Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months until the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. For in this case the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor" (John 4:31-38).
Consequently, it is for this reason that the true follower of Christ need not try to plan out what they will do for God today or tomorrow. We must realize that only He has big picture as to what we must do as His servants. Jesus told us over and over again that He was doing the will of the Father not His own will. Therefore, we need to stop trying to be in control and learn to totally let go in faith by trusting that God will guide our steps through the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, this is what it means to walk by faith!
"For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Therefore, these deceptive doctrines contain watered-down and sometimes completely false teachings that fool congregations into following a lie. This is because it appeals to those who wish to hear these teachings. Although in their own minds those who teach these false doctrines may mean well, they are nonetheless guilty of deceiving their followers into eventual eternal damnation. However, we who are the true servants of the kingdom of heaven depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us the truth about all spiritual matters and guide us in our walk while protecting us from these false teachings.
The Gospels give us many examples of the results of false teachings illustrating how the Jews swayed from the truth by following their many manmade traditions and teachings. For example, "Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. So, the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: "Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands." Jesus answered them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.' You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men" (Mark 7:1-8). Jesus' rebuke applies to today's modern churches who make the claim they are Christ based but neglects the very teachings of Jesus. They follow many senseless manmade practices that appeal to the masses and then judge those who choose to reject these false teachings! Woe to those who mislead the lost with these worldly designs.
Therefore, for those who seek to live for the Lord and not follow the practices of mankind there is good news! Jesus taught us a better way; in fact, the only way for us to serve our Father and the kingdom of heaven. During Jesus' ministry His own disciples did not always understand what He was saying when He taught. For example, "Meanwhile, the disciples urged Him, "Rabbi, eat something." But He told them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." So, the disciples asked one another, "Could someone have brought Him food?" Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months until the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. For in this case the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor" (John 4:31-38).
Consequently, it is for this reason that the true follower of Christ need not try to plan out what they will do for God today or tomorrow. We must realize that only He has big picture as to what we must do as His servants. Jesus told us over and over again that He was doing the will of the Father not His own will. Therefore, we need to stop trying to be in control and learn to totally let go in faith by trusting that God will guide our steps through the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, this is what it means to walk by faith!
