People today are under the impression that as long as they attend church on a regular basis that they are fulfilling their obligation when it comes to serving God. They do not even take into consideration that the day they have elected to worship the Lord is contrary to what God commanded. And when questioned on this issue they generally response with a statement such as what=s important is that you love the Lord, because God knows what is in an individual=s heart and he will judge accordingly. Evidently individuals who share in this belief must not have read the following verse. (John 14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments. Jesus is plainly and clearly stating that one is to keep his commandments if he loves him. If one truly loves the Lord then they will demonstrate that love by obeying the word of God. You can only serve the Lord one way and that=s according to his will and by following his commandments. Look at the following verses. (Matthew 15:8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus is pointing out the fact that it is not enough for an individual to just glorify God with their speech for even if they profess a love for God and in turn worship him contrary to his commandments then all their worship is in vain. An individuals worship shall be unproductive and fruitless if they are following doctrines based on the word of man verses following the commandments of God. And with that point in mind it is surprising how so much of what Christians practice today is contrary to the word of God. And if one studies the scriptures they will find that the teaching they receive today comes from the vain imaginations of man and not the bible. Just a small amount of research on an individuals part will show that the religious practices that are observed by Christians today come from the Roman Catholic Church and are not supported by the scriptures. Based on the following directives one can easily determine as to whether their works are of God or of man.
1) COMMANDMENT OF THE SABBATH
COMMANDMENT OF GOD
The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord. The seventh day is the day the Lord blessed and sanctified.
(Genesis 2:3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
(Leviticus 23:3) Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwelling.
COMMANDMENT OF MEN
The Roman Catholic Church said the 1st day of the week is when God=s sabbath is to observed. This was placed into the doctrine of the church after Roman Emperor Constantine in 321AD instituted Sunday the 1st day of the week as the day of worship. In 336 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church officially changed the observance of Sabbath to Sunday for political and economic expediency. Since then, the original Sabbath gradually gave way to Sunday observance and the practice remains to this day. Note this change come some 300 years after the teaching of Jesus Christ who as one can tell from the following scripture observed the 7th day sabbath.
(Luke 4:16) And as he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
God never changed his sabbath day and if he had changed it he would have made it perfectly clear that a change had occurred just as he made it perfectly clear as to when the sabbath was. Man changed the observance of the sabbath day and incorporated the change into his teaching.
9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus is pointing out the fact that it is not enough for an individual to just glorify God with their speech for even if they profess a love for God and in turn worship him contrary to his commandments then all their worship is in vain. An individuals worship shall be unproductive and fruitless if they are following doctrines based on the word of man verses following the commandments of God. And with that point in mind it is surprising how so much of what Christians practice today is contrary to the word of God. And if one studies the scriptures they will find that the teaching they receive today comes from the vain imaginations of man and not the bible. Just a small amount of research on an individuals part will show that the religious practices that are observed by Christians today come from the Roman Catholic Church and are not supported by the scriptures. Based on the following directives one can easily determine as to whether their works are of God or of man.
1) COMMANDMENT OF THE SABBATH
COMMANDMENT OF GOD
The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord. The seventh day is the day the Lord blessed and sanctified.
(Genesis 2:3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
(Leviticus 23:3) Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwelling.
COMMANDMENT OF MEN
The Roman Catholic Church said the 1st day of the week is when God=s sabbath is to observed. This was placed into the doctrine of the church after Roman Emperor Constantine in 321AD instituted Sunday the 1st day of the week as the day of worship. In 336 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church officially changed the observance of Sabbath to Sunday for political and economic expediency. Since then, the original Sabbath gradually gave way to Sunday observance and the practice remains to this day. Note this change come some 300 years after the teaching of Jesus Christ who as one can tell from the following scripture observed the 7th day sabbath.
(Luke 4:16) And as he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
God never changed his sabbath day and if he had changed it he would have made it perfectly clear that a change had occurred just as he made it perfectly clear as to when the sabbath was. Man changed the observance of the sabbath day and incorporated the change into his teaching.