WHEN TRADITION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRUTH

The Destruction Caused by the Commandments of Men

An Apostolic and Prophetic Teaching by Peter Nash

WHEN THE TRADITIONS OF MEN BECOME THE ENEMIES OF GOD’S PURPOSES

There are moments in my walk with the Lord when a single thought begins burning deep within my spirit, and I find myself unable to move away from it. Sometimes that thought consists of only one sentence, yet the more I meditate upon it, the more I recognize the depth of what needs to be examined through the Word of God.

Recently, I have been considering something that I believe the Church desperately needs to confront:

THE TRADITIONS OF MEN THAT BRING DESTRUCTION!

I am not speaking about every custom, practice, or tradition handed down through generations. I am speaking about those traditions that have become so deeply embedded in our religious institutions that they are no longer questioned, no longer examined against Scripture, and sometimes defended more passionately than the commandments of Jesus Christ Himself.

And the question that confronts my heart is this:

How many things have we called holy simply because they are traditional? How many things have we called rebellion simply because they challenged what men have established?

How many believers have been wounded, discouraged, silenced, or prevented from fulfilling their God-given calling because someone elevated a human regulation above the authority of Scripture?

And perhaps an even more troubling question is this:

How many religious leaders have convinced themselves that they are defending God when, in reality, they are defending something God never commanded?

I want to be absolutely clear.

I am not advocating rebellion against godly spiritual authority. Neither am I suggesting that the Church should exist without leadership, accountability, discipline, or order.

Scripture clearly teaches the necessity of these things.

But I am declaring that NO HUMAN AUTHORITY, REGARDLESS OF TITLE, POSITION, DENOMINATION, OR YEARS OF SERVICE, POSSESSES THE RIGHT TO PLACE ITS TRADITIONS ABOVE THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD!

The Church does not belong to an overseer.

It does not belong to a bishop.

It does not belong to a pastor.

It does not belong to a church board.

It does not belong to a denomination.

THE CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST!

And the moment we forget that fundamental truth, we begin moving away from the heart of New Testament Christianity toward something far more dangerous: religious institutionalism that protects itself rather than serving the purposes of God.

1. WHEN TRADITION MAKES THE WORD OF GOD INEFFECTIVE

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus in Mark 7:13:

“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (KJV)

I want us to consider the seriousness of that declaration.

Jesus was not addressing unbelievers who rejected the Scriptures.

He was confronting religious leaders who claimed to honour the God of Israel, defended the law, and considered themselves guardians of spiritual truth.

Yet Jesus accused them of making the Word of God ineffective through their traditions!

What an extraordinary contradiction!

They possessed the Scriptures.

They taught the Scriptures.

They quoted the Scriptures.

They defended the Scriptures.

Yet their inherited religious traditions were undermining the very commandments they claimed to uphold.

In the immediate context, Jesus exposed their practice concerning Corban, through which people could use a religious dedication of resources to avoid their responsibility to honour and care for their parents.

A religious practice was being used to evade a divine commandment.

And Jesus would have none of it!

In Matthew 15:8–9, He declares:

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (KJV)

Do we understand what Jesus is saying?

It is possible to maintain the external appearance of devotion while allowing the heart to become disconnected from God.

It is possible to be doctrinally vocal, religiously active, and institutionally respected while elevating human commandments into positions of authority they were never intended to occupy.

And I wonder how frequently that same tragedy is unfolding within the contemporary Church.

We have established rules concerning who may minister.

How someone must minister.

What qualifications are necessary.

Who possesses the authority to approve a calling.

And who possesses the authority to reject someone from a particular ministry position.

Some of these requirements may reflect legitimate biblical principles. Others may simply be organizational policies or inherited cultural preferences.

The distinction matters!

A church may establish reasonable administrative expectations, but it must never present every organizational preference as though it carries the same authority as a commandment of God.

WHEN THE OPINIONS OF MEN BECOME COMMANDMENTS THAT BELIEVERS ARE REQUIRED TO OBEY AS THOUGH GOD HIMSELF HAD SPOKEN, WE HAVE CROSSED A DANGEROUS SPIRITUAL BOUNDARY!

The Word of God was never given to serve the traditions of men.

THE TRADITIONS OF MEN MUST ALWAYS BOW BEFORE THE WORD OF GOD!

2. WHEN RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY BECOMES AN INSTRUMENT OF CONTROL

There is another dimension to this subject that I believe requires serious examination.

It concerns the difference between godly spiritual authority and ungodly religious control.

Jesus confronted this distinction in Matthew 23:4:

“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” (KJV)

Consider the image Jesus presents.

Religious leaders placing burdens upon people rather than helping them walk in the freedom and obedience that God desires.

Authority had become something exercised over people rather than something used to serve them.

That is not the model of leadership Jesus established!

In Mark 10:42–45, Jesus directly challenges worldly concepts of authority. He teaches His disciples that greatness in His Kingdom is expressed through servanthood, not domination.

Peter reinforces this principle in 1 Peter 5:2–3, instructing spiritual leaders to shepherd God’s flock willingly, not as those exercising domination over the people entrusted to their care, but as examples to them.

I have been in ministry long enough to recognize that there is a profound difference between someone who genuinely shepherds people and someone who simply wants to control them.

A SHEPHERD BUILDS. A CONTROLLER RESTRICTS!

A shepherd protects the flock.

A controller protects his position.

A shepherd desires spiritual maturity.

A controller may become threatened by maturity because spiritually mature believers learn to examine everything through Scripture.

A shepherd points people toward Christ.

A controller can gradually make himself the centre of their spiritual decisions.

And here is where I believe we must confront a serious question:

ARE WE RAISING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST, OR ARE WE PRODUCING PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO QUESTION RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP?

There is an enormous difference between biblical submission and unquestioning obedience to human authority.

Hebrews 13:17 teaches believers to respect and respond to those who faithfully watch over their souls.

But such responsibility is exercised under Christ, and it does not make any leader infallible.

Acts 5:29 establishes an equally important principle: we must obey God rather than men when human commands conflict with God’s will.

I am deeply concerned whenever religious authority becomes so protected that biblical examination itself is treated as rebellion.

If a leader cannot explain a requirement from Scripture, he should be humble enough to acknowledge whether it is simply an organizational rule.

And if that rule contradicts the Word of God, it must be reconsidered.

TRUE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY NEVER NEEDS TO SILENCE BIBLICAL TRUTH IN ORDER TO PRESERVE ITSELF!

Let me say something else.

When a spiritual leader begins to believe that questioning his decisions is equivalent to questioning God, he has entered extraordinarily dangerous territory.

He may have a legitimate position of authority, but that position does not make his personal judgment equal to divine revelation.

We must never confuse respect for spiritual leadership with surrendering our responsibility to discern truth.

THE CHURCH WAS NEVER CALLED TO FOLLOW MEN BEYOND THEIR FAITHFULNESS TO JESUS CHRIST!

3. WHEN TRADITION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN MERCY

One of the most disturbing examples of destructive religious thinking appears in Luke 13:10–17.

Jesus encounters a woman who has suffered under a disabling condition for eighteen years.

Eighteen years!

Imagine the pain, limitations, discouragement, and suffering that woman had experienced.

Then Jesus speaks to her, lays His hands upon her, and she is immediately made straight.

What a glorious moment!

A daughter of Abraham, bound for eighteen years, has been set free by the power of God!

Surely everyone should have rejoiced.

But something shocking happens.

The ruler of the synagogue becomes indignant because Jesus healed her on the Sabbath.

Can you imagine?

A woman has just experienced a miraculous deliverance, and the religious leader is offended because the miracle violated his understanding of acceptable religious practice!

He could recognize what he considered an improper day for healing, but he could not celebrate the restoration of a suffering woman.

His interpretation of religious obligation had become more important than the mercy standing directly before him.

Jesus exposed the hypocrisy!

He pointed out that people would untie their animals to give them water on the Sabbath, yet this woman, a daughter of Abraham, was being criticized for receiving freedom on that day.

The problem was not God’s commandment concerning the Sabbath.

The problem was a religious interpretation that had lost sight of God’s compassionate purposes.

And I ask myself:

HAVE WE SOMETIMES DONE THE SAME THING?

Have we become so committed to defending our religious structures that we can no longer recognize the work of God when it does not conform to our expectations?

Have we become more concerned about procedures than people?

More concerned about institutional reputation than restoration?

More concerned about maintaining authority than demonstrating the heart of Jesus?

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for neglecting the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith.

He does not tell them to abandon righteousness.

He confronts them for allowing their religious priorities to become distorted.

The grace of God does not abolish accountability.

Mercy does not mean that serious wrongdoing should be ignored.

Scripture provides clear instructions concerning repentance, correction, discipline, and restoration.

But discipline must never become a disguise for personal vengeance, permanent humiliation, or the protection of institutional power.

Galatians 6:1 instructs spiritually mature believers to restore someone overtaken in a fault with a spirit of meekness, while carefully guarding themselves.

I wonder how many people have been denied opportunities for restoration because someone decided that preserving a disciplinary decision was more important than honestly considering repentance and biblical restoration.

We must never confuse godly correction with the permanent destruction of someone’s future.

At the same time, restoration to fellowship and restoration to a particular leadership office are not necessarily the same thing. Scripture requires wisdom, proven character, and care for those who may have been harmed.

But discipline should always be administered in a manner consistent with truth, justice, mercy, and the character of Christ.

WHEN RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS BECOME INCAPABLE OF MERCY, COMPASSION, AND BIBLICAL RESTORATION, SOMETHING ESSENTIAL TO THE HEART OF CHRIST HAS BEEN LOST!

4. WHEN RELIGIOUS TRADITION CREATES FEAR INSTEAD OF FREEDOM

John chapter 9 records one of the most revealing confrontations between the work of Jesus and the religious establishment.

A man born blind receives his sight.

A miracle has occurred that should have caused extraordinary celebration.

Instead, the religious authorities begin investigating the healing and questioning the man.

Eventually, they question his parents.

But John 9:22 tells us that his parents were afraid because the religious authorities had agreed that anyone acknowledging Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

Think about that!

Their son had been blind from birth, and now he could see!

Yet fear of religious consequences affected their willingness to speak openly.

The religious environment had become so threatening that people were afraid to acknowledge what God had done.

And I wonder whether we recognize how dangerous that kind of spiritual atmosphere can become.

When believers fear losing fellowship, ministry opportunities, recognition, or acceptance simply because they ask sincere biblical questions, something has gone wrong.

When people are intimidated into silence rather than encouraged to seek truth, the Church is no longer functioning as it should.

When leaders demand loyalty to themselves that properly belongs to Jesus Christ, spiritual authority has been distorted.

FEAR OF MAN MUST NEVER BECOME THE GOVERNING POWER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST!

Proverbs 29:25 declares that the fear of man brings a snare.

And Jesus tells us in John 8:31–32 that those who continue in His Word are truly His disciples, and that knowing the truth brings freedom.

Notice that freedom is connected to abiding in His Word, not merely asserting personal independence.

We are not free to reject God’s commandments.

We are free to follow Christ without allowing human intimidation to replace His lordship.

The Church should be a place where truth can be examined honestly, where legitimate questions can be asked respectfully, and where people are encouraged to grow in spiritual discernment.

I do not believe a leader becomes weaker when people examine his teaching against Scripture.

I believe faithful leadership becomes stronger when truth is allowed to speak.

TRUTH DOES NOT FEAR EXAMINATION!

And I would go even further.

ANY SYSTEM THAT MUST SILENCE THE WORD OF GOD TO PRESERVE ITS OWN AUTHORITY HAS ALREADY EXPOSED THE WEAKNESS OF ITS FOUNDATION!

5. WHEN PRESERVING TRADITION MEANS RESISTING THE PURPOSES OF GOD

Acts chapter 15 provides an extraordinary picture of the early Church confronting a major religious controversy.

Some believers insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.

This was not a minor disagreement over cultural preference.

Circumcision had a genuine historical and covenantal foundation in God’s dealings with Abraham and Israel.

But the question before the apostles was whether these requirements could rightly be imposed upon Gentile believers as conditions of salvation and belonging to the people of God under the new covenant.

The implications were enormous.

The Church was being forced to examine the relationship between inherited religious requirements and the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Peter stood and testified concerning God’s acceptance of the Gentiles through faith.

In Acts 15:10, he challenged the placing of a yoke upon the necks of the disciples.

James then brought scriptural understanding to the discussion, and the apostles and elders reached a decision that refused to impose the disputed requirements upon Gentile believers.

I find this remarkable!

The early Church did not merely preserve inherited religious expectations.

Neither did it simply abandon Scripture in favour of whatever seemed new or progressive.

The leaders examined God’s work, listened to testimony, considered Scripture, and sought a conclusion consistent with the gospel.

That is what apostolic leadership should look like!

TRUE APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY DOES NOT EXIST TO PRESERVE EVERY INHERITED RELIGIOUS SYSTEM. IT EXISTS TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO JESUS CHRIST, HIS WORD, AND THE PURPOSES OF HIS KINGDOM!

And I believe the Church must recover that understanding.

We should never confuse organizational longevity with divine approval.

The fact that something has been practiced for fifty years, one hundred years, or several centuries does not automatically make it biblical.

AGE DOES NOT ESTABLISH TRUTH!

Popularity does not establish truth!

Denominational endorsement does not establish truth!

SCRIPTURE MUST REMAIN OUR GOVERNING STANDARD!

At the same time, we must be equally careful not to assume that everything new is from God.

A new interpretation, a new movement, or a new leader must also be examined through the Word.

The issue is not old versus new.

THE ISSUE IS WHETHER SOMETHING IS FAITHFUL TO JESUS CHRIST AND THE REVELATION OF SCRIPTURE!

6. RELIGIOUS ZEAL CAN BECOME OPPOSITION TO GOD

Perhaps one of the most sobering examples of this entire subject is found in the life of the apostle Paul.

Before his encounter with Jesus Christ, Paul was intensely devoted to the religious traditions he had inherited.

In Galatians 1:14, he explains that he had advanced in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries and was exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers.

He was passionate.

He was educated.

He was disciplined.

He was convinced that he was defending what was right.

Yet that same zeal was expressed through his persecution of the Church!

Think about the tragedy.

Paul believed he was serving God while opposing those who belonged to Jesus Christ.

He was so convinced of the righteousness of his religious position that he could not recognize what God was doing until Christ confronted him on the Damascus road.

And I cannot move away from the question this raises:

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BECOME SO PASSIONATELY COMMITTED TO DEFENDING A RELIGIOUS TRADITION THAT WE UNKNOWINGLY RESIST THE VERY PURPOSES OF GOD?

I believe the answer is yes!

But this truth should produce humility rather than arrogance.

It should cause every one of us, including myself, to examine our assumptions.

Sometimes the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth is not ignorance of Scripture but an unwillingness to reconsider what we believe Scripture teaches.

We become attached to our interpretations.

We become attached to the teachings of respected leaders.

We become attached to denominational positions.

And eventually, we may begin treating the questioning of those positions as though it were an attack upon God Himself.

Yet no human interpreter possesses perfect understanding.

That does not mean biblical truth is uncertain or that every interpretation is equally valid.

It means that we must remain teachable and allow Scripture to correct us.

The Bereans were commended in Acts 17:11 because they examined the Scriptures daily to determine whether the things being taught were true.

Imagine that!

They examined even the message proclaimed by Paul!

And Scripture presents their careful examination as noble rather than rebellious.

A SPIRITUAL LEADER WHO LOVES THE TRUTH SHOULD NEVER BE THREATENED BY BELIEVERS WHO SINCERELY SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!

I would rather have a congregation filled with people who know the Word of God and can examine my teaching than a congregation that accepts everything I say simply because I hold a position of authority.

Because my responsibility is not to make people dependent upon me.

MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HELP THEM BECOME MATURE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST!

7. WHEN HUMAN TRADITIONS HOLD THE CHURCH CAPTIVE

Colossians 2:8 contains a powerful warning:

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (KJV)

Notice the final words.

“AND NOT AFTER CHRIST.”

There is the heart of the matter!

The danger is not merely that a tradition is old, human, or culturally inherited.

The danger arises when it becomes a means of captivity that draws people away from the sufficiency and lordship of Jesus Christ.

And I believe we must ask whether some churches have allowed administrative structures, human preferences, and religious customs to occupy positions of authority that rightfully belong only to Christ.

We have developed systems for recognizing ministers.

Systems for appointing leaders.

Systems for determining who is acceptable.

Systems for deciding who can serve and under what conditions.

Again, I am not saying that organizational structures are inherently wrong.

Order is biblical.

Accountability is biblical.

The testing and recognition of spiritual leadership are biblical.

But every system must remain accountable to Scripture.

We must distinguish between what God clearly commands, what Scripture permits through sound biblical principles, and what human organizations establish for administrative purposes.

A regulation may be useful without being a divine commandment.

And a denominational policy may be legitimate within its proper organizational jurisdiction without becoming the universal standard by which God determines someone’s calling.

NO ORGANIZATION CAN CREATE A SPIRITUAL CALLING THAT GOD HAS NOT GIVEN!

Neither should an organization claim that its administrative decisions exhaustively determine whom God may use throughout His Church.

We must also remember that a calling does not automatically entitle someone to a particular office, congregation, or appointment.

Godly character, appropriate accountability, the welfare of the congregation, and biblical qualifications must all be considered.

But the larger principle remains unmistakable:

NO RELIGIOUS SYSTEM SHOULD EVER CLAIM AN AUTHORITY GREATER THAN THE WORD OF GOD OR EXERCISE OWNERSHIP OVER THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST!

Let me say something that I believe is especially important.

There is a difference between an organization deciding whom it will appoint within its own structure and declaring whom God is permitted to use within His Kingdom.

The first is an administrative responsibility.

The second is a claim to spiritual authority that no human institution should make.

GOD’S CALLING IS NOT THE PROPERTY OF A DENOMINATION!

And no human institution possesses the right to claim ownership over the destiny of those whom Jesus Christ has redeemed.

8. NOT EVERY TRADITION IS DESTRUCTIVE

I want to introduce an essential distinction before going further.

Not every tradition is wrong.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Paul instructs believers to stand firm and hold to the traditions they had been taught, whether by spoken word or by letter.

The Greek word paradosis can refer to something handed down or transmitted.

The issue, therefore, is not merely whether something has been handed down.

The issue is what has been handed down, where it originated, and whether it faithfully represents God’s truth.

Apostolic teaching rooted in Christ is not the same as human religious regulations that contradict or displace His commandments.

There are beautiful traditions within the Church that honour the Lord, strengthen fellowship, preserve biblical teaching, and encourage worship.

We should not despise those things.

But neither should we confuse them with the unchanging authority of Scripture.

The form of a church service may change.

The structure of an organization may change.

Certain administrative requirements may change.

Cultural expressions of worship may change.

BUT THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD MUST NEVER BE SURRENDERED TO HUMAN PREFERENCE!

And here is another distinction we must recognize.

The absence of an explicit biblical prohibition does not automatically prove that every practice is wise or acceptable.

We must consider the whole counsel of God, including biblical principles concerning character, holiness, love, order, and spiritual responsibility.

Yet we must be equally careful not to invent prohibitions and attribute them to God when Scripture does not establish them.

This is where humility becomes indispensable.

WE CANNOT CLAIM BIBLICAL AUTHORITY FOR SOMETHING MERELY BECAUSE WE PERSONALLY PREFER IT, INHERITED IT, OR HAVE ALWAYS PRACTICED IT!

And I want us to understand something else.

The problem does not begin simply because a tradition exists.

The problem begins when that tradition becomes untouchable.

When it cannot be questioned.

When it cannot be examined.

When it cannot be corrected.

And when defending it becomes more important than discovering whether it truly agrees with the heart and Word of God.

ANY TRADITION THAT MUST BE PROTECTED FROM SCRIPTURAL EXAMINATION HAS BECOME A DANGEROUS THING!

9. THE TRADITIONS HIDDEN WITHIN OUR OWN HEARTS

Now I want to turn this examination inward.

Because it would be very easy to read everything I have written and immediately begin identifying the traditions of other people.

We might think of denominational leaders.

We might think of pastors.

We might think of religious institutions whose decisions we disagree with.

But what about ourselves?

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Have I ever held so tightly to a particular way of doing things that I resisted correction?

Have I ever mistaken my personal convictions for universal biblical commandments?

Have I ever become defensive when someone challenged my understanding?

Have I ever allowed personal disappointment to influence how I judged another leader’s actions?

These are uncomfortable questions, but they are necessary!

I cannot call the Church to surrender its traditions to Christ while refusing to surrender my own assumptions.

I cannot challenge ungodly control in others while allowing a controlling spirit to operate in myself.

I cannot condemn pride within religious institutions while refusing to recognize pride within my own heart.

And I certainly cannot claim to represent the heart of Jesus while refusing to demonstrate His humility, patience, mercy, and love.

Philippians 2:5 calls us to possess the mind of Christ Jesus.

And the passage that follows reveals His extraordinary humility and obedience.

I believe every genuine reformation must begin there.

Not with anger.

Not with personal ambition.

Not with a desire to overthrow everyone who disagrees with us.

BUT WITH A HEART COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO THE LORD!

There are moments when standing for biblical truth will require courage, confrontation, and a willingness to resist improper demands.

But courage must never become an excuse for arrogance.

And resistance to ungodly control must never become another form of control.

THE ANSWER TO ABUSIVE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF ALL AUTHORITY. IT IS THE RESTORATION OF AUTHORITY THAT GENUINELY REFLECTS THE CHARACTER AND LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST!

I believe that every genuine movement of spiritual restoration must begin with the willingness to say:

Lord, examine me first.

Search my motives.

Expose my pride.

Correct my understanding.

And remove anything within my own heart that has become more important than obedience to You.

Because the purpose of standing against destructive human traditions is not to establish another human kingdom.

IT IS TO RESTORE THE RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST OVER HIS CHURCH!

10. WHEN THE CHURCH MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN TRADITION AND TRUTH

I believe the Church is continually confronted with a choice.

Will we remain faithful to the Word of God, even when that faithfulness challenges our established practices?

Or will we preserve our religious traditions simply because changing them would threaten our comfort, reputation, or position?

This is not a call for disorder.

IT IS A CALL FOR BIBLICAL INTEGRITY!

Jesus is building His Church.

He declared in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

But we must understand that the Church He is building is His Church, not ours!

We are servants in His house.

We are stewards of His people.

We are accountable to His Word.

Our responsibility is not to build kingdoms around ourselves but to equip the saints for the work of ministry and the building up of the body of Christ, as Ephesians 4:11–13 teaches.

I wonder how many believers have been discouraged from pursuing their calling because someone decided that they did not fit an established religious pattern.

I wonder how many congregations have suffered because institutional preferences were treated as more important than their spiritual health.

I wonder how many opportunities for reconciliation and restoration have been lost because someone was more concerned about defending a decision than honestly examining whether that decision reflected the heart of God.

And I wonder how many of us have mistaken loyalty to an organization for loyalty to Jesus Christ.

Let me say something that I believe must be heard.

LOYALTY TO CHRIST MAY REQUIRE US TO QUESTION THE TRADITIONS OF MEN, BUT GENUINE LOYALTY TO CHRIST WILL ALSO REQUIRE US TO REMAIN HUMBLE, TRUTHFUL, ACCOUNTABLE, AND GOVERNED BY LOVE!

We do not need to destroy the Church to correct what is wrong within it.

We need to return to the One who purchased the Church with His own blood!

And perhaps one of the greatest tests of spiritual leadership is whether we can accept correction without viewing it as a threat to our authority.

A godly leader should never be more concerned about being proven right than about discovering what is right.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO WIN AN ARGUMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF TRUTH. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SURRENDER TO TRUTH, EVEN WHEN THAT TRUTH CORRECTS US!

11. A PROPHETIC CALL TO THE CHURCH: RETURN TO THE WORD!

As I bring this teaching toward its conclusion, there is a thought that continues to burn within me.

WHAT IF THE VERY THING WE ARE DEFENDING IN THE NAME OF GOD IS THE THING PREVENTING US FROM OBEYING GOD?

What if some of the barriers we have erected around ministry, leadership, fellowship, and restoration are not barriers God established?

What if we have become so determined to preserve what previous generations created that we no longer possess the humility to ask whether those structures still serve the purposes of Christ?

And what if Jesus Christ is calling us to examine not only our theology but also the way we exercise authority over His people?

I believe these questions deserve much more than a casual response.

They demand prayerful examination.

They demand repentance where repentance is necessary.

They demand the courage to acknowledge where human tradition has displaced biblical truth.

And they demand the willingness to change!

I am reminded of the words of Jesus in Mark 2:27:

“The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.” (KJV)

Jesus was not dismissing the holiness of God’s commandments.

He was exposing the failure of religious interpretations that had lost sight of God’s purposes.

And I believe there is a principle here that should challenge every spiritual leader.

GOD’S PEOPLE WERE NEVER CREATED TO BECOME INSTRUMENTS FOR PRESERVING OUR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS!

Our ministries, organizations, and leadership structures are meant to serve God’s people under the lordship of Christ.

When that relationship becomes reversed, the institution begins to take precedence over the people it was established to serve.

And when protecting the institution becomes more important than truth, mercy, righteousness, and obedience to Christ, we have entered dangerous territory.

I am not calling for a Church without structure.

I AM CALLING FOR A CHURCH WHERE STRUCTURE SERVES SCRIPTURE!

I am not calling for a Church without authority.

I AM CALLING FOR A CHURCH WHERE AUTHORITY REFLECTS JESUS CHRIST!

I am not calling for a Church without discipline.

I AM CALLING FOR A CHURCH WHERE DISCIPLINE IS BIBLICAL, IMPARTIAL, ACCOUNTABLE, AND NEVER SEPARATED FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS AND RESTORATION!

I am not calling for the abandonment of every tradition.

I AM CALLING FOR THE SURRENDER OF EVERY TRADITION TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST!

And I believe the time has come for us to stop defending religious practices simply because they have always existed.

If they are biblical, let us stand firmly upon the Word!

If they are merely human preferences, let us acknowledge them honestly!

And if they contradict the commandments and character of Christ, let us possess the humility and courage to change them!

WHEN TRADITION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRUTH, RELIGION BEGINS TO REPLACE RELATIONSHIP!

WHEN HUMAN AUTHORITY BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHRIST’S AUTHORITY, SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP BEGINS TO BECOME CONTROL!

WHEN PRESERVING AN INSTITUTION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN CARING FOR GOD’S PEOPLE, WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE HEART OF THE SHEPHERD!

And when the traditions of men make the Word of God ineffective in our lives and ministries, we must recognize that something has gone terribly wrong.

12. MY PERSONAL DECLARATION: I WILL FURIOUSLY STAND FOR THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD!

And now I want to declare something with absolute clarity!

I WILL FURIOUSLY, PASSIONATELY, AND UNWAVERINGLY STAND FOR THE TRUTH OF THE BIBLE!

I will not bow before the traditions of men when they contradict the Scriptures!

I will not remain silent when human commandments are elevated above the commandments of God!

I will not call something truth that God has never declared to be truth, and I will never acknowledge human authority as greater than the authority of Jesus Christ!

I am not fighting against people.

I AM STANDING AGAINST EVERY LIE, EVERY RELIGIOUS DECEPTION, AND EVERY SYSTEM THAT SEEKS TO ELEVATE ITSELF ABOVE THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD!

And if I must stand alone, then I will stand!

If I must endure misunderstanding, rejection, criticism, or opposition, then I will endure it!

But I will not compromise biblical truth merely to receive the approval of men!

I am reminded of Jude 3, where believers are urged to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

There is a faith worth defending!

There is a truth worth standing for!

And there is a Lord worthy of our complete and uncompromising obedience!

But hear my heart.

My determination to stand for truth does not give me permission to hate those who disagree with me.

It does not give me the right to attack people, abandon humility, or refuse correction.

I must be willing to examine my own interpretations with the same seriousness with which I examine the traditions of others.

I WILL STAND FIERCELY FOR THE TRUTH, BUT I MUST ALWAYS REMAIN SURRENDERED TO THE GOD OF TRUTH!

I will speak the truth in love, as Ephesians 4:15 instructs.

I will seek to correct with gentleness, as 2 Timothy 2:24–25 teaches.

And I will not permit personal ambition, bitterness, or wounded pride to disguise itself as a defence of righteousness.

But make no mistake!

MY ALLEGIANCE DOES NOT BELONG TO HUMAN TRADITIONS, RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS, OR DENOMINATIONAL STRUCTURES!

MY ALLEGIANCE BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST AND HIS INFALLIBLE WORD!

I will not exchange biblical conviction for institutional acceptance.

I will not surrender the authority of Scripture to preserve a religious relationship.

And I will not allow fear of man to determine whether I will speak what I sincerely believe the Word of God teaches.

Because when I stand before Jesus Christ, I will not be answering to a denomination for my obedience to His Word.

I WILL BE ANSWERING TO HIM!

And that reality matters more to me than the approval of any human being.

I have not devoted my life to the ministry of Jesus Christ so that I could become a defender of traditions that have no biblical foundation.

I have not been called to build a reputation around human approval.

I have been called to serve Jesus Christ, proclaim His Word, equip His people, and remain faithful to the truth He has revealed.

And I would rather endure misunderstanding while remaining faithful to Scripture than enjoy the applause of men while compromising the truth of God!

SO LET IT BE KNOWN: I WILL FURIOUSLY DEFEND BIBLICAL TRUTH, FEARLESSLY STAND UPON THE WORD OF GOD, AND REFUSE TO BOW BEFORE ANY HUMAN TRADITION THAT CONTRADICTS THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST!

Not with hatred toward people.

Not with rebellion against godly authority.

But with a burning love for Jesus Christ and an unwavering determination never to betray the truth He has entrusted to His Church!

I WILL STAND FOR TRUTH!

I WILL STAND UPON SCRIPTURE!

I WILL STAND UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST!

And if that stand brings opposition, then I will trust the Lord to give me the grace, humility, wisdom, and courage to remain faithful.

Because my ultimate desire is not to be vindicated before men.

MY ULTIMATE DESIRE IS TO BE FOUND FAITHFUL BEFORE JESUS CHRIST!

THE FINAL QUESTION: WHOSE AUTHORITY ARE WE REALLY DEFENDING?

I want to leave every person reading this teaching with a challenge.

Not a challenge to become rebellious.

Not a challenge to despise leaders.

Not a challenge to abandon the Church.

But a challenge to examine everything we believe, practice, teach, and defend through the authority of God’s Word!

And I particularly want to challenge those of us who have been entrusted with spiritual leadership.

We will answer to Jesus Christ for how we have treated His people.

We will answer for the burdens we have placed upon them.

We will answer for the truth we have taught.

For the mercy we have demonstrated.

For the authority we have exercised.

For the example we have provided.

James 3:1 reminds us that those who teach will receive stricter judgment.

That should cause every leader to walk with extraordinary humility before God.

I do not want to stand before Jesus one day and discover that I spent my life defending something He never commanded.

I do not want to discover that I silenced someone whom He was raising up.

I do not want to discover that I protected my own position while neglecting His sheep.

I do not want to discover that I called something rebellion when it was actually a sincere appeal to return to biblical truth.

But neither do I want to confuse my own preferences with His voice or mistake personal resistance for divine courage.

My desire is to stand before Him with a heart that has remained surrendered, teachable, and obedient to His Word.

And I pray that this will become the desire of every believer and every spiritual leader who reads these words.

So let me finish with three questions.

ARE WE DEFENDING THE WORD OF GOD, OR ARE WE DEFENDING TRADITIONS THAT THE WORD OF GOD NEVER COMMANDED?

ARE WE BUILDING THE CHURCH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS BUILDING, OR ARE WE PRESERVING RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES THAT PROTECT HUMAN AUTHORITY?

AND IF JESUS CHRIST WALKED INTO OUR CHURCHES TODAY AND CONFRONTED OUR TRADITIONS, WOULD WE SURRENDER THEM TO HIM, OR WOULD WE RESIST HIM IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THEM?

I believe the answer to that final question reveals far more about our spiritual condition than we may be comfortable admitting.

For the greatest danger facing the Church is not simply that traditions exist.

THE DANGER IS THAT WE MAY BECOME SO DEVOTED TO DEFENDING THE TRADITIONS OF MEN THAT WE LOSE OUR WILLINGNESS TO SUBMIT TO THE TRUTH OF GOD!

May we never allow that to happen!

May the Lord deliver us from every religious tradition that makes His Word ineffective.

From every expression of authority that misrepresents His character.

From every form of spiritual pride that prevents us from receiving His correction.

May He restore to His Church a genuine fear of the Lord, a love for His truth, a heart for His people, and a willingness to follow Him wherever His Word leads.

For I would rather stand with Jesus Christ and His truth, even when doing so challenges the traditions of men, than preserve the approval of men while compromising what He has commanded!

THE CHURCH DOES NOT BELONG TO TRADITION!

THE CHURCH DOES NOT BELONG TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS!

THE CHURCH DOES NOT BELONG TO MEN!

THE CHURCH BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST!

And until we settle that question in our hearts, we will continue struggling to distinguish between the authority of God and the traditions of men.

LET EVERY TRADITION BOW BEFORE THE WORD OF GOD!

LET EVERY SPIRITUAL LEADER BOW BEFORE THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST!

AND LET THE CHURCH ARISE — NOT IN REBELLION AGAINST GODLY AUTHORITY, BUT IN COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TO THE ONE WHO IS ITS HEAD!

For the final and supreme authority over the Church has never been, and will never be, the traditions of men!

HE HAS A NAME!

AND HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST!

LET THE CHURCH RETURN TO HIM!

LET THE TRADITIONS OF MEN FALL BEFORE HIS TRUTH!

AND LET JESUS CHRIST TAKE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS THE ONE SUPREME HEAD AND LORD OF HIS CHURCH!

TO HIM BE ALL THE GLORY!

Peter Nash
 Fresh Oil and Fire Ministries
 www.freshoil-fire.com

Principal Scripture References

Mark 7:1–13; Matthew 15:1–9; Matthew 23:4, 23; Mark 10:42–45; 1 Peter 5:2–3; Luke 13:10–17; John 9:1–34; Acts 5:29; Acts 15:1–29; Galatians 1:13–14; Galatians 6:1; Colossians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Proverbs 29:25; John 8:31–32; Acts 17:11; Philippians 2:5–11; Ephesians 4:11–15; Matthew 16:18; James 3:1; Jude 3; 2 Timothy 2:24–25.