Traditions of Men

 Mark 7:9
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Many traditions are grounded in scripture. It is our tradition to always pray for our food before we eat. This is a good practice, and I believe it honors God, but it is not a commandment. Yes, we find examples in scripture where prayer was made before eating. Jesus, gave thanks at the last supper, and we use such examples to do likewise in our daily habits. But there are many traditions that are born out of necessity and become relevant practice in our daily walk with God that are not “Thus saith the Lord.”. Many traditions become habits of life and build character. I believe that traditions are good and should have a place in our lives. But traditions should never keep us from fully following God’s word and being led by His Spirit by His word. His word was given to us over a span of a thousand plus years, holy men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit.(2 Peter 1:21) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). Let us keep our tradition, especially if it aligns with God’s word, but may it never hinder us from fully obeying God.

All Scripture

 2 Tim 3:16
 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness.

Many people have a horse to ride when it comes to preaching the Bible. There are some preachers that you know will be preaching on praising God, another preacher will preach on hellfire and brimstone as their preaching legacy. As a person who believes that Christian should live with a perfect heart toward God and live holy and blameless, I like to focus on those parts of the scripture that emphasizes behaviors that are unspotted from the world.  Preaching Jesus, the good news of salvation is also at the top of my list, and to me should be the center focus of all scripture. What good is it to live a sinless life (avoid sinful acts) if you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior. You can praise God morning, noon, and night, but if Christ does not abide in the heart, our praises are clanging cymbals. Yes, we must never get away from being part of the Vine, a part of Christ. For those who abide in Him, all scripture is given to us for instruction to live pleasing to God. We find answers to life problems, we are comforted by His promises, and stand corrected when we mess up. His word is full of grace and mercy, it will lead the sinner to repentance, and provide the believer with instructions to walk according to His precepts. ALL SCRIPTURE, the whole counsel of God is provided for us to make it into the Kingdom of God.

His Word is Profitable

 2 Tim 3:16

 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Many find inspiration from God’s word. Words of encouragement, promises of comfort during difficult times, words that lift the spirits. The word of God brings hope to many in a world that is lost and hurting. But His word has much more to give. It is God’s instructions for life. It is our manual for living, teaching us how to act and treat others, how to talk, how to make good decisions, things we should do and things we should not do. The world is no friend of God, and is opposed to anything that is holy and righteous. It may have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of God, and the truth of the Gospel, that Jesus is the only way to heaven. No man can come to God, except through Christ.