Clean Yet Filthy.

Introduction

One can break the commandments of God for the sake of tradition.

Definition for Tradition.

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary TRADITION

TRADITION. *The handing on of beliefs and practices from one generation to the next or from one group to a related group primarily by oral rather than written means.

There is a real danger in breaking God’s commands with that which was set up to prevent that from happening.

Beliefs and practices that are handed down from one generation to the next, from one group to another, with good intentions to preserve an idea and practice, can be the very thing that hinders someone from having a genuine interaction with God.

Examples

In the Catholic Catechism it states concerning “The episcopal college and its head, the Pope,”

“The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."

“The term "vicar" comes from the Latin word vicarius, which means "instead of." In the Catholic Church, the vicar is the representative of a higher-ranking official, with all of the same authority and power that that official has. Calling the pope the "Vicar of Christ" implies that he has the same power and authority that Christ had over the church.” www.gotquestions.org

Right away you should see this as blasphemous because it denies the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ’s priesthood.

They wanted a visible representation of authority in order that they may preserve unity in the Roman Catholic Church.

Their concern for unity turned into breaking one of the most fundamental commands given from God.

Exodus 20:4 ESV

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

One can easily break the commandments of God for the sake of tradition.

Tradition that was set up to preserve and guard what God has commanded.

The commands of God of course are not the problem. It is the preoccupation to preserve them rather than to follow them. Remembering the intent that is the problem.

Tradition in itself is not a problem. Unless it undermines the commands given to us by God.

The command not to make any likeness of anything that is in heaven above directly applies to theRoman Catholic view of the Pope. Yet people defend it.

This can easily happen to us.

It may not be as obvious as calling the pope, the vicar of Christ, but it can be that we have held to well intended tradition that has become more important that God’s commands.

A desire for unity is a good desire. But the means created to preserve that unity can very quickly develop hypocrisy. Mainly, because the preoccupation to preserve and guard become more of a concern than God.

When God is the primary concern for how we obey His commands these things happen:

God’s word becomes the standard of belief and practice.

Our sin is exposed before a holy God.

Tradition can keep one from

Worship is authentic.

Tradition is kept in its rightful place.

It is possible to hold to traditions that were