“Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" Revised

“He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?"


Matthew 15:3 (Amplified) He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?

Matthew 15:3 (KJV) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

When we read this verse in Matthew, we can clearly see how Jesus was addressing the Pharisees. But what if what He said applied today? What if what He spoke two thousand years ago was also meant for us today? Have we created any traditions that may be breaking and violating God's commandments? Many do not really think of this because they think when Jesus spoke it that it was mostly for the Old Testament saints. Many out of ignorance and by incorrect teachings by theology throughout generations have been fed a water down powerless gospel.

If you look at  church folks today, especially on Sundays, what can we observe? Have they created traditions for themselves thinking Sunday is just as trivial as any other day? Do they think it is trivial because it is what they are used too and what their parents did from the past generations?

I once observed a senior group come to a particular restaurant after church. They had gathered every week. Many ordered the same thing every week. It was a day for them to get together and catch up with friends or family. It was a day after church many used for themselves to get together.  It had become a tradition to meet outside of church on Sundays and give the world commerce.

Whether you go to the same place or a different place, one may have made a tradition to go eat after church. Maybe some are using the day to religiously get together with your friends to watch football or any other sports and have a BBQ. Many traditions have been created by believers throughout the years as football, basketball, Nascar, soccer, hunting, and baseball seasons come into play. In fact, many are missing church because of such sports or worldly entertainment are  played on Sundays. How do you think God would view His people being spectators in the Roman Gladiator stadiums after they had given HIM only an hour or so of worship? You say we are no longer living under the Roman Empire? Are we not in the era of the 5th Kingdom or empire of iron and clay described in the book of Daniel or the divided Roman Empire in these last days? Would it be more justifiable if the person was holding a sign of John 3:16 or if it was painted on their faces instead as they shouted for their favorite idols/teams/players?

Have you ever noticed whether you yourself get excited because it is Sunday and you look forward to corporate worship or do you get excited because it is football day. Or perhaps it is a day you are looking forward because you get to go hunting or fishing with your friends and family? Or maybe it is the day of the BIG Blue Light Special sale at Kmart or the shopping mall? Or perhaps the day for a Big Sunday Sale at your favorite department store? You get more excited over shopping than worship? We have six other days to do all the above.

Some have activities such family fishing, hunting, and sports events. These activities in themselves are not wrong but they have become idols for many Christians. If you get more excited about doing other things more than worshiping God on Sundays, then you better check and search your heart. If a person can get excited, jump off their couch watching TV, scream their lungs off for a person they do not even know running across an artificial field with a pigskin ball in tights and as other big men chase after the man with the pigskin ball in tights but they can barely keep their eyes open during church....well....they better seriously check themselves. Obviously, many do not understand the Aweness and terror of God and what He is capable of in His Jealousy. He says His Name is Jealous.

Exodus 34:14 For you shall worship no other god; for the Lord, Whose name is Jealous, is a jealous (impassioned) God,

All Christians will say they love God and this is probably somewhat true to most extent. But yet, they also are loving something else more than God. Many today have become lovers of pleasure and entertainment.

Psalm 47:2 For the Lord Most High excites terror, awe, and dread; He is a great King over all the earth.

Leviticus 26:13-16(AMP) I am the Lord your God, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should no more be slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect [as free men].14But if you will not hearken to Me and will not do all these commandments,15And if you spurn and despise My statutes, and if your soul despises and rejects My ordinances, so that you will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant,16 I will do this: I will appoint over you [sudden] terror (trembling, trouble), even consumption and fever that consume and waste the eyes and make the [physical] life pine away. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

It is just like watching violence or sex on TV and getting desensitized. We have been desensitized by the world regarding keeping the 4th commandment. If you continue to watch enough sex and violence, especially sexual perversion, we will begin to think this is how the world functions and we will begin to think it is normal. If we look at many teenagers and young adults today around the world, they are getting pregnant and having sex thinking everyone else does it. Even many of our Christian teenagers and young adults in church are falling into this trap. They do this without repenting because they do not possess the Fear of God and they think grace will cover them blindly.

Fourth commandment -
Exodus 20:8 “REMEMBER the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. The Sabbath is now Sundays or the Eighth day in eternity.

Sunday is a day we go to church because we are a separated people that shows the world that we belong to someone else. Yet, after church, and in most cases, our churches give a measly hour service to God and the rest of the day we run to Rome and spend time for our cravings. Yes, I know church in itself is not a building. We are the church. But scripture says that we are to assemble.

Many say we are no longer under the law. Sorry friend, Paul meant the ceremonial laws and not the 10 commandments!

Romans 3:31 Do we then by [this] faith make the Law of no effect, overthrow it or make it a dead letter? Certainly not! On the contrary, WE CONFIRM AND ESTABLISH AND UPHOLD THE LAW.

Have you not noticed what this world is doing? They are attempting to make commerce 24 hours 7 days a week. They have placed many popular sports on Sundays. They have placed many shopping sale days on Sundays. They have made many family sports events on Sundays. Even some of our churches have sports events on Sundays. People come to church for the sport activity instead of seeking God. Many will go spend money on sale items at the department stores on Sundays but at the same time they are too stingy to tithe properly?

The Lord's Day or Sundays are to be kept Holy but it is being defiled as our people have let the devil in their bedrooms! And you wonder why our people are dying in our churches like flies? And you wonder why there is no power in our churches? And you wonder why most of our churches look dead instead of alive? And you wonder why many of His people have made His Word of NO Effect? This world is deceiving many. Wake up! God is very serious about His 10 commandments?

Mark 7:13 Thus you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on. And many things of this kind you are doing.

Think about it, you know you can't steal. You know you can't murder. You know you can't commit adultery. But then what is the 4th commandment to YOU? You must ask this of yourself. You must ask God about this. It is one of the 10 commandments. You must ask yourself, what does it mean to keep the Sabbath Holy. For the NT saints it is now the eighth day. We worship on Sundays. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=252383594797577

Some have told me that the 4th commandment no longer applies but the other nine still do. Some have even told me the 10 commandments do not apply at all. Some folks are full of nonsense.

The question still remains, what does it mean to keep it HOLY? Why was it instituted with God's people?

Ezekiel 20:12 (Amplified Bible) Moreover, also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might understand and realize that I am the Lord Who sanctifies them [separates and sets them apart].

God was very severe during the Old Testament days with those who broke the 4th commandment. Do you think He just forget about it? Do you think He said, "MY Bad", as they say in today's term or slang?

When God provided manna He told His people NOT to gather on the Sabbath? Why? He was testing their obedience. But people still proved to be stiffed neck and some still went out on the Sabbath not following God's instructions.

Exodus 16:27-28 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 The Lord said to Moses, How long do you [people] refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?

Many have misinterpreted Col 2:16. After God had judged so many of His people  in the older days and after many got stoned and killed for breaking the Sabbath, do you think we get a free pass? Many of those in the Old Testament who received judgment for breaking the Sabbath are in hell. How is our God just if He does not enforce it in the New Testament era?

In the Old Testament days, an adulterer got stoned for cheating on one's spouse. Today, we do not stone people but it does not mean they are exempt from God's judgment for adultery. Will a Christian who continues to commit adultery without repenting inherit the Kingdom of God? And at the same time, it does not mean we are exempt from God's judgment for breaking the 4th commandment either.

Keep it Holy. What does this mean? This means the day belongs to Him and not us. It is not for our personal pleasure. We do have grace for many things but you must be wise. If you have church at 5 PM or a football game, which will you choose? If you have church at 10 AM or a 2 hours window for a 80% off Sale at the mall, which will you choose? It does not mean you do it in between or after either. The whole day is the Lord's!! Can you lose the TV? Can you lose a season of your favorite sports team? Can you?

Isaiah 58:13-14 If you turn away your foot from [traveling unduly on] the Sabbath, from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor Him and it, not going your own way or seeking or finding your own pleasure or speaking with your own [idle] words 14Then will you delight yourself in the Lord, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage [promised for you] of Jacob your father; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it

Ezekiel 20:16 Because they despised and rejected My ordinances and walked not in My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, for their hearts went after their idols.

Ezekiel 22:26 Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the sacred and the secular, neither have they taught people the difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 23:38 Moreover, this they have done to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day [of their idolatries] and have profaned My Sabbaths.

James 4:4 (Amplified Bible) You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

I suggest every one of you ask God in regards to this matter. It is important. The Lord's Day (Sunday) is now your 4th commandment. Keep the day for Him. If many of you are not able too because of work or other issues, then use this time that Grace has allowed to pray for help and to get things right with God. Grace is there to help us get things right with God. Grace takes us to spiritual maturity to becoming more like our King and unto completed salvation. It DOES NOT give us a license to continue in our SIN or to break His commandments.

Deuteronomy 8:19-20 And if you forget the Lord your God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.20 Like the nations which the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Jeremiah 2:22-35 For though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, yet your iniquity and guilt are still [upon you; you are] spotted, dirty, and stained before Me, says the Lord.23How can you say, I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baals [other gods]? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done. You are a restive young female camel [in the uncontrollable violence of her brute passion eagerly] running hither and thither,  24Or [you have the untamed and reckless nature of] a wild donkey used to the desert, in her heat sniffing the wind [for the scent of a male]. In her mating season who can restrain her? No males seeking her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her [seeking them].25[Cease from your mad running after idols, from which you get nothing but bitter injury.] Keep your feet from being unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, It is hopeless! For I have loved strangers and foreigners, and after them I will go.26As the thief is brought to shame when he is caught, so shall the house of Israel be brought to shame--they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets--27[Inasmuch as] they say to a tree, You are my father, and to a stone, You gave me birth. For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces; but in the time of their trouble, they say, Arise [O Lord] and save us!28But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble! For [as many as] the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. [Surely so many handmade idols should be able to help you!]29Why do you complain and remonstrate against My wrath? You all have rebelled and revolted against Me, says the Lord.30In vain have I stricken your children (your people); they received no discipline (no correction). Your own sword devoured your prophets like a destroying lion. 31O generation [that you are]! Behold, consider, and regard the word of the Lord: Have I been a wilderness to Israel [like a land without food]? A land of deep darkness [like a way without light]? Why do My people say, We have broken loose [we are free and will roam at large]; we will come no more to You?32Can a maid forget and neglect [to wear] her ornaments, or a bride her [marriage] girdle [with its significance like that of a wedding ring]? Yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number.33How you deck yourself and direct your way to procure [adulterous] love! Because of it even wicked women have learned [indecent] ways from you.34Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the persons of the innocent poor; you did not find them housebreaking, nor have I found it out by secret search. But it is because of [your lust for idolatry that you have done] all these things--[that is everywhere evident.]35Yet you keep saying, I am innocent; surely His anger has turned away from Me. Behold, I will bring you to judgment and will plead against you because you say, I have not sinned.

Guide us in Your truth and faithfulness and teach us, for You are the God of my salvation!! Lead us to you Truth Lord and put us in agreement with you. Let us not be afraid to accept Truth. Lord, put salve on our eyes so they may be opened.

May the Lord have mercy on all of us
Fire of God