October 31, 2021

“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15:8-9

Jesus addressed the religious leaders of His day, pointing out their errors. He also quoted Isaiah’s prophesy (above) regarding corruption in the leadership, mainly the placement of tradition above the Word of God. The directness and harsh tone used by Jesus here is surely due to the fact that the leaders in Israel, of all people, should have known better by virtue of their access to the Scriptures.

As the Dark Ages were pierced by the light of the Gospel, those who bravely protested the corruptions in the church were witnesses to that same pattern: those in charge of the flock had access to God’s Word, yet like the Pharisees, they were “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” The essence of Protestantism came down to two basic principles, both standing against the abuses of man in matters of faith: one being the intrusion of the civil magistrate and the other being the arbitrary authority of the church. Protestantism was in agreement with the apostles in saying, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and it further clarified by laying down the principle that all human teaching should be subordinate to God’s Word.

Following the time of Reformation beginnings in Germany and Switzerland, the enemy pushed back hard. There was the frontal attack of the papists who openly determined to put down the “daring obstinacy” of the Reformers: intimidation, threats, public executions... There were ceaseless attempts of the enemy to cause divisions among God’s true people. One method at hand encased a peculiar irony. It seemed the most harmless but is in reality the most destructive. It is the way of compromise! Fortunately, the Reformers discerned the danger of compromise and made it the subject of concerted prayer and immediate attention. They recognized the joy with which starving souls received the preaching of God’s Word! So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17)

It is good to examine yourself from time to time…to see whether you are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5); because compromise is a subtle tool of our crafty enemy that creeps in stealthily. The history of God’s people throughout the Bible is littered with failure that always began with compromise. This is how Satan succeeds in the destruction of one’s faith. Most of those who were miraculously delivered from Egypt compromised along the way to the promised land. Sadly, their faith slowly shriveled into a complete lack of it!

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. Hebrews 3:19, 4:11