Traditions or Commandments? | Matthew 15:1-9

Scripture

• Matthew 15:1–9

About this sermon

Introduction: Traditions or commandments? THERE IS A REAL DIFFERENCE. Which do you want? Which do you respect? Which do you respond to? Which will you defend? We have all heard discussions about legalism. Legalism has to do with this distinction between tradition and God’s commands. Legalism is a word often used but often not CAREFULLY used. And in many cases, it is MISUSED. You have people criticizing what is PRAISEWORTHY, calling it legalism. FOR EXAMPLE: Obeying Scripture, and emphasizing the need to obey Scripture, IS NOT LEGALISM. Hating sin, so that someone is CAREFUL to live in a way that is holy, IS NOT LEGALISM. Putting forth effort in the Christian life, to EXERCISE DISCIPLINE in the Christian life, IS NOT LEGALISM. These are all things TAUGHT BY SCRIPTURE. But having noted the misuse of the word, we do need to acknowledge that it IS a real problem, and that it exists in more than one realm. The deadliest form of legalism operates in the realm of soteriology. Legalism is a distortion of the truth of how one is justified before God. A legalist believes that a sinner can be saved by his or her performance. A legalist believes that the sinner can be justified before God by keeping the law. It is a GOSPEL SUBSTITUTION. It is a FALSE GOSPEL. It substitutes for what only God can do — save the sinner from God’s own wrath by the complete and all-sufficient redeeming work of God’s Son — with the false hope that man can save himself by means of God’s revelation. ESV Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. ESV Galatians 2:19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. ESV Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But, strangely enough, that is NOT the most common use of the term. Most people, when they are talking about legalism, are not talking about how one is justified before God and delivered from His wrath. Most people are talking about HOW WE ARE LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. They rightly recognize that there can also be a spirit of legalism in the way one approaches the Christian life. To put it in biblical terms: They are attempting to make progress in the Christian life by a different principle than how it BEGAN. ESV Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? This is what people often MEAN when they talk about legalism. What they are legitimately concerned about is an approach to the Christian life that is a counterfeit of the Spirit’s work. It is the substitution of human standards and human ability for the truth of Scripture and the power of the Spirit. WHAT THESE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEGALISM HAVE IN COMMON, HOWEVER, IS WHAT IS ON DISPLAY IN OUR TEXT. The question at the heart of legalism is AUTHORITY. WHAT TRULY HAS AUTHORITY OVER OUR LIVES? What has GOD STANDING BEHIND IT? What is BINDING UPON US? The issue not what DOES MAN SAY ABOUT WHAT GOD SAID, but rather, WHAT HAS GOD SAID? • A QUESTION CONCERNING TRADITION (vs.1-2) The first thing that I want you to notice is that this group of religious leaders who question Jesus, is not a local group. Pharisees and scribes from JERUSALEM have come to speak with Jesus. Jesus is in Galilee. He is currently in a remote part of Galilee. These men come from Jerusalem. I believe we are meant to understand is that this is a group sent to Jesus to represent AUTHORITY. They have come on a representative mission. They speak, not only for themselves, but for the Jewish people. Perhaps the religious leaders in the north have asked for assistance? “Can someone come and help us deal with the affects of the influence of this Jesus.” Something similar happened in response to the ministry of John the Baptist. ESV John 1:19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" “WE NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE!”

Topics

• Obedience