Deuteronomy 22:9 - “You shall not sow your vineyard with different kind of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled.”

This regulation was taken literally by the Israelites in the Old Testament period, but we understand that every command in the law pointed to Jesus and the Work of Salvation, which he now accomplishes through the Holy Spirit.  John 5:39 –  ”You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”  Colossians 2:17 – “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

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Matthew 15:6-9 - Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.   They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ 

What were the religious traditions to which Jesus referred?  They had several main components. continue

Mark 7:6-8 - Jesus replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’  You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”

In the passages quoted above, the Scriptures teach us that religious traditions are spiritually worthless.  The only thing that pleases God is to obey His revealed will.  People do not want to obey God.  They want to go their own way, following their own opinions and desires, and then appease God through religious observances so that they can somehow elude his judgment or persuade Him to bless them.  God, however, sets the terms by which we can approach him.  Man does not set the terms for God.   continue