What? Do some now say that they have not walked after the imagination of their own heart? Do you now say that you have not taught for doctrines the commandments of men above following the Commandments of God that you might keep your own tradition? Do you now say that you have not made the Commandment of God of none effect by your own tradition? Do you now say you have not turned things upside down?

Ah, but have you not? Do you not believe and teach for doctrines the commandments of men whereby that which is holy and righteous you would reject and despise? Do you not work in a profound hypocrisy?

Do you not hold yourselves and all others under the "Grace/Law Hypocrisy"?

Do you not teach obedience (even in love) to the Ten Commandments of God in Exodus 20:1-17 and yet violate them (and teach men so) every week?

Do you not violate Exodus 20:16 every time you violate Exodus 20:8-11 as God worded it? Is it not a false witness against your neighbor to testify that you keep Exodus 20:8-11 when you do not?

Ah, one can hear you already! So you proclaim, "Liberty!" You cry, "Grace!" Yes, it is true, for God has said, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice". (Matthew 12:7b-c.) But what does that quotation from Scripture continue on to say? Hear it in its entirety from Hosea 6:6: "For I have desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." And where is your knowledge of God therefore?

Have you never read Acts 13:42-44? Have you never read that which Hebrews 4:4,9 says in the literal Greek wordings (with 1_Peter 2:9-10 abolishing any confusion as to who are the "people of God")?

Wherefore, while the Lord GOD has granted mercy for what is done on that which He has established and blessed, and that one can worship seven days a week, the establishment of Exodus 20:8-11 has not been voided. No, but herewith do you make the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition of men.

But if you would insist that you are under such "Liberty", then are you not in pure hypocrisy with another of the Ten Commandments? To wit, if you proclaim such "Liberty", as being under "Grace" to void one of the Commandments, then how is it that you would likewise go deeper under the "Law" to make another of the Commandments more legalistically- restrictive in the "times" of "Grace" than that Commandment had ever been during the "times" of the "Law"?

© August 4, 1997, The Standard Bearer
P.O. Box 765, O.O.B., ME 04064

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