As we enter the New Year, today, our hopes and desires must be that life will be much better in the New Year than the past year. More importantly, it should be our desires to establish and maintain a flourishing relationship with God. Whatever the experiences of the past year, we must expect the best from the Lord in this New Year. If that is going to happen, then, we must permanently abandon the ensnaring traditions of the world, and embrace the enduring truth of the Lord. The Lord wants us to internalise and consistently proclaim the truth that saves, sanctifies and leads to God’s Kingdom.

Like the religious leaders in Israel at the time of Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees, whose traditions, opinions and religious rites/ceremonies turned the mind of people away from salvation and heaven, we now live in a world that seeks independence and self-sufficiency away from God. Those religious leaders transgressed the commandments of God by their tradition, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

Perpetrators of every doctrine, opinion, ideology and tradition that are not established on God’s word will not inherit His kingdom. As believers, we must make up our minds this New Year and remain on the side of the truth of God’s word, His revelation and righteousness that comes by faith in the Lord, rather than by any tradition of man. Therein lies the truth that releases us into the blessings of God.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were graceless fundamentalists. They thought they were doing God a favour, fundamentalism without grace cannot save anyone from sin or assure anyone of a place in heaven. Rather, it entrenches sinners in the delusion of grandeur, while remaining in terrible transgression through their tradition of external righteousness without genuine salvation from sin.

The Pharisees were interested in external righteousness without salvation. Thus, they asked Jesus: “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” The Pharisees were the custodians of the law and defenders of the old covenant at the time of Christ. They were to oversee and preserve the old covenant the Lord had given them. But they failed to give attention to the prophecies of Christ’s coming, promises of God and the personal experiences they could have had. They made void the word of God by their tradition.

Some believers act like the Pharisees. Instead of concentrating on the internal righteousness and holiness, which God demands; they focus on non-essentials and maintain outward form of godliness that has no eternal value. Not surprisingly, the Lord Jesus Christ delivered a damning judgment on them. He said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess …hypocrisy and iniquity.” As believers in this New Year, we must watch against anger, envy and hypocrisy and other vices, because people who harbour such in their heart will not escape the damnation of hell, except they repent. We must continue to emphasise the truth of the Word of God, its principles, prophecies, promises and the great commission. We must remain obedient to the Lord at all times. We must ensure that we do not indulge in the transgression of exploitative reformers without sincerity.

The Pharisees were exploitative reformers. They set out to change the land by altering the actions of the people and even their religion. Although God had commanded that children honour their parents, they gave the people alternatives to God’s command, influenced them not to heed God’s word, thereby making “the commandment of God of none effect by (their) tradition.” They must watch this New Year, against any attempt by anyone to subtly nudge you away from your past commitment and faith in God.

• Further reading (King James version): Matthew 15:3, 6, 9, 12-14; Matthew 15:2, 3; 23:25, 28, 33; Matthew 15:4-6; Galatians 1:14. Galatians 1:23, 24; Romans 12:1, 2; Matthew15:12; Galatians 4:16. Matthew15:13; Hosea 4:17; Matthew15:14. Matthew15:21-28.