The Lord Jesus soundly rebuked the Pharisees and scribes in Mark 7 when they questioned Him about His disciples eating "bread with unwashen hands?" not following "the tradition of the elders" vs.5. The Lord returned their accusation by referring to the prophet Isaiah's prophecy concerning these very same scribes and Pharisees: "This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."
Today, the washing of pots, and cups continues. Some religious groups recommend and in many cases demand that their man-made traditions be kept. The Catholics have added multitudes of traditions over the centuries including crossing yourself, counting beads, repeating countless hail Marys, not to mention their traditions which will damn the soul such as: Baptism saves your soul, the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Jesus and can atone for sin!!! These are but a few of their seemingly countless traditions that have led multitudes into the gates of hell over the past 1600 years.
'The washing of pot, and cups' also is prominent in many Protestant circles. The Methodists practice infant baptism, convincing many that this religious rite saves the soul of the infant who does not have a clue concerning their need for repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only way any soul can be saved. The Baptists go forward and join the church at age 12 and many of the people I have personally witnessed to have given me this record as their testimony of "salvation". Multitudes of Protestants observe Lent, Maundy Thursday, apply ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday, etc. and mistakenly believe that these things will take them to heaven.
This brief newsletter does not allow me to uncover all of the traditions of men manufactured by the numerous cults but, unless you believe the direct command of the Lord Jesus Christ: "Ye must be born again" you will never be saved from your sins, and the traditions of men will continue to dominate your religious experience, sending you to an eternal hell, for "It is appointed unto men once to die but after that the Judgment"(Hebrews 9:27) " And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)