Mark 7:6 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
In the passage above what do you think of the phrase 'human precepts as doctrines'? Do you think human precepts are the building blocks of institutions and society? Do you think there is anything inherently or systemically evil about institutions and society? Have you ever noticed that institutions seem to breed agendas that are self-serving, self-sustaining and self-preserving? Do you think our relationship with God suffers when our relationship to the institution becomes primary under the guise of serving God?
Precepts and doctrines often divide when God wants to reconcile. Some may be charismatic enough, talented enough, strong enough, disciplined enough to do some good on their own, but the needs of the object of their compassion will need more.
The only way to bring life transforming healing to others is when we are drinking, present tense, from the living waters ourselves. Who we are inside must be oriented toward God. Our inner compass must be facing Christ-ward if we want to be a blessing to others.
Human precepts and doctrines are often in the other direction. Do we serve a cause or Christ, serve a church or Christ, serve people, or Christ? I learned from Chuck Conniry that causes, churches and even people must be secondary to Christ, otherwise they are idolatry. Serve Christ first and everything else will fall into place. Human precepts and doctrines may indeed have their place, but it is not primary.
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