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Mat 22:29-30 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven."

Jesus gave the Sadducees and the Scribes a clear answer to their religious tradition, which they had mixed with man-made teachings. False teachings arise due to a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. To be ignorant about what the Word of God says is the same as if you were cut off from the power of God. With other words, God's answer is written. Therefore, we need to find out what the Word of God says. Just as this text states, religious tradition can strongly stand in contradiction to the Word of God, because it is mixed up and twisted around with human teachings. This is the reason why there are so many beliefs going in different directions and religions. It is the duty of every individual to read the Bible in combination with prayer, in order to find out the ways of God.

But when does religious tradition become a curse? Whenever people set up their own rules! As an example, Paul writes in (Eph 2:8) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." If you believe that a person could earn the grace of God, then this grace is not properly understood and you are living in error. Of course, you can receive grace, there is no question about that, but it has to made clear here that God is the ONLY GOOD ONE; and we as human beings have deserved NOTHING and there is NOTHING we could do to make ourselves worthy, not even by our own works. The only work that can save us is HIS work on the cross and our obedience to His gospel! That is what is written.

The problem begins during childhood: "If you're a good boy or a good girl then you will go to heaven, if you're not, then you will go to hell". Therefore, you have to be GOOD and do good things so that you can please God and receive His blessing. That is the well-meant advice given to small children. This deception can last until adult age, and will always trouble a person because he or she does not know whether he or she has done enough good deeds. If we could earn grace, it would no longer be a gift of God, and therefore, it contradicts the Bible!

Let us take a look at the cry of the Roman Catholic "church" at that time, with its desire to free the Holy Land of the unbelievers. Did Jesus ever give the call to kill people? Never. In addition to that, is the act of blasphemy in which the people were told that they could receive forgiveness of sin as a result. How we can receive the forgiveness of sins it written crystal clear in the Bible, in Acts 2:38. Whoever does not obey this commandment of God will have died in vain. Today we hear about the "Holy War", people are being killed and others, on the other hand, are killing themselves, in order to "gain points" with God. Why? Because they do not understand the Bible, the written Word of God, and substitute it with human tradition. This tradition has a religious appearance to make it seem believable. The spiritual blind one leads the spiritual blind. In Eph. 2:8 Paul writes: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Here he is addressing only those who have been converted to Christ, for we who were once sinners have received grace though our obedience to the gospel of grace.

It is God's will that we separate ourselves from evil and obey the gospel of Jesus. It is simple - whoever does not do so, will not receive grace. Grace comes through Jesus Christ and not by our works. The curse rests upon those who add their own words to the Bible, and also to those who believe them. rw