宗教或救恩？
马可福音七章1至13节
1有法利赛人和几个文士从耶路撒冷来，到耶稣那里聚集。
2他们曾看见他的门徒中有人用俗手，就是没有洗的手，吃饭。
3（原来法利赛人和犹太人都拘守古人的遗传，若不仔细洗手就不吃饭；
4从市上来，若不洗浴也不吃饭；还有好些别的规矩，他们历代拘守，就是洗杯、罐、铜器等物。）
5法利赛人和文士问他说：你的门徒为甚么不照古人的遗传，用俗手吃饭呢？
6耶稣说：以赛亚指着你们假冒为善之人所说的预言是不错的。如经上说：这百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心却远离我。
7他们将人的吩咐当作道理教导人，所以拜我也是枉然。
8你们是离弃神的诫命，拘守人的遗传；
9又说：你们诚然是废弃神的诫命，要守自己的遗传。
10摩西说：当孝敬父母；又说：咒骂父母的，必治死他。
11你们倒说：人若对父母说：我所当奉给你的，已经作了各耳板（各耳板就是供献的意思），
12以后你们就不容他再奉养父母。
13这就是你们承接遗传，废了神的道。你们还做许多这样的事。
信息分享
耶路撒冷与加利利相距超过115公里；而一些法利赛人却不惜远道而来，为的只是攻击耶稣。法利赛人虽然相信神，但他们却在神颁布的律法以外，制定了许多繁文缛节，要求众人去遵守。他们相信，他们只要做足这些表面的工夫，就能赢得神的称赞。因此，他们只关注外表的礼仪守则，却没有留意自己的内心是否与神和好。
有人以为自己一生谨言慎行，就必能得着神的喜悦；但其实神的心意，却是渴望人能够全心全意地去爱祂和敬拜祂。这种误解实在令人感到可悲。
由于法利赛人在神颁布的律法以外，加添了很多新的规条，因此，他们的规条至终便取代了神的律法。基督指出他们如何亏待父母，就是一个明确的事例。(9节)
基督只想破除法利赛人所制定的种种人为法则，帮助百姓明白到，他们只需要遵从神的教导，并与神建立和好的关系，就能讨神的喜悦。基督经常教导人说，神最想与人相交，不希望我们与祂之间被罪所阻隔。
但法利赛人却认为，人若不遵守他们的规则，就是犯罪。他们所关注的是人的行为。然而，基督却指出，罪是关乎我们内心的污秽──那不是我们双手表面所看到的污垢，而是隐藏在内心深处的罪污。
你明白到两者的分别吗？宗教只是关注我们的行为，然而，救恩却是要处理我们心中的罪，而只有神才能为我们彻底清除罪污。
「怎能洗去我的罪？
只有靠耶稣宝血。
怎能使我变得完全？
只有靠耶稣宝血。」
经训：
「我们若认自己的罪…神必要赦免我们的罪。」约翰壹书一章9节
RELIGION OR SALVATION?
Mark 7:1-13
1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.
2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.
3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? ”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘ This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God),
12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.And many such things you do.”
Message
It is over 115 kms from Jerusalem to Galilee. Yet some of the Pharisees walked that distance just to criticise Jesus. The Pharisees were a group of men who, while they were believed in God, made a great many more laws or rules than God ever gave to his people. They thought that by doing certain things they scored points with God. All they cared about were outward things. But their hearts were not right with God.
It is tragic when men or women go through life doing things which they think will pleased God when all the time God is looking for the love and worship of their hearts.
Because the Pharisees had added so many rules of their own to the law which God had given, their rules had taken the place of God's law. Christ mentioned this when pointing out what they had done to the commandment regarding parents (v.9).
Christ wanted to cut through their man-made rules and help people see the need of obeying God and having a right relationship with him. Christ always taught that God wants our fellowship, with no sin between us and him.
The Pharisees thought sin was a failure to keep their rules. It was something on the outside of a person. But Christ said sin is in the heart. It is not just common dirt on our hands, but the stain of sin deep within our hearts.
Do you understand the difference? Religion is only something we do. Salvation is something which deals with the heart and only God can do that.
'What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.'
A VERSE FOR TODAY:
If we confess our sins he [God] will forgive our sins. - 1 John 1:9