The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus day refused to hear the truth (Jesus) because of the many false truths which they had made up and added to the Law. These false doctrines were not something which Jesus would adhere to. They were not truths or laws from God but laws made up by the religious body of Israel.
LAW VERSES TRADITION
(Mark 7:5-13, Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honoureth 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.
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, it is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
Making the word of God of None effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye).
While Jesus lived on Earth it was according to the will of God for him to adhere to each and every Law of God, which he did. But it was not incumbent upon him to obey the made up religious laws which were created by the Jewish leaders down through the centuries.
WHAT ABOUT TODAY
Have things really changed much today. How many of the rules, regulations, and laws of the Church world of today are made up of men. How often are Churches really believing what the Bible says and how often have they been led off track by some man made law, tradition, or ordinance of man.
IS CHRIST PLEASED
I believe that Jesus was exceedingly displeased with the arrogance of the Jews which had made up laws of their own and not only called them Gods Law but even put them before the Laws which God had actually given them.
Arrogance I believe, is still alive and well in the Church of today. Instead of simply trusting in the Blood of Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on the Cross on our behalf, there seems to be an underlayment of man made truth (if you can even call it truth), which states that after being saved by Grace through Faith in Christ, we then need to adhere to certain doctrines, modern traditions, church ordinances, and man made rules. I think the thought is that, “you need Christ for salvation, but then you need a lot of other things to stay saved.” What we really need is Faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (Gal.2:16), and Faith in Jesus Christ everyday after (Gal.2:20), to enable us to walk after the Spirit. Romans 8:2,(For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death).
Without this ever abiding Faith in what Jesus accomplished for us on the Cross, we are going to be very prone to accept other things which are placed before us, as objects of our faith.
SERVING GOD
As a believer there are many things which one can do in service for God. And Praise God for every Christian who is trying to do a good work for The Lord. But remember, whatever that good work is which the Lord has given you to do; that work does not in any way constitute salvation.
If we have been called unto anything, it is a calling unto Liberty which enables us to love our neighbor as ourself. Gal.5:13 For Brethren, you have been called unto Liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Rom. 13:11, Love works no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.
What ever God calls you to do, or has called you to do; will hinge on the fact of these verses.
In other words, there is nothing which God calls anyone to do, (whether it be Pastoring a Church, Evangelism, visiting the sick in hospitals, intercessory prayer, cleaning your Church, welcoming those who come into your Church,or any one of perhaps a thousand things which could be named as something which one is called of God to do) which will not necessitate you first being set at Liberty by the Blood of Christ, and will not require that you walk in Love (after the Spirit).
Just remember, the walking in Love can only happen after we have been set at Liberty through Faith in what Christ accomplished on the Cross in our behalf. Then the Holy Spirit will guide us to Love. We cannot love without Faith in Christ as our Redeemer. If you think you are able to, then you are being deceived (the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given to us. Rom. 5:5).
