God never gave any instructions on how to carry out a wedding, Christian or otherwise. Everything we do in weddings, funerals, and holidays are completely man-made traditions that we do not have to follow.
So many things we think we have to follow God never commanded.
Mark 7:8-9 "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men... You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition!"
Mark 7:13 "...thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do".
Matthew 15:9 "In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men".
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Worshipping on Sunday, a one-man-paid-pastor system, a building to meet in, we call "a church", people in pews doing whatever someone up front tells them to do,
Most of our mandated traditions were never commanded by God, while many have negated and demeaned God's Word in their practice.
There is more man-made tradition in the modern church than there is obedience to Christ.
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God".
John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...".
Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword..."
Revelation 19:13: "...and his name is called The Word of God"
Once you begin to unburden yourselves by ignoring man-made traditions and seeking Christ, you will begin to sense an incredible weight lifted and a disconnect from the world.
Some of the traditions are not bad, but the problem comes when they are expected and taught as mandates. Then comes the judging of others for not doing what they are doing.
The biggest problem is when we encounter pushback from church people who mandate things God never mandated. They judge, they gossip, and pressure others to do what they think the culture expects.
May each one find the freedom to remove themselves from cultural demands while free to obey God's Word.
Matthew 15:1-9
Traditions and Commandments
15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”
3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’
5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”
6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God.
7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Walk with Christ and there will be great freedom, peace and rest.
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