Part 1 – Chosen or free to choose?

What Jesus says about exalting human tradition above the law of God

The doctrine of election assumes that God has already chosen certain people before their birth. If someone is elect – and they are very few, because it says: “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). In fact, one might say that the number is almost zero. In a church with thousands of people there are only a few elect.

What happens if someone thinks that God has not chosen them? What remains then? No expectation, no certainty, no hope.

This thought can deeply affect people’s faith. They experience distress, doubt, and become spiritually blocked. It brings despair, fear of death and of eternal loss. Faith is lost with the thought: “If I am not elect, then there is no point in believing.” That is why it is important to examine what Scripture really says about this.

There is the conviction that churches and congregations should not establish doctrines, rules, or human additions, such as this Calvinistic teaching. Faith must be founded on God, and the Holy Bible must be taken as the guide, without adding or taking anything away, no matter how good people’s intentions may be. And Jesus warns about this.

The accusation

The religious leaders from Jerusalem came to Jesus with an accusation:

Matthew 15:1–2

“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

This concerned the ritual washing of hands before eating, a tradition that is not found in the written Torah, but was part of the “tradition of the elders.” Does this sound familiar? Tradition, “this is how it is always done”?

Jesus does not say that traditions must be kept. But what does He say?

Hypocrites!