First of all, God explains that many place heavy burdens on those who believe in Him, namely doctrines and guidelines that originate in the minds of men. These are oppressive, because they come from people who walk in dishonesty and take pleasure in afflicting others. When they use physical or spiritual truculence, they dominate the people in order to take advantage of them. But because Jesus knows all things, He sees all kinds of evil that no one else sees.

          The foolishness of some people goes beyond the limit of what will be forgiven or not. The entire Bible teaches about the wisdom of Heaven: But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men (John 2.24). Many mistakes are made by those who have never feared God, but others do it for pleasure, consciously. The situation becomes more difficult for them. The Lord only forgives through repentance (Luke 17.3,4).

          Trying to hide something from the Lord is impossible, because since we are, we exist and move in God, He knows everything (Acts 17.28). The Bible says this about the Word, Jesus, the Word: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4.12). Get ready to meet Him!

        People who don't know the Lord, but are willing to teach about Him, like to wear “holy” garments, so that the ordinary people believe that they are sent from God to do His will. Jesus said, in the verse we are studying, that such people do their work to be seen, admired and adored by men. When they used these and other lies, they showed their intent: to deceive and enslave the unwary!

          It has been proven that man is mystical by nature and is dominated by vile passions and various evils. When deviance begins, if there is no repentance, the end will be tenebrous (Romans 1.18-32). The Inquisition was created in the name of God, but it distanced many Christians from the love of the Father. So, they started torturing innocent people and killing them out of sheer evil. How will they and their heirs be in the Judgement? May those who are still alive obtain mercy! 

          To further complicate matters, the priests adopted phylacteries - amulets and pieces of cloth - believing that they contained virtue over unclean spirits and curses. Why did they disconnect themselves from God and join the devil? Well, if mysticism were something divine, Jesus wouldn't have made the statement in the basic verse of this message. To the lies created, others were added, in order to perpetuate deception!

            Jewish priests used to widen the fringes of their garments, but this should never happen. What needs to be widened and torn is man's heart before Heaven, so that God can work in him and through him (Joel 2.13). To act in a similar way to these religious people is to accept the abyss, and the Bible says that deep calls unto deep (Psalm 42.7). Suddenly, the whole content will be disarranged!

           In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares