As we conclude this brief look at the effects of the commandments of men, we recognize our natural temptation to build and maintain various fences outside of the Scriptures; this thinking is central to rabbinic Judaism and Roman Catholicism, but we do not find it among the early Protestants or early Anabaptists from whom we receive so much of our background. While human commandments are generally accepted today in conservative Anabaptist groups, this is a departure from their historic foundation.
If we take them at their word, the earliest Anabaptist leaders leaned toward sola Scriptura and the sufficiency of Scripture in order to reject the commandments of men. Conrad Grebel promoted this principle when he said,“Everything must be tested by the New Testament, and what is not found therein as the teaching of Christ and the apostles or as an apostolic practice must be abandoned.”
Similarly, Menno Simons protested against extra-Biblical standards and applications: “I dare not go higher nor lower, more stringent nor more lenient than the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit teach me; and that out of great fear and anxiety of my conscience, lest I again burden the God-fearing hearts who now have renounced the commandments of men, with those commandments. Self-conceit and human opinions I hate, nor do I desire them; for I know what tribulation and affliction they have caused me for many years.” Another one of the early and primary Anabaptist leaders was Dirk Philips, who wrote, “The holy divine Scripture teaches us everywhere that we should neither accept nor believe nor observe anything except God’s Word and command alone, and that we should neither add to nor subtract from God’s Word.”
Even the late Brethren author and minister Peter Nead (1796-1877) also addressed this concept in his book, A Vindication of Primitive Christianity. He said, “That church which will from her members require something or tolerate something that is not according to the word of God (let it come from her Conference or Synodical meetings) is not the true church, and hence should not be heard. We are solemnly bound to hear the church as long as she keeps house according to the Word of God, and no longer.” While his perspective of legislative church authority, and also what he perceived as a falling away in the Church during his day, led him to endorse a certain level of extra-Biblical applications, his stated premise remains sound. While it may be seem beneficial to establish agreements or forms and justify them by basing them upon specific Scriptural principles, if their usage causes us to contradict another part of the Scriptures, we are in error so long as we continue in them and we ought not to base our fellowship with other Christians upon them.
In summary, the Torah was never man’s prerogative to “fence”, nor are the teachings of the New Testament ours to supplement, however sincere our intent. We need to be wary of embracing the commandments of men for four reasons. First and foremost, Jesus forbade it, no matter how good and sincere someone’s intentions are to build a “fence around the Torah” in their lives and churches. In fact, He specifically said that to do so promoted “leaving the commandments of God” (Mark 7:1-8, Deut. 4:2). A second reason to be discerning of the commandments of men and their institution is because they will lead us back into bondage, and divide believers from each other over things the Lord never intended to see enforced or ignored (Col. 2:20-23, Gal 4:1-11).
Equally important is our ongoing need to recognize that the commandments of men (as opposed to Biblical teachings and applications) can create stumbling blocks which can hinder other people from entering the kingdom (Matthew 23:4, 13; Titus 1:14). Jesus recognized this too, and said that “Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6). And finally, to add commands beyond those given in the Scriptures is antithetical to the faith that has been once for all delivered to the saints, to the sufficiency of Scripture, and even to the wisdom of our King, Jesus Christ (Jude 1:3; II Tim. 3:15-17). May we never be found guilty of worshipping our Heavenly Father in vain, but to take instead the lesson that we should teach for doctrine simply the commandments that He has given, so that He might be glorified in all that we do! Let us not run ahead of Him as King Saul once did, but to remember that simple obedience is better than any extra sacrifice we might bring.
