"Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread? But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" Matthew 15:1-3
The scribes and Pharisees were accusing Jesus’ disciples because they didn’t wash their hands before eating. This was their tradition. Jesus rebukes them, telling them that by there traditions they were transgressing the commandment of God.
Then Jesus tells them what really matters:
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." Matthew 15:18-20
Traditions that we think make us clean in our heart are not what Jesus tells us that keeps our hearts clean. Some people think it’s the good deeds they do, keeping religious ordinances like baptism, communion, repeating the Lords prayer, being morally good, going to church and other such traditions. (Baptism and communion are necessary, however, they are not what makes a persons heart clean. They are a testimony of what God has done for one in the heart)
Jesus tells the Scribes and Pharisees that they are hypocrites:
"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:7-9
In vain we do worship Jesus if we are just going through the motions or doing things that are just traditional. If we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord, if we do not have a heart that can testify of what Jesus has truly done for us it is all in vain. If we do not keep up our relationship with the Lord and just let routine ways of communing with the Lord creep in, this too will become a tradition. To have a personal relationship you must have personal and intimate conversations with Christ, not just a tradition of doing things.
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