Although we have read these verses many times, have we ever paused to understand what do the “rudiments of the world” entail? What exactly are “rudiments of the world”? A “rudiment” is defined as the first principle or element; the original of anything in its first form.

Rudiments of the world are things that originate in the world (as opposed to things that originate in God when used in the context of Scripture).

Many things come to mind like arts, entertainment, sports, customs, traditions, philosophy, currency, societies, etc. which are rudiments of the world. Specifically here, when reference is made to doctrines, traditions, and ordinances, religion is the rudiment of concern. The rudiment of religion is Lucifer’s desire to be worshipped equally with God. The word “religion” comes from re-ligo, which means to bind anew: a bondage to false worship.

A common thread throughout the Bible is man’s struggle with who to worship and how to worship.

Consider the stories of Cain, Nimrod, Israel and the golden calf, idol worship, worshipping of angels, etc. Based on God’s reactions, we should take this matter very seriously. Religions are called “Inventions” (Ps 99:8, 106:29, 106:39). Even Judaism was referred to as a religion of traditions by both Jesus (Mark 7:9, 7:13) and Paul (Acts 26:5, Ga 1:13-14). 

Religion becomes a tradition and tradition becomes a religion.

Where John 8:23 says “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”; free from what? In the context; free from bondage to man, sin, false worship and rudiments of the devil including religion.

If the truth sets you free and religion binds anew, can truth and religion exist together? No. But if tradition replaces truth, then tradition and religion can exist together. Philosophy, deceit, ordinances, creeds, and commandments bring men back to bondage and control. Those in Christ are instructed to free themselves from man’s religion.

The only verses in the New Testament that instructs us how to worship are found in John’s Gospel:

 “…believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father (in the flesh) (4:21)…But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in the spirit and in the truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in the spirit and in the truth.” (4:23)

If one is not a true worshipper, is he a false worshipper? Paul warned his brethren in Galatians and Romans not to return to the bondage (re-ligo) of the law after they had been loosed from the law by grace.

The called out, which is the body of Christ, with Christ as the Head, is the fulness of Christ. Members of this ekklesia are free from the bondage of man’s religion; called out to be members of Christ’s Body, which consists of only spiritual attributes and is invisible to the world. Instead of “going to church”, they are the Body of Christ.

Instead of identifying with a denomination or one of man’s churches who worship in the flesh and not in the truth, why not identify with Christ as a member of His body who worship in spirit and the truth rightly dividing the word?