The Greatest Impediment to Scriptural Holiness

In Luke's gospel, the Jewish religious authorities rebuke Jesus because he healed a woman on the Sabbath, in violation of Sabbath observance.  Jesus in turn rebukes the religious authorities for ironically missing the big picture

The whole point of the synagogue, the Jewish religious establishment, and the traditions of Sabbath observance was to remind Israel of the only thing that really mattered; their covenant relationship with God that effected their liberation from oppression and the need to maintain holiness of heart and life to maintain their side of the covenant agreement.  The woman was liberated from her own oppression through healing.  The only thing that stood in the way were the religious customs that were intended to evoke and facilitate Israel's holiness that would bring about their own liberation.

The same irony is found in the Church today.  The greatest impediment to the whole point of being the Church; to make disciples of Christ and to live holy lives according to the example of Christ, is our own religious practices and institutions, both on the local and judicatory level.  In order for the Church to carry out its mission it must avoid the trap of missing the forest for the trees.  The Church must be wiling to abandon any practice or custom that does not facilitate holiness of heart and life.