Are We Religious or Spiritual?

Selah » Spiritual Life

These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men" (Isaiah 29:13). In this way the Prophet Isaiah condemned the people of Israel for their religious practices... although some had been ordained by God Himself. He had tried to show them how to worship Him, but they had created a set of rules that emphasized form over substance. He desired a relationship with them, but their rules taught that behavior was everything; the motive of their hearts was ignored.

In verse 14 Isaiah hinted at a coming Messiah who would teach the people what love is all about. And what did the Messiah say about this? All of Matt 23 is devoted to His condemnation of their "form without substance" religion, saying that it actually prevented people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven (vs.13). Their zealous keeping of rules created a pride in accomplishment that was the biggest sin of all

Pharisee or Tax Collector?

In Luke 18:10-14 He told them a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee's pride was evident as he thanked the Lord for not making him like the tax collector; for making him obedient to the rules. But it was the tax collector who went home justified, because it was he who realized that he was a sinner in need of mercy. In Matt 23:3 Jesus was careful not to "throw out the baby with the bath water" He reminded them to obey their leaders, but warned them against following their example (vs. 2-3). Their system of worship was given by God, after all.

Later He explained His point more clearly. "A time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks" (John 4:23). We are to be a spiritual people, seeking a relationship with the Father even as He seeks one with us, not a religious people, mindlessly obedient to a set of rules taught by men.

Nor did the problem of religious works go away with the birth of the church. A few years later, Paul warned, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy that depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8)." Already man's tendency to add to what God had done was becoming evident in the church.

What Religion Are You?

Someone once defined religion as "sinful man's vain attempt to cover himself before a Holy God." It began in the Garden of Eden, as Adam and Eve, realizing they were naked, hurried to clothe themselves before the Lord saw them. The Lord clothed them in the skins of animals, demonstrating that it was by the shedding of innocent blood that they would be covered, not by the works of their hands (Gen 3:7 & 21). It continues to the end of the age as He warns the apostate church at Laodicea to "buy white clothes from Me to cover your shameful nakedness (Rev 3:18)." Through out the Bible we are either "clothed in His righteousness (Isa. 61:10)" or "naked and shamefully exposed (Rev 16:15)."

A Moving Experience

Needing help to move into a new home and office, I called the Salvation Army for a couple of strong bodies. They sent me Bill and Cliff, two young men enrolled in their rehab program. Bill was raised a Mormon while Cliff grew up Catholic. These two groups are noted for adding rules and traditions to a biblical foundation. Riding along in the truck I had rented, we had time for talk so I steered the discussion to matters of eternal significance. They both spoke about things they had been taught, and I suggested that the Lord won't be interested in the particular church we attended, but in the motive of our hearts as we did so. Finally Bill, in one of those break through moments said, "So it all boils down to the faith in your heart." That's right Bill. You're not far from the Kingdom.

The Protestant Work Ethic

Work hard, live right, and you'll succeed. Good advice, as long as you remember that everything you have has come from the Lord; even the intellect and energy you think is responsible for your success (Deut. 8:18).

So whether you're sitting in your favorite pew, performing an act of kindness for the less fortunate, or giving of your excess to help a struggling ministry, realize that the point is not to earn points with Him. He's already given you all the points there are. The point is to express your gratitude, to give thanks to the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Because even though you can never hope to live up to His requirements and earn your own righteousness, He's given you all of His, and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

He didn't do this because you're better than others, or because you've earned it. He did it because He loves you, and gave you the faith to believe that when He went to the cross, He went for you. Remember His goal was to teach us what love is all about. Let's show Him we've learned.