RELIGION does not lead one
into this expansive realm in Christ, but rather fences you in with its many
creeds and doctrines which all become an end in themselves. Our English word
"religion" comes from the Latin "religion," and means: a taboo, a restraint, and
bespeaks of a system exercised by the will of the carnal man, designed to
supposedly gain favor with his God. The word dissects as RE―return,
LIGARE―to bond. And bluntly spoken, it means― a return to bondage, into a
realm of "do this, don't do that."
Paul writes, "'For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant
of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes." (Romans 10:2-4).<
Submitting requires a special relationship
that is not found when we go about seeking to establish our own
self-righteousness. It is when we walk with Him, talk with Him, and have an
intimate oneness with Him, that there develops a joyful surrender to Him, laying
down our life, to receive His life. But in just "having religion" this in
working cannot be. Thank God, He would lead us far out and away from the
confines of man.
There is a common expression these days,
people say they are "going to bond" with their children, etc. as they share a
special experience together while on a vacation, or even just a weekend centered
on mutual enjoyment― and there is a positive blessing in this betimes in human
relationships. But when our "bonding" is a return to the religious rules and
regulations of men, and we but have a bonding to a system, which then is
substituted for a relationship with our Redeemer, it's a negative thing, and we
need to be loosed from all such religious attachments. When our bonding has
become bondage, then we have a matter that needs overcoming.
It is significant that the Hebrew word for
"HOLY" is "qodesh" and means: AN OBJECT SET APART, a devoted thing, for it
was/is SEPARATED UNTO, devoted to God; but negatively it is called a taboo, for
God's holiness, if touched by man, brought forth a FIRE FOR CLEANSING. This
produced a dark fear in man, "DON'T TOUCH IT," and so, as a law this became a
negative thing― a don't religion. Whereas, just the opposite when Christ dwells
within our heart by faith― for HE expresses, LIVES OUT HIS LIFE― and it
becomes a positive manifestation, to His glory. His fire cleanses and then our
relationship is enhanced and we desire to embrace Him more and more. Then
judgment is not feared, but welcomed, for it corrects and brings us into His
life.
The Greek word for '"religion" is "threskeia,"
meaning: outward ceremonial observance. It traces back to the base of "throeo,"
which means: to wail. I have known some very religious people that could really
wail, moan and groan; and others quite mistakenly thought them very spiritual
because of their ability to wail, for they judged by the outward appearance of
some ceremonial expression. And it is interesting to note that when the Spirit
"helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
(then) the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered." (Romans 8:26). There is a spirit dimension that goes
beyond the wailing, into a realm that cannot be uttered. At best you can only
cry out "Oh, God,'" as your spirit reaches out to embrace Him who is invisible.
It's not the noise that counts, it is the Spirit's groaning, for HE knows our
need, and He knows the mind of God concerning that need. In ways that reach far
beyond our limitations, His unuttered groaning will bring us to the throne, and
into the victory of our God.
In their book "Theomatics," by Jerry Lucas and
Del Washburn, they point out that the words "satan" and "'religion" both have
the same theomatic value. And they state, "Religion is of Satan, but
Christianity is a new life and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Christianity is not a religion. Praise God for this fact!" unquote.
Perhaps it is a little strong to say that ALL
religion is of Satan for that glorifies Satan too much, giving him credit that
he does not deserve. But I dare say, an awful lot of religion gives too much
emphasis to Satan, and his so-called power, almost making him omnipresent,
though he is not. IF people would WORSHIP GOD as much as they talk about the
devil, they might soon break out of their mode of religion, and come into a new
dimension of LIFE. Yet even Christianity can become a religion just as soon as
we infect it with self-effort and self-will, turning it into some form of
enterprise which becomes self-serving for the interests of the flesh.
In the side notes of The Companion Bible, by
Bullinger, he points out that in Genesis 3, Satan is introduced to us in his
special sphere― denying the Word of God. He comments that Satan is the god of
this world's religion, not of its crimes and immoralities. His sphere is the
corruption of the truth rather than the degradation of the flesh. (This thought
bears some real pondering by open hearts, as God quickens its truth to us).<
How man is enticed and seduced to bow down to
the gods of this world― to take any other way, but GOD'S WAY― when we should
be GOD'S WORSHIPER, to serve Him! Yet if we know Him not, how then can we serve
Him? Hence Paul's desire to KNOW HIM in a deeply intimate and personal
way.
Revelation 22:3 reads, "His servants shall
serve Him." And Paul uses the same word "latreuo" (serve) in Philippians 3:3,
"Which worship God in the spirit." SERVE― WORSHIP― but not in rituals
that appeal to the flesh― it is IN THE SPIRIT. Jesus taught this very plainly
in conversation with the woman at the well. She said, "Our fathers worshiped in
this mountain, and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship." Jesus said unto her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour comes, when you
shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But
the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in
spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit:
and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John
4:20-21,23-24).
In commenting on this, Origen wrote: "He who
would follow the Lord must lay aside all preference for particular places. He
called God SPIRIT, that He might distinguish Him from bodies (i.e. mankind); and
He named Him the TRUTH, to distinguish Him from a shadow or an image. They who
worshiped in Jerusalem worshiped God NEITHER in truth or spirit, being in
subjection to the shadow or image of heavenly things." unquote.
A worship that requires an atmosphere to
stimulate an attitude and a mood for our ceremonial observances, with robed
choirs, stained glass windows, attention focused "front and center upon a
leader," is not a spontaneous outflow from our spirit― rather it is a religious
expression generated by the will of man. This has long time been the way it is
for body-conscious people, who require something to be seen and felt. The
prophet cried out, "Verily You are a God that hides Yourself, O God of Israel."
(Is. 45:15). And again, "There was the hiding of His power." (Hab. 3:4).
Paul plainly stated, "The creature was made
subject to vanity." (Rom. 8:20).
In our frailty we reach out for something
stronger than ourselves―yet we fear any greater power as if it were a threat to
us, for we would be self-sufficient gods in our own right. Religion allows us to
retain this little domain for self― perverting the truth of true godship. It is
in the realm of self-promotion that the error of man being a free moral agent
finds its more ardent following. But in a relationship with Christ, where we
give all glory and honor to Him, we also share in the in working of His cross
until self has been fully dealt with, and He becomes ALL IN ALL in all in us. It
was in sensing this great need, that the Psalmist cried out, "Lead me to the
Rock that is higher than I." (Psa. 61:2). It was in his relationship with the
Lord that he found peace and victory. Self cannot bring us into the fulness of
His life/reality. It is God working in us― totally by His grace. "Lord, You
will ordain peace for us: for You also have wrought all our works in us (margin,
for us)." (Isa. 25:12). And it is not just what He did/does, but HOW HE DOES
IT― which far exceeds the imagination of man― as we daily present ourselves to
Him.
How Israel struggled with their serving an
INVISIBLE GOD. Again and again they had to be reminded― "Take therefore good
heed unto yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that the Lord
spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest you corrupt
yourselves, and make you a graven image, the form of any figure." (Deut.
4:15-16). Don't make any graven image― male, female, animal, or of the heavenly
hosts.
We walk by faith, not by sight, though man
wants the visible. Often people live in chronic frustration and guilt, because
they do not see any visible results which others claim to have. And so they
proceed to concoct mental images, ideas about God, limited to the intellectual,
rational explanation. These mental images BECOME AS IDOLS, a product of our own
making. This also means that you are bigger than your god. The CREATOR is bigger
than the creature formed. It is no wonder men have little or no respect for the
Lord when they have down-graded Him to their own size, or less, and end up with
nothing to worship, and thus are easily disillusioned. As Paul points out, in
Gal. 4:8, if you serve them "which by nature are no gods," what good?
I dare say, religion and true Christianity are
at opposite poles.
Religion is man-centered, with faith in man,
in his own works as he seeks to appease his god. Religion would like to just
refine human nature by an exercise of good works― ceremonies, programs,
rituals, formalities, any thing which entices man to "DO," rather than to
"BECOME." And thus....
Man is the subject― God is the
object.
Man is the doer― God is the one done for.
Man is the giver― God is the receiver.
In Christianity God is
Central. Faith in Jesus Christ, with regeneration producing a new creature, one
who is a partaker of His divine nature. So, while religion is man seeking God,
Christianity is GOD SEEKING MAN, God revealing Himself to man, and working in
man. "We are His workmanship!"
Thus, God is the subject― man is
the object.
God is the Doer― man is the one done for.
God is the Giver― man is the receiver.
"For since the world began
no one has seen or heard of such a God as ours, who works f or those who wait
for Him." ( Isa. 64:4, Living Bible). God SERVES HIS CREATURES, His worshipers.
All other nations serve gods that do nothing for them. And now, sadly,
Christendom's religion took hold of this, and devised a system of works to
appease this god formed in their imagination. We must overcome this IDOLATRY,
and believe in the living God. Truly, we are unable to save ourselves, so HE
COMES TO US. We are unable to heal ourselves, and so HE BECOMES OUR GREAT
PHYSICIAN. We are unable to solve our perplexities, and "HE IS MADE UNTO US
WISDOM, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Cor. 1:30).
Again the message is clear, "You shall have no
other gods before Me - you shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."
(Ex. 20:3, 5). There shall be no other gods, no graven image, no building an
idol and calling it a festival of the Lord― placing His name on this
fabrication of men.
In John 4:22, Jesus told the woman, "You
worship you don't know." And the Phillips translation reads, "Nowadays you are
worshiping with your eyes shut." BLIND WORSHIP, obscured by form and ritual,
with no idea of TO WHOM it was directed. God gives a revelation and
people are drawn to Him, but soon others come and ADD THEIR CONCEPTS,
interpretations, etc. and soon the vision is distorted, and its life-force is
depleted.
"See, said He, that you make all things
according to the pattern showed to you in the mount." (Heb. 8:5). The pattern
was given, and then it was RE-built, changed, modified, restructured, and now we
have those who teach for THE EARLY CHURCH in the END TIME, which is as much out
of order, as if they tried to have the END TIME in the early church. Truth out
of time is error. No wonder the Father keeps the times and seasons in His own
power, (see Acts 1:7), man is so prone to want to change all times and seasons.
And how soon worship is turned to idols― images that are a caricature of our
God.
We find it most interesting, that the beloved
apostle John, who had such depths to write about, warning them not to love the
world, nor be ensnared by ANTI-christs, yet he summarizes his brief epistle with
the cautionary word, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. amen." (1 John 5:21).
Profound revelation and deeper truth has its
place. If we are going to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18), we need more than just the milk of the
Word― we need its meat. Yet John didn't deal with this fact. His deep concern
was that the church would gradually turn to idols. One shares a God- given
message but this does not make one "god of the message." God might use you in
working a miracle, as He did the apostles, but this does not make you some
miracle worker. Barnabas and Paul cried out, "We also are men of like passions
with you, and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the
living God, which made heaven and earth." (Acts 14:15). In harmony with this, we
read that Peter said to the people, "Why look so earnestly on us, as though by
our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" (Acts 3:12). Yet people
want visible gods to idolize, and forget that GOD IS THE DOER! Often men stroke
their ego, as being God's great man of the hour, when we all need to decrease,
while He increases.
One of the main Hebrew words for "idol'" is
"gillullm" meaning: what are rolled about, large idols. Ahab "did very
abominably in FOLLOWING IDOLS, according to all things as did the Anmorites." (1
Kings 44:10). The big idols could not be carried about so they just rolled them
along, down the street, and the people followed and worshiped them. It is not
easy to be an over comer and forsake the religious crowd which follows the
ROLLING ONES and are having a PARTY TIME. To leave all of this, and walk on
ALONE WITH GOD, is a challenge. Yet an idol is anything that captures the
attention of your heart― be it a person, a position, a possession, etc. For
Christ alone must be the Centre of our life. Materialism, humanism, places man
at the centre and makes them an idol. People struggle so hard, and PAY SO MUCH
to be a part of this religious caravan that goes rolling along. But when
religion has uttered its last word, performed its last ceremony, and stands
benumbed and empty, then we will find that GOD HIMSELF is all we need. Not
God AND― God AND works, God AND creed, God AND ritual, etc. but GOD ALONE!
Yes! By His enablement we can OVERCOME
all these things. Don't be afraid of idols, they cannot hurt you. "We know that
an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but ONE." (1
Cor. 8:4).
It is a FACT that you cannot be redeemed
or lifted any higher than the GOD you serve. So we read that " They made a calf
in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the
similitude of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their Saviour." (Psalm
106:19-20). God cannot be corrupted. You cannot make Him anything less than He
is! You cannot change Him in His state of being. But it does say that they
changed their glory into the image of the corruptible. Man was created for the
purpose of being an expression of the glory of God, yet this man, rather than
coming into that place where he could glorify God, changed his glory into the
similitude of an ox that eats grass. When they chose an OX to be their
god, they chose to emulate the image/glory of the bestial. Whatever God you
worship, venerate, put first in your life, it is into that image that you will
be changed. If you join the religious crowd that worships idols, then you will
take on that image. But when you fix your gaze firmly upon the Lord Jesus
Christ, then you will be changed from glory to glory into the very same image,
to be as He is.
You become what you see and worship. If your
religion centers in the bestial, then you will be dumb like an ox, stubborn as a
mule, sly as a fox, wise as a serpent, silly as an old hen, etc. as men share
these traits with the world around them. IF your God can only save a small
portion of mankind, then you likewise will end up with a partial salvation. If
your God is angry― you become angry. If your God is vindictive, and always
demanding vengeance, then you likewise will find yourself manifesting those
characteristics. But if your God is MERCIFUL then the challenge, therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:36). We definitely need a
strong daily relationship with our Lord, to become as He is. "As we have born
the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Cor.
15:49).
Thank God for the in workings of His grace―
"Your graven images also will I cut off, and your standing images out of the
midst of you; and you shall NO MORE worship the work of your hands." (Micah
5:13).
Scorned by the too easily satisfied
religionist, men have been snared by a spurious logic― accept Christ and you
need seek no farther, just maintain a tie with some religious system and wait
for a rapture. Oh, how our heart cries out for that reality that is found only
in a relationship, a deep and intimate communion with our Lord―on-going and
precious. Then time and place matter not, for the things of the world grow
strangely dim, and we have but one desire, "to be present with the Lord." (2
Cor. 5:8).
"The Lord spoke unto Aaron,― I am your part
and your inheritance. . ." (Num. 18:20). While the Psalmist said, "The Lord is
the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup." (Psa. 16:25). And again, "God is
the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." (Psa 73:26). IN HIS
PRESENCE is fulness of joy! Truly, "THE LORD IS MY PORTION, says my soul;
therefore will I hope in Him." (Lam. 3:24). Not in religion, BUT IN CHRIST,
is all we need.
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