Religious Spirit
Sometimes I take awhile answering a question posed to me. Often, a good response comes later after I've thought about it. That happened again yesterday.
In our men's class we were talking about spiritual warfare and how the religious spirit can be used by the devil to keep us in bondage. A quote once more from John Eldredge:
"Religion and its defenders have always been the most insidious enemy of the true faith preciously because they are not glaring opponents; they are impostors. A raving pagan is easier to dismiss than an elder in your church. ...The Pharisees and their brethren down through the ages have merely acted -- unknowingly, for the most part -- as puppets, the mouthpiece of the Enemy."
"If you want the real deal, if you want the life and freedom that Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog in particular. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselve be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Ga. 5:1) So here's the bottom --line test to expose the Religious Spirit: if it doesn't bring freedom and it doesn't bring life, it's not Christianity."
While teaching this subject in class yesterday, one brother asked, "Jim, what exactly is this religious spirit?" By this time, our time was over, I felt rushed to say a few other things that I had prepared, and just couldn't think on my feet how to answer him. But later that day some stories came to mind that illustrate this religious spirit.
1. It's the eldership I heard of that refused to let the women go through a Bible study by Beth Moore because she wasn't of their brand of Christianity.
2. It's the woman who called me at the office one morning wanting to know if I teach our clients about "the Lord's church." When I said that we try to focus on Jesus and enourage people to give their lives to Him, this woman got angry and accused me of being like Max Lucado. The more I tried to keep the topic on Jesus, the madder she got at me. She finally hung up the phone in her fury.
3. The religious spirit is when I put my trust in trying to be right and in being in the "right denomination" and yet I wasn't feeling that peace Jesus offered. It became clear that I was putting my trust in the church and "getting it right" and not in Jesus. I felt insecure in my salvation. I was judgmental towards Christians in other groups. And I was scared of the Holy Spirit. It was a crumbling foundation, this religious spirit. And the only way out was to get my feet on the Rock, to leap into the arms of my Savior and let Him give me this freedom and life. This was a humbling and sometimes painful journey. And yet it was so worth it! Hallelujah. What a Savior.
How have you found the religious spirit manifested? And what is your story of how Jesus has brought you (and is still bringing you) freedom and life?
Jim
posted by Jim Clark @ 8:05 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Anytime the survival of the institution outweighs the permeating work of the Holy Spirit.
Religion is of man, Belief/faith is of God.
Good guidelines, imho, and one a woman visiting our fledgling congregation in Mexico City would have been well advised to heed.
The congregation and visitors were outside the building, chit chatting as the large evangelical congregation across the street also let out.
A dear friend, gentle, educated [polygot] gentlman and wife came across the street to greet me, as was his habit. This visitor got in his space and face, raised her voice and said, "Well, at least you've come across the street to the RIGHT church!"
All of us of our church we aghast, embarassed and apologetic. He was gentle, forgiving and understanding.
Religion can usually be spotted by this type of harsh judgmental attitude and sometimes it can be carried into absolute violence [think Crusades.]
Faith is seen my friend's gentle forgiveness.
I took me longer to be as forgiving, since I was embarassed as a fellow believer AND as an American. But I've never forgotten this experience, and really hope to always remember it when in contact with those that are of different shades of belief or outright non-believers. As Steve so aptly put it, may the permeating work of the Holy Spirit always be present when approaching others.
Great post, Jim!! Thanks so much. Again you have blessed the beginning of my day!!
"Jim, what exactly is this religious spirit?"
What Steve said.
Or even...whenever the "way" of "doing" jesus gets ahead of love the lord your god and love your neighbor, etc.
The spirit of religion resides all over Abilene. No problem. Jesus is bigger.
Excellent responses, dear bloggers.
It's ironic how we begin and build our institutions to advance the kingdom of God, and yet as they age we (I) tend to be tempted to promote and maintain the institution.
Gayle Erwin, in his enormously insightful book, The Jesus Style, suggests that a church write in its charter a statement that they dissolve after 50 years.
He knows well "the problem of wineskins." (Which, by the way,is the title of another great book addressing these issues)
Post a Comment
<< Home