Post by Zac Loh on Dec 2, 2008 7:10:43 GMT -5
Christianity is having the reality of Jesus in our lives. And this reality is the antidote to religiosity.
Religiosity is substituting the power with the form. By this substitution, we in effect are putting aside the truth that God is able and He is real ...because no form which we put up, can take His place.
None of us has totally evaded or escaped the trap of religiosity. We have been caught by this dangerous deception at one time or another.
Let's, therefore, believe God ...for a vibrant relationship with Him. Let's aspire to have the spiritual dynamics of a relationship with Him.
Antidote To Religiosity
Acts 9:1-31
Saul, was religious, and persecuting Jesus. It is to be expected that the hyper religious will persecute the true work of God.
What do I mean by `hyper religious'? Religiosity or `hyper religious', to me, is when we are so steep in our religious thinking and religious practices, so much so that we are blinded to the true work of God that is right before our eyes.
To recognize a work, we have to identify the signature signs of the Originator. To identify the signature of the work of God, we have to know the Signatory personally. The work of God will have His thumb prints.
The Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes persecuted Jesus. The religious council sent Him to the cross. The high priest and Sadducees imprisoned the apostles.
But Saul then had an encounter with Jesus!
Is there redemption for the hyper religious? YES ...of course ...after a spiritual encounter with Jesus!
How do we base our life? Do we base our life on religious dogmas and religious activities? Or do we base our life on an ever increasing intimacy with our Lord Jesus?
Thank God, Saul did not stop there. He became Paul. He grew further away from his previous religiosity and became nearer to our Lord with a growing intensity and passion for Him.
In the encounter with Jesus near Damascus: isn't it funny that Saul could see Jesus but became physically blind; while Saul's companions could physically see, but they did not see Jesus?
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. (Acts 9:18)
Something like scales fell from his eyes. Religiosity blinds us to the true work of God. The antidote to religiosity, therefore, is to experience Jesus by spending time in His presence.
Saul preached `Christ is the Son of God'. The strength of his preaching ...where did it come from? The answer is that he had the reality of Christ!
There is a popular motto which I have read somewhere: `knowing Christ, and making Him known'. I trust that this `knowing' does not come from a religious head-knowledge of Him, but a daily experience of Him.
When we are doing the will of God, there is bound to be persecution from the hyper religious. Unwittingly, the hyper religious people who sent Jesus to the cross, was used by God, because the cross was definitely God's plan.
God might sometimes use the hyper religious to accomplish God's plan for your life. It is inevitable!
So, ultimately, the one who loses out will be the hyper religious. Who then wants to have religiosity?
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. (Acts 9:31)
Some people emphasize the fear of the Lord. Some others major in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The truth is that we need BOTH.
We need to fear God.
AND we need to be comforted by the promises of God. The Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4). He is also called `the Holy Spirit of promise’ (Ephesians 1:13).
Extremism in `the fear of the Lord’ produces rigidity and religiosity.
On the other hand, extremism in `the comfort of the Holy Spirit’ breeds compromise and lukewarmness.
Religiosity is substituting the power with the form. By this substitution, we in effect are putting aside the truth that God is able and He is real ...because no form which we put up, can take His place.
None of us has totally evaded or escaped the trap of religiosity. We have been caught by this dangerous deception at one time or another.
Let's, therefore, believe God ...for a vibrant relationship with Him. Let's aspire to have the spiritual dynamics of a relationship with Him.
Antidote To Religiosity
Acts 9:1-31
Saul, was religious, and persecuting Jesus. It is to be expected that the hyper religious will persecute the true work of God.
What do I mean by `hyper religious'? Religiosity or `hyper religious', to me, is when we are so steep in our religious thinking and religious practices, so much so that we are blinded to the true work of God that is right before our eyes.
To recognize a work, we have to identify the signature signs of the Originator. To identify the signature of the work of God, we have to know the Signatory personally. The work of God will have His thumb prints.
The Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes persecuted Jesus. The religious council sent Him to the cross. The high priest and Sadducees imprisoned the apostles.
But Saul then had an encounter with Jesus!
Is there redemption for the hyper religious? YES ...of course ...after a spiritual encounter with Jesus!
How do we base our life? Do we base our life on religious dogmas and religious activities? Or do we base our life on an ever increasing intimacy with our Lord Jesus?
Thank God, Saul did not stop there. He became Paul. He grew further away from his previous religiosity and became nearer to our Lord with a growing intensity and passion for Him.
In the encounter with Jesus near Damascus: isn't it funny that Saul could see Jesus but became physically blind; while Saul's companions could physically see, but they did not see Jesus?
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. (Acts 9:18)
Something like scales fell from his eyes. Religiosity blinds us to the true work of God. The antidote to religiosity, therefore, is to experience Jesus by spending time in His presence.
Saul preached `Christ is the Son of God'. The strength of his preaching ...where did it come from? The answer is that he had the reality of Christ!
There is a popular motto which I have read somewhere: `knowing Christ, and making Him known'. I trust that this `knowing' does not come from a religious head-knowledge of Him, but a daily experience of Him.
When we are doing the will of God, there is bound to be persecution from the hyper religious. Unwittingly, the hyper religious people who sent Jesus to the cross, was used by God, because the cross was definitely God's plan.
God might sometimes use the hyper religious to accomplish God's plan for your life. It is inevitable!
So, ultimately, the one who loses out will be the hyper religious. Who then wants to have religiosity?
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. (Acts 9:31)
Some people emphasize the fear of the Lord. Some others major in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The truth is that we need BOTH.
We need to fear God.
AND we need to be comforted by the promises of God. The Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father (Acts 1:4). He is also called `the Holy Spirit of promise’ (Ephesians 1:13).
Extremism in `the fear of the Lord’ produces rigidity and religiosity.
On the other hand, extremism in `the comfort of the Holy Spirit’ breeds compromise and lukewarmness.