Religion Gone Bad

[SpiritLedEd]

This past weekend, my pastor's topic was "Religion Gone Bad". His talk was centered on how Phariseeism had polluted the Jewish religion of Jesus' day; how Judaism had been reduced to prideful posturing and rule keeping.
As I pondered that this evening, it occurred to me that the church I attended all my life before I came to Christ was polluted pretty much in the same way; posturing by the heirarchy and lots of rule keeping were the norm.
Thinking back on all those boring sermons and boring services, I wonder how many of the clergymen caught up in them ever asked themselves "What the heck am I doing here?" They were caught up, not in the work of God, but in a Pharissaic entrenched bureaucracy.that cared primarily for its own survival and covered up everything that threatened the organization.
It took a tsunami of scandal, but it appears that major changes are happening in that denomination. I celebrate those changes and I pray that they will soon return to simply proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
SLE

 

[stephen]

In the book of Judges ch 2 v 10 it says "and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor the woks which he had done for Israel"

Very sad words indeed...

Joshua led Israel into Caanan, the land of God's promise. Joshua ch 24 Joshua related to the nation the mighty works that God had done. Not long after that he died v 29.

It was the third generation after that of Joshua, when it was written "they knew not the Lord" The 'first generation' knew God and did exploits. The second generation saw the exploits which their fathers did. The third generation heard stories, which were difficult to believe.

In the West we have now reached the 4th generation, counting from that which was first in knowing the power of God Almighty. We are now far away from God, as nations, and we do "not know the Lord"

But those of us that know the Lord are not downhearted. We are aware that God is still on His Throne, and rules in the affairs of men. And we are active, and praying for revival (I have a weekly prayer for revival) 9pm Fridays..... God is going to present unto Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle.

 

[Buddy2]

SpiritLeadEd pointed out how Phariseeism can affect entire denominations and that is so true. It also can be thought of as ever smaller circles... like a whole church, or even in a family's home. Beware that leaven.

Stephen showed how far away from God we can become as a nation. No longer living the wonders of God, just relating stories that seem to not matter to our children for today.

God is still soveriegn whether or not we bow to Him.
He loves us and is in control. God will not force anyone to love Him and at the same time allows circumstances in our lives to keep pointing us towards Him.

 

[jiggyfly]

SpiritLeadEd pointed out how Phariseeism can affect entire denominations and that is so true. It also can be thought of as ever smaller circles... like a whole church, or even in a family's home. Beware that leaven.
Stephen showed how far away from God we can become as a nation. No longer living the wonders of God, just relating stories that seem to not matter to our children for today.
God is still soveriegn whether or not we bow to Him.
He loves us and is in control. God will not force anyone to love Him and at the same time allows circumstances in our lives to keep pointing us towards Him.

Amen Buddy2, but I go one step further and say that phariseeism has already infected every denomination, it has infected the whole religious institutional system.

 

[KJV]

Francis Schaeffer
in his books points out two extremes of ORDER and FREEDOM; which can occur in individuals, oranisations and states.
In the church an over emphasis on order can lead to dead fundamentalism, without love and an over emphasis on freedom tends to lead to wishy-washy, mushy love slush; without any kind of order or doctrine, or a marked aversion to it.
They are both about as bad as each other and represent displays of Christianity in the flesh. Only as we walk in the Spirit is it possible to balance the two eaxtremes effectively.
In the UK, on the evangelical scene, it seems to be the wishy-washy side that has dominated things and the other side has declined.
You tend to find about the same amount of prejudice and bigotry in both sides aginst eachother.
I think we need a balance between the two and both extremes-pharasaism and libertariansim are just as bad as each other. A balance can only be achieved individually and corporately by seeking the Lord with all our heart, soul , mind and strenght.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

You are right, Jiggyfly: Phariseeism has infected every denomination. The denominations developed religious systems that were intended to assist people in worshipping God and learning about Him. But, sadly, as time went on , denominational leaders came to believe that the system that they have in place is the only true system. And anything that threatens that system is to be resisted out of hand, even if serious problems have arisen.


SLE