The Religious Spirit
To be honest with you, I've never heard of the phenomenon of having a "religious spirit" until I came to New Philly. It's something we talk about in our church culture here and have taken a firm stance against. But what is a religious spirit? I'll venture forth to offer a definition, although I'm sure I may not be covering all bases.
Religious Spirit-
"A desire to maintain the status quo and be comfortable with a routine expression of faith, rather than submission to a Holy living active God who does what He pleases, in spite of what we think we know about Him and our comfort/discomfort."
Something like that. I hope that by reading this blog you'll get a better idea instead of me giving you a textbook definition. But having had time to think and process what it means to have a "religious spirit", the idea for this blog entry came into my mind. I felt moved for a while to share my own opinions of how a "religious spirit" can manifest, and for believers to ask honest questions of their own discipleship with the Lord in regards to this, in growing as genuine, pure lovers of the Lord. Take everything here with a grain of salt and try to glean the spirit from which I'm writing-I'm sure I may be off here and there on a few points. But I hope it's enough to get you thinking and even strike a note of conviction in your hearts. :)
1. Opposition to "Weekday Christianity" by virtue of "Sunday Christianity".
"Sunday Christianity". This is the most obvious manifestation of a religious spirit that I think needs no further explanation. Nothing is more blatant and outright "religious spirity" than claiming to be a Christian by just attending Church on sundays. If this is you, and the only scent of following Jesus means attending Church on a sunday without a notion of His Lordship during the rest of the week, I assure you--you may be a good candidate of having the "religious spirit"!
2. Opposition to Change.
The Lord is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow- but His methods and His ways of reaching His people will always change and adapt to meet people where they are at. When we look at the Old Testament we see the Lord using the patriarchs, to the prophets, to the Kings, to the judges, then back to the prophets. The Word of the Lord goes forth in different manifestations depending on time and circumstance. I believe much the same applies today where the church over the last century has significantly involved in regards to expressions of worship- from pew seaters singing hymns from a hymnal, to a DJ spinning off worship beats in a worship service more comparable to a rave. People with a religious spirit tend to show their colors here by insisting that their way of worship is the ONLY way and opposing and declaring unbiblical other ways. From the conservative believer who believes rock bands are from the devil and that the drum set has no place in the Church, to the believer who frowns upon Holy Spirit manifestations in others and declares them fake or demon possessed. This can run on both sides of the gamut, whether you're "charismatic" or "reformed". If you find yourself resistant and resenting change for no good reason other than it inconveniences you- you may be a good candidate of the "religious spirit"!
3. Opposition to the Supernatural.
There's nothing that will incite a reaction from the religious crowd like an open display of the supernatural. (Hey, it was the way back then for Jesus, why should it be any different now?) It's really, really hard to stay "religious" when Christianity goes supernatural. It's hard for things to stay ho hum and routine when paralyzed people become miraculously healed before your eyes, or when a man gifted in the prophetic can recite your phone number/address or other intimate information about you without having prior knowledge. When this happens, things get messy and refuse to say clean cut and "normal". Although we always knew God was real in our minds, we get a taste and an encounter of His reality over our hearts. It's actually quite uncomfortable. But that's OK. I think in some sense, the fear of the Lord is a good thing. However, people who are walking in the religious spirit are disturbed by this intrusion from the ordinary and quickly denounce it as fake, or appeal the work-ironically (because it's supernatural nonetheless)-of the devil. It's one thing to be humbly skeptical and seeking the truth- it's another to be critical for it's own end. That's more or less a symptom of having a religious spirit.
4. Opposition to Joel Osteen.
This is an interesting one. But it's so true. In my experience, it's useful to get a good sense of someone's religious bearings on how they view Joel Osteen--one of the more polarizing figures in Christianity today. Those from the "Reformed" camp view his name as anathema as Joel Osteen flouts traditional gospel conventions and instead opts to preach positive messages more akin to a spiritual Dr. Phil. Although to many, he may be a poster boy for all that's wrong with Christianity today, if anyone actually took the time to research and observe his ministry apart from his TV program, it would be difficult to deny the solid salvations and the fruits of his repentance his ministry has born. Those with a religious streak tend to be overly critical and condemning of his ministry however. But those who bear none of those streaks approach his ministry with openness and thanksgiving in regards to how God has used him, while still bearing in their heart their own personal differences in ministry methodology. Based upon what I shared, if you bitterly despise Joel Osteen without considering the fruit of his ministry, consider you may be under the influence of a religious spirit.
5. Opposition to Anything Outside of the "Gospel" or "Bible".
Continuing on the prior note, I think it would do all believers a measure of good to be open in regards to the ways God can move. I personally don't believe that all sermons need to somehow point back to Christ in a flashy exegetical way, and I personally don't believe that just because something isn't specifically recorded in the Bible in regards to a supernatural work, doesn't make it null and void of a work of God. I've always held the belief that the Bible reveals the Lord, but it doesn't contain Him. (John 21:25) As long as there is fruit being born for the Lord; believers hating sin, and wanting to grow in excessive love, holiness, adoration for Jesus and His Word--and in turn be witnesses to the world--that's all the Lord cares about (loosely put). The religious spirit replaces voluntary love in a relationship with obligations about having to do things a certain way. If you find yourself in that category of believing that the Lord cares about the methodology more than about the heart in which you execute ANY methodology- beware the religious spirit!
Conclusion
I've hit upon a few points and I'm pretty certain I'm not all there on some of them. I beg your forgiveness. But I do hope this was enough to get the gear rolling in the minds and hearts of believers to be watchful of our habitual tendencies and that we would always remain in a place of genuine, real vibrant, burning love for the Lord. Alot of that manifests in extending grace and mercy towards things we don't understand or don't take a personal liking to. Ultimately, the narrative in scripture reveals a God indignant against any form of religion--but a God who desires relationship so badly He became one of us to speak with us, eat with us, physically touch us, and ultimately die for us in the body. A God who wants the genuineness of a love relationship...and not the compulsion of routines, styles or methods.
Religious Spirit-
"A desire to maintain the status quo and be comfortable with a routine expression of faith, rather than submission to a Holy living active God who does what He pleases, in spite of what we think we know about Him and our comfort/discomfort."
Something like that. I hope that by reading this blog you'll get a better idea instead of me giving you a textbook definition. But having had time to think and process what it means to have a "religious spirit", the idea for this blog entry came into my mind. I felt moved for a while to share my own opinions of how a "religious spirit" can manifest, and for believers to ask honest questions of their own discipleship with the Lord in regards to this, in growing as genuine, pure lovers of the Lord. Take everything here with a grain of salt and try to glean the spirit from which I'm writing-I'm sure I may be off here and there on a few points. But I hope it's enough to get you thinking and even strike a note of conviction in your hearts. :)
1. Opposition to "Weekday Christianity" by virtue of "Sunday Christianity".
"Sunday Christianity". This is the most obvious manifestation of a religious spirit that I think needs no further explanation. Nothing is more blatant and outright "religious spirity" than claiming to be a Christian by just attending Church on sundays. If this is you, and the only scent of following Jesus means attending Church on a sunday without a notion of His Lordship during the rest of the week, I assure you--you may be a good candidate of having the "religious spirit"!
2. Opposition to Change.
The Lord is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow- but His methods and His ways of reaching His people will always change and adapt to meet people where they are at. When we look at the Old Testament we see the Lord using the patriarchs, to the prophets, to the Kings, to the judges, then back to the prophets. The Word of the Lord goes forth in different manifestations depending on time and circumstance. I believe much the same applies today where the church over the last century has significantly involved in regards to expressions of worship- from pew seaters singing hymns from a hymnal, to a DJ spinning off worship beats in a worship service more comparable to a rave. People with a religious spirit tend to show their colors here by insisting that their way of worship is the ONLY way and opposing and declaring unbiblical other ways. From the conservative believer who believes rock bands are from the devil and that the drum set has no place in the Church, to the believer who frowns upon Holy Spirit manifestations in others and declares them fake or demon possessed. This can run on both sides of the gamut, whether you're "charismatic" or "reformed". If you find yourself resistant and resenting change for no good reason other than it inconveniences you- you may be a good candidate of the "religious spirit"!
3. Opposition to the Supernatural.
There's nothing that will incite a reaction from the religious crowd like an open display of the supernatural. (Hey, it was the way back then for Jesus, why should it be any different now?) It's really, really hard to stay "religious" when Christianity goes supernatural. It's hard for things to stay ho hum and routine when paralyzed people become miraculously healed before your eyes, or when a man gifted in the prophetic can recite your phone number/address or other intimate information about you without having prior knowledge. When this happens, things get messy and refuse to say clean cut and "normal". Although we always knew God was real in our minds, we get a taste and an encounter of His reality over our hearts. It's actually quite uncomfortable. But that's OK. I think in some sense, the fear of the Lord is a good thing. However, people who are walking in the religious spirit are disturbed by this intrusion from the ordinary and quickly denounce it as fake, or appeal the work-ironically (because it's supernatural nonetheless)-of the devil. It's one thing to be humbly skeptical and seeking the truth- it's another to be critical for it's own end. That's more or less a symptom of having a religious spirit.
4. Opposition to Joel Osteen.
This is an interesting one. But it's so true. In my experience, it's useful to get a good sense of someone's religious bearings on how they view Joel Osteen--one of the more polarizing figures in Christianity today. Those from the "Reformed" camp view his name as anathema as Joel Osteen flouts traditional gospel conventions and instead opts to preach positive messages more akin to a spiritual Dr. Phil. Although to many, he may be a poster boy for all that's wrong with Christianity today, if anyone actually took the time to research and observe his ministry apart from his TV program, it would be difficult to deny the solid salvations and the fruits of his repentance his ministry has born. Those with a religious streak tend to be overly critical and condemning of his ministry however. But those who bear none of those streaks approach his ministry with openness and thanksgiving in regards to how God has used him, while still bearing in their heart their own personal differences in ministry methodology. Based upon what I shared, if you bitterly despise Joel Osteen without considering the fruit of his ministry, consider you may be under the influence of a religious spirit.
5. Opposition to Anything Outside of the "Gospel" or "Bible".
Continuing on the prior note, I think it would do all believers a measure of good to be open in regards to the ways God can move. I personally don't believe that all sermons need to somehow point back to Christ in a flashy exegetical way, and I personally don't believe that just because something isn't specifically recorded in the Bible in regards to a supernatural work, doesn't make it null and void of a work of God. I've always held the belief that the Bible reveals the Lord, but it doesn't contain Him. (John 21:25) As long as there is fruit being born for the Lord; believers hating sin, and wanting to grow in excessive love, holiness, adoration for Jesus and His Word--and in turn be witnesses to the world--that's all the Lord cares about (loosely put). The religious spirit replaces voluntary love in a relationship with obligations about having to do things a certain way. If you find yourself in that category of believing that the Lord cares about the methodology more than about the heart in which you execute ANY methodology- beware the religious spirit!
Conclusion
I've hit upon a few points and I'm pretty certain I'm not all there on some of them. I beg your forgiveness. But I do hope this was enough to get the gear rolling in the minds and hearts of believers to be watchful of our habitual tendencies and that we would always remain in a place of genuine, real vibrant, burning love for the Lord. Alot of that manifests in extending grace and mercy towards things we don't understand or don't take a personal liking to. Ultimately, the narrative in scripture reveals a God indignant against any form of religion--but a God who desires relationship so badly He became one of us to speak with us, eat with us, physically touch us, and ultimately die for us in the body. A God who wants the genuineness of a love relationship...and not the compulsion of routines, styles or methods.
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