religion as idolotry

"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven." (Matt. 5:20)

Religious acts of righteousness may be more an addiction to morality and pride than they are actual kingdom building. Jesus told the Pharisees their righteousness was missing the point (Matthew 23:23). We are condemned by the law, not saved by it. The gospel proclaims a new order- that we are saved not by works but by grace. Our works do not save us, they reveal us. The fruit does not give the tree life, it reveals what kind of tree it is. God told the church in Laodicia, I would rather you be hot or cold, if you are luke-warm, I will spew you out of my mouth! (Revelation 3:15).

There is nothing worse than false religion that lures a person away from authenticity and enables hiddenness. This form of idolotry is the antithesis to the gospel. It inoculates people to the truth.

Religion is the invention of the devil. The world has taken out the patent. We humans have mortgaged our souls to the product, and think we have gotten a good deal. Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. (Lawrence Crabb).

Discipleship that leads to spiritual maturity is never accomplished in hiddenness, but church life without kingdom life can become an environment where mask wearing is the accepted norm.

It is a strange thing in a religious environment, that we can learn the language, the culture and the social norms, and unless there are specific challenges to our developing status quo, we can do all the right stuff to pass as a dedicated church member, and at the same time live in such hiddeness that although we may be in spiritual darkness, no one around us has the least suspicion.

So, every now and then, a couple at church blows up their marriage and everyone is shocked. "I didn't know they were having problems!" people will say. Someone commits suicide and no one who attends their Sunday School knew the depth of their struggle. A man wrecks his family because of some addiction and not a single person who goes to church with him has a clue about what is really going on in his life.

We are dreaming of a church in which this is not the norm. We dream of dynamic community where masks come off and life change is normative and mission is focused. We are dreaming of a church that is serious about kingdom building priorities and that wholly rejects the bland emptiness of churchiosity that can lead to empty religion and practical atheism.