Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good day, dear people.

Becki and I finally pulled off a walk-jog this morning. Her arthritic hip is talking to her. And we’re talking to an expert orthopedic surgeon about replacement in time. We’re all falling apart. Funny thing—if you live long enough, you’ll get old.

This dog Dandy has found another way to get to me. Normally, when a dog scratches on the door, it’s an expression that says, “Can I come in?” But this dog scratches on my studio door, and when I open it, he says, “What’s the idea of staying in there so long when you’re supposed to be out here throwing this ball! You need to get your priorities straight! Now, throw it!” Normally, I’m an obedient master.

Have a blessed day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Ponder that statement. All the murderers, bank robbers, and burglars weren’t banding together to scheme on how to kill Jesus. The rapists, prostitutes, and pornographers weren’t trying to kill Him. It was the RELIGIOUS ELITE of that society that wanted Him dead. That speaks volumes.

There’s RELIGION for you! If you’ve ever been given a snapshot of its perverse ugliness, you have it here. Laced through this short reading is a demonstration of RELIGION in conflict with REALITY. By RELIGION I am meaning a man-made system of rules and regulations that are practiced to make one appear godly—as though those displaying it hold deep devotion to relationship with God—when it is, in fact, a hypocritical sham—a preoccupation with externals with little or no true heart-level motivation. REALITY, on the other hand, is simply that—a heart-level seeking and devotion to God that is demonstrated by a REAL love relationship—where one is preoccupied with pleasing God. It doesn’t require a lot of time for me to compare and evaluate which approach I wish to pursue. And that’s why I often find reason to say to people I meet, “You need RELIGION about like you need another hole in your head.”

Warning: If you ever find yourself in a debate over “the Sabbath”—when, where, why, what to do and not do, chances are you’re engaging in a fruitless encounter with RELIGION—and you may as well save your breath, dismiss yourself, and maybe even run in the other direction. But even the notion so common as “We are Spirit-led,” or “We are full-Gospel” run the risk, in my opinion, of moving dangerously close to RELIGION, because supporting those claims often produce Pharisee-like attitudes of arrogance, exclusivity, and superiority, and promote undue attention to externals.

The practical lesson to glean here is not just being on your guard against RELIGION on the outside, but being aware of RELIGION on the inside. If you will allow me to be repetitious, I judge that the best rule-of-thumb standard to practice that will minimize the negative risk of RELIGION is to simply maintain a HEART AFTER GOD—truly loving God and loving those He loves. It’s a heart-level attitude demonstrated by David when He prayed, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).