Beware of Religion

Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.

So beware of religion. Don't be intimidated by the legalist. Don't be taken up with the new mysticism which is so prevalent all around us. Be aware of it. And asceticism.

These are all illusions of spirituality. No have a relationship with Christ. Not religion. but a living, dynamic, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Welcome to the Verdict with Pastor John Monroe.

There's a significant difference between being a religious person and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Today, on the verdict, we're exploring the dangers and illusions of false spirituality. Be armed with the truth as we understand the difference and pursue authentic faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with the start of his message: Beware of religion. Beware of religion. That seems a strange thing for a preacher to be saying. But that's Paul's message at the end of Colossians 2. For some time, we've been looking at Colossians, where Paul presents the preeminence of Jesus Christ.

There's none like him, nor will there ever be anyone like him. Paul presents Jesus Christ as the answer to the false religions which were circulating in Colossae. At the heart of the false teaching was the idea that Jesus Christ was not enough. There was more required, they said, than just faith in Christ. It's quite possible.

To have religion, but not to have a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Today we'll think of some of the substitutes for a living and growing faith in the living Christ. Let's turn in our Bibles to Colossians 2. And we're going to be looking at verses 16 through 23. Colossians 2, verses 16 through 23.

Our subject this evening is a very relevant one. It is beware. of religion. Beware Of religion. Let's read first of all verses 16 and 17, where we will learn that the answer to legalism is to know the reality.

of Christ. Verse sixteen. Let no one pass judgment on you. in questions of food and drink. Or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

These are a shadow of the things to come. But the substance belongs It's a Christ. You see, the false teachers in Colossa were judging people's spirituality by their observance of rules. These false teachers were mixing Judaism and paganism. Spirituality in their view was measured by the food you did or did not eat.

by the liquids that you did or did not drink. By the special days that you did or did not observe. Verse 16 has a Jewish, a kind of kosher flavor to it, doesn't it? In the Old Testament law, under the Mosaic law, there were many rules regarding food, the Sabbath, and special days, etc. But it is very clear that we who follow Jesus Christ are not under the Mosaic law as a rule of law and we do not observe the Sabbath.

But the false teachers were also adding to the Mosaic law. They try to impose their rules and their regulations on others. Have you noticed that legalists Love Rules I remember when Goody and I lived in Scotland one weekend we went to one of the islands. in in the uh west of Scotland, Little Island. And there was only one church on the Sunday, and I was brought up.

They went to church on Sunday. And in the morning, the service was in Gaelic, which I don't speak. And then there was the English service in the evening. And so I went. And clearly everyone knew each other, other and I was the stranger.

And as the minister got up to speak, with a strong look at me, he said how terrible it was. that people were coming from the mainland. I being the only non-islander there. Goodney, for her own reasons, was backsliding and didn't go to church, but that's another story. That I that there were people from the mainland on the Sabbath driving around the island because we had been sightseeing that day.

And how wrong And indeed how wicked. That was. Legalism. Judging people's spirituality. By the law.

Legalism is our efforts by our resources to obey and please God for our own glory. Charles Ryri defines legalism as a fleshly attitude which conforms to a code for the purpose of exalting self. Legalism is trusting our religious activities and our traditions rather than trusting God. Legalists love. Lists.

And they love to judge others by their lists. Legalism is religion, but it is not. It is not. As Paul is saying here, it is not New Testament Christianity. Do you realize that legalism is prevalent in many churches?

Some of you were raised in legalistic churches. You know, some churches have the dirty dozen list, a list of do's and don'ts. Don't smoke, drink, drive or chew or go with bad girls who do.

Now, I'm certainly not advocating any of these, certainly not going with bad girls, but to refrain from these things. is not an evidence of personal spirituality. You can never Perhaps you can go through life and you never smoke, you never drink, you never chew. You never go with bad girls who do. That does not make you spiritual.

You see, the legalist produces his or her list and checks off the items, mainly negatives, one by one. By so doing, he or she thinks That he is spiritual. But legalism is not spirituality. Notice what Paul says in verse 16: Let no one pass judgment on you on these kind of questions. Don't let anyone act as your judge in regard to these external rules and regulations.

Don't allow some code to control you. Legalism robs us of the joy of the Lord. The legalist is always concerned that there's someone somewhere out there enjoying themselves. You think it's funny? It's true, brother, right?

Yeah. Legalism leaves us with a rigid, dull, negative, joyless, empty religion. What does legalism promote? Self-righteousness, pride, hypocrisy, uniformity, self-reliance, superficiality. and a heavy dose of judgmentalism.

Legalism causes us to rely on ourselves rather than understanding this basic truth of the Christian faith, that we are powerless to live holy lives apart from the living Christ indwelling us and filling us. Legalism looks to self. rather than to the grace of God. You see, you may obey all of the rules in your church. You may obey all of the rules in your particular group.

and still be no nearer God. Jesus said that a man is not defiled by what comes into him. But rather what comes out of the heart. Mark seven. True spirituality focuses not on the externals, but on the heart.

Now, Paul says here in verse 17, really, that legalistic rules are a shadow. But the reality The substance. Is Christ Verse 17, these are a shadow of the things to come. But the substance, the reality, belongs to Christ. In chapter 1, verses 28 and 29, Paul has said that the goal is to present every person complete.

in Christ. In contrast to the false teaching, Of the legalist, Paul emphasizes that Christianity isn't rules, it's Christ. He is the supreme, he is the all-sufficient one. And Paul proclaims not rules, not external rituals, but Christ. and Christ alone.

He said in verse 9 that all of the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ. He tells us in verse 10 that we are filled, that we're made complete in Christ. Why then? Are you following the mere rules and the regulations? Why are you following the mere shadow rather than pursuing the reality of Christ?

The answer then to legalism is to know the reality of Christ. And their goal then is to please Christ. And that is a response not out of obligation. But a response to his overwhelming grace and forgiveness and compassion in our lives. We please Christ.

Because we love him. If you love someone, you want to please them, don't you? That's a characteristic of love. Jesus said, if a. Man loves me, he will keep my commandments.

The Christian life then is abiding in Christ. It is living in the power of the Spirit of God. It is relying on God's grace and resources rather than our own. Without Christ, we can do many things. We can keep a hundred and one rules.

But we cannot please God. Legalism is trying to earn God's blessing by ourselves. That's the wrong motivation and the wrong resources. Don't pursue legalism. Don't focus on the shadows of the past.

But no, the present reality. of the living Christ in your life.

So in verses sixteen and seventeen We see that the answer to legalism is to know the reality of Christ. And now in verses 18 and 19 we learn that the answer to mysticism Is to have a personal relationship with Christ. Verse 18. Let no one disqualify you. insisting on asceticism and worship of angels.

Going on in detail about visions puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through his joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is From God. These false teachers at Colossus, we read these verses and elsewhere in this little book of Colossians, were promoting an esoteric mysticism. They claim to have visions, a deeper and higher mystical experiences. The reference to the worship of angels here in verse 18 is a difficult one. It may be worship offered by the angels to God, such worship being witnessed to in these mystical visions which claim to offer a direct experience of the heavenly presence of God, or, as I tend to think, the reference might be to worship offered to angels.

Therefore, there was no need of Christ as the mediator between God and man. They were proud, they were puffed up. in their mystical experiences. I don't need to remind you that mysticism is increasing dramatically in our society. Buddhism, New Age spirituality, yoga, transcendental meditation, psychic healing, reincarnation, gurus, all of that are on the increase.

Think of the buzzwords of the new spirituality, the mysticism, cosmic consciousness, new potential, new world order, the force, energy, centering, channeling, holistic, global village, visualization. Crystals, meditation, all. Mystical. Charlotte MacLean writes, I am God. Because all energy is plugged into the same source.

We are all individualized reflections of the God source. God is in us, and we are God. This illusion, of course, is as old as the devil's in the Garden of Eden. You can become as God. In the new mystical spirituality today, so common, you create your own reality.

You are not under any objective moral law. Ultimately, there's no difference between good and evil. In fact, to realize your full potential, you must move, we are told, beyond good and evil. A bumper sticker reads, there's no such thing as right and wrong, only fun or boring. That's a good philosophy in life, isn't it?

Wouldn't that be good to live like that? No rights and wrongs. If it's fun, do it. If it's boring, don't do it. mysticism.

And this false spirituality. Our problem is not our sinlessness. What is the problem in mysticism? It's ignorance. The solution for ignorance, of course, is enlightenment.

And so, in this new age spirituality, there must be a transformation of consciousness. You achieve that through transcendental meditation or yoga, crystals.

So that we achieve our own divinity. That we achieve the higher Self. Rather than preaching repentance from sin and trusting in Christ as a personal Savior, mysticism pushes the reawakening of the self. Instead of prayer, this new spirituality has meditation, which is a journey where it is a journey within the self. Experience of self.

is exalted above faith. in Christ. And we in our media, in our movies, And our educational system is surrounded by this new mysticism, which in fact is the old paganism. Instead of believing in the necessity of the new spiritual birth, as the Bible teaches, this mystical thought teaches the rediscovery of the true inner and divine self. It's just, the answer is just within you.

We need to accept ourselves, we're told, become our own Christ, so that the divine energy becomes part of our lifestyle. These illusions of spirituality are all around us. in our schools, in business, motivational, and all of that. is this mystical new spirituality, which is in fact is the old paganism. Christianity is not mysticism.

But it is about a personal relationship. with Christ. Paul says here in verse 19, not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body nourished and knit together through his joints and ligaments grows with a growth that is from God. My brothers and sisters in the church. We must be very careful of the insidious.

and subtle influences of mysticism. Paul is saying here that Christianity is a living And a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Verse 19: We need to be holding fast to the head. And then each part will be under control. See, these false teachers were not dynamically linked to the head, which is Christ.

Our life comes from Christ. And this will result not only in a high view of our relationship with Christ, but also our relationship with His body, the Church. Can I say incidentally, beware of any individual or group or teaching. that pulls you away from the local church. Beware of any preacher or any Teacher who sets himself up as a kind of guru, promoting himself or herself rather than promoting and exalting our Lord Jesus Christ.

We grow spiritually by learning from and encouraging. one another. The answer to legalism then first is to know the reality of Christ. The answer to mysticism is to have a personal relationship with Christ. Finally, in verses 20 through 23.

The answer to asceticism is to live the resurrection life of Christ. Verse twenty. Do you want to follow his argument now? If with Christ You die to the elemental spirits of the world. Why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations?

Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch? Referring to things that all perish as they are used according to human precepts and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom. in promoting self-made religion. And asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The answer to asceticism is to live The resurrection life. of Christ. These false teachers were also promoting asceticism. This false teaching. We're not sure exactly what it was, but it is this mixture of legalism, mysticism, and asceticism.

They were claiming that true spirituality came from ascetic practices, that is, punishing. The body. Many of them believed that the body, our physical body, was evil. And therefore, ascetics mutilated and injured their body. They thought by inflicting pain on their body, they were drawing closer to God.

And again, there is a list of the taboos in verse 21. Don't do this, don't do that, don't handle, don't taste, don't touch. All of this, says Paul.

Sounds impressive, it may sound very spiritual and pious, but in fact, verse 22, it's man-made. And actually, it's childish. It's man's religion. Beware of it. It is not of faith, it is not of grace.

And it is absolutely powerless to deal with our flesh and our sin. Notice how Paul ends. They are of no value. In stopping the indulgence of the flesh. And we'd also say they are of no value in dealing with the attacks of the enemy that we thought of.

Religion has often promoted asceticism, hasn't it? We think of the celibacy of priests. We think of not eating meat.

Sometimes, even today, vegetarians give the impression that they're more spiritual than the rest of us who enjoy a hamburger or a good steak. Enforced fasting, asceticism. As if these things in and of themselves will bring us close to the Lord. No, Paul is telling us here. In verse twenty.

That the Christian has died with Christ. We've been buried with Christ and we've been raised with Christ. And the answer to sin in our life is not asceticism. but realizing that we have died too soon. We've died to these man-made rules and regulations, but we are now alive.

To God. Alive in Christ, the Christian has freedom. We're free to live for Christ. Legalistic rules and asceticism produce death, pride, joylessness, bondage, hypocrisy, and really a self-centeredness and a self-absorption. Douglas Moore, in his commentary, writes, The false teachers have been making far too big a deal of matters that do not get to the essence of true Christian spirituality.

The change of heart. And mind. that leads to true holiness. And where does that change of heart? and mine come from.

From legalism? Absolutely not. From mysticism, looking within? Absolutely not. From asceticism, punishing the body?

Absolutely not. It comes from Christ. And the wonder of the gospel, that we are transformed, that when Christ Forgives our sins. He does much, much more. He indwells us with his spirit.

that we are alive in Christ. and that his life is now our life. And we live out that life, a life of freedom, a life of joy, the abundant life. And as I close, I ask you. Do you have this Christ who conquered death?

Do you have this Christ living within you? Do you? Could it be That you're still caught up? In the ritual. In a legalistic attitude.

You do this and God will do that. Or have you abandoned that and you think it's just you're going to sit and have some kind of mystical experience? And that will draw you closer to God. Or punish your body and God will be pleased with you. Let me hand let me remind you.

But Christ came. An infinite love. to die for your sense. And not only did he die and was buried, he arose again, and he offers us. This resurrection life, this new life, a life of freedom, a life of joy.

A life where we receive supernatural enablement to live out. The life of Christ.

So beware of religion. Don't be intimidated by the legalist. Don't allow anyone to put you back. under the rules and regulations. Don't be Taken up with the new mysticism which is so prevalent all around us, be aware of it, and asceticism.

These are all illusions of spirituality. Legalism brings joylessness, deadness, self-righteousness, judgmentalism, uniformity, clone-like behavior, and cultic behavior. That's legalism. Mysticism without Christ produces pride. and futility.

Asceticism cannot deal with the sin. That indwells us. No have a relationship with Christ. Not religion. but a living, dynamic, growing relationship with Jesus Christ and know and live.

in the power of Christ, of Christ's resurrected life. Focus on Christ. Seek Christ. and exalt Christ. in your life.

This is the verdict featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World.

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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.

Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever been involved in some false teaching such as legalism? Trying to please God. Through your own efforts? focusing on the externals rather than your heart.

Or what about mysticism, which is so popular today? Stay away from it. Make sure your trust Is not in religion, not in yourself, not in a system, not even in a church, but in Christ and Christ alone. Join me next time as we think of the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.

I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.