Some recent conversation with my Accountability Group, and some recent study has reminded me of something. And it isn’t pleasant. I have been reminded of the worst possible spiritual place for a person to be in this world. THE worst place is the place of the spiritual poser.
Our church, The ROCK, speaks often of “doing anything but sin to reach those farthest from God.” But is it possible that the semi-religious posers are actually further away than anybody else? Is it possible that some have just enough of a “religion inoculation” to protect them from the real gospel? And from a lifestyle that reflects it?
Consider:
- Jesus rescued and dealt gently with a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. He prayed for the soldiers WHILE they were violently hammering spikes into His body. But in Matthew 23, He called the religious Pharisees: “hypocrites, blind guides, whitewashed tombs, vipers, and murderers.” And that was just in ONE chapter.
- In His letters to those 7 churches in Revelation, Jesus said the lukewarm Laodicean church made Him want to puke (Rev. 3:14-22).
- In 1 Cor. 5, Paul singles out two-faced posers with these words: I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
Jesus excoriated legalists who had religion, but no relationship to God. He said pseudo-Christians were sickening. And Paul said we shouldn’t even go to Taco Bell with somebody who claims to know Jesus, but lives a double life.
DANG!
Apparently, the worst spiritual place to be is straddling the fence or wearing a religious mask. You’re not there, right?
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