“And He gave them their request, but sent
leanness into their soul.”
(Ps 106:15, NKJV)
Today we focus our discussion on an important aspect of rebellion which manifests itself when believers have not been properly fathered in the gospel of the kingdom (1 Cor 4:15), and the foundations of their faith are thus not properly lain (Ps 11:3). When these two elements are missing in an individual’s life, he is constantly seeking the restraint of a spiritual father, almost analogous to the retort “He’s begging for a hiding”, uttered by the parent of a rude child. As the root of rebellion has not been dealt with through the restraint of a spiritual father these believers often turn to a false form of spiritual authority to get that restraint, and in this way religiosity is enthroned in their lives.
The Scripture underpinning this principle is found in 1 Cor 15:56 (CEV) – “Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin.” Remember the definition of sin – to miss your mark. Rom 7:5 spells it out – “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” Thus the law (as restraint) embodies religion – IT IS THE LAW that functions as the power base behind sin. Sela. Instead of the Father restraining the believer, the law takes up this role. The law becomes the corner stone of your life, thereby replacing the Father.
Religion is defined by external spiritual actions devoid of the power and life implicit in a relationship with the Father. If God is not the supreme authority, religion will wangle its way into a life in order to rule it. A prime example of this state of affairs is found in Israel’s need to also have a king, like all their neighbours, even though God had specified that his system of authority was headed up by judges guiding the nation (Judges 2:16; Acts 13:20), and not kings who would dominate them (1 Sam 8:7). If God does not guide your life, Religion will, and this has certain implications. 1 Sam 8:11-18 carefully spells it out (please read it). From this passage it is clear that religiosity is always bent on setting you to work. (Heb 6:1 inversely states that one of the first foundations of the Christian walk is “the repentance of dead works of faith” – you need to repent of doing good works born from a sense of religiosity). The endless array of programs and soup kitchens and fetes hosted by churches are often signs of this religiosity, and are in effect dead works of faith.
1 Sam 8 elaborates further – religiosity enslaves your descendants, keeps people in false positions of authority, drives evangelical outreaches, squeezes your tithe from you, robs you of your anointing (“oil” and position in Christ = “vineyard”). “And you will be his (=religion) servants.” (1 Sam 8:17). It is unfortunate that most churches affirm this culture of religiosity, despite the leanness it has brought about in their members (Ps 106:15).
- Sela: Ask God to rid you of any form of religiosity. Pray Jer 1:10.
- Read: 1 Kings 19; Jer 3; 1 Cor 2
- Memorise: 1 Cor 2:14-16 (very relevant for today’s teaching)
- For a deeper understanding: Read chapter 10 in Juan Carlos Ortiz’s The cry of the human heart.
