Personally, I cannot think of any greater hindrance to real Christian maturity than religious bondage. When I say "religious" bondage, I of course am not referring to religion in and of itself. Rather, I am referring to one who uses his religion as his god, rather than his pathway TO God. Religion was never meant to be an end, but a means to an end. Make sense? Defiled religion is that such as the Pharisees possessed and displayed. Their religion was designed to lead them to their Messiah, but how sad that it actually is what caused them to mercilessly kill Him!
In a sense, religious bondage is often worse than outright sin in terms of becoming a mature and victorious Christian. This is because it comes neatly packaged with the idea that we're doing everything right. The Bible calls this "twilight" (see Prov 7:9). There's just enough light to pacify us and get us by; yet just enough darkness to hold us back. How awful!
The question is this: Are we only observing true Christianity from a wooden pew, or do we actively participate in seeking the will and purpose of God in the earth? Are we merely gazing from our religious setting, or are we the ones others are gazing at?
True and unadulterated Christianity is NEVER to be observed from a distance. This idea is the crux of religious bondage. Rather, genuine Christianity is to be experienced VIA IMMERSION! It involves an engrossed enthrallment with the person of Jesus! This simply cannot be known from afar. This, in my humble opinion, has been one contributing factor to the apparent detriment of our faith.. Men who claim this intimacy deny Him in works, and His glorious character is tainted. Men see men with no real substance, believers in speech only, but absent and void of any real living water (see Jn 7:38). God help us!
I want to briefly share something on this subject of Christian observation. A man far greater than I has taught me this principle, to whom I am grateful.
In Matthew 26, we find a most disturbing scenario: Jesus has just been captured; He is now beaten, rejected and bound:
"And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end... Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." (vs. 57-58, 69-75).
How interesting that Jesus was (in this story) found in the most "religious" place of the day, the very house of the high priest. But He's beaten and bound! Not only that, His followers are "afar off" and denying Him! Does this sound like a religious setting to you? We hope not. But is it possible? Absolutely!
Are we quenching (stifling) the Holy Spirit? If so, Jesus is BOUND. Our counsel from God is to "quench not the Spirit" (1 Thess 5:19), and to "grieve not the holy Spirit..." (Eph 4:30).
Are we purposely living in sin? If so, Jesus is BEATEN. His blood for you seems vain (see 1 Cor 15:2).
Are we acting as true witnesses? Or are we simply observing from afar? Let's not be like Peter, who, even though he was in a religious setting, ended up denying the Lord thrice and following Him from afar off.
My whole point is this: It is indeed possible for us to partake of a religious activity yet never partake of the Author of that religion. Strangely, Jesus fed and taught masses of people on the hillsides of the Sea of Galilee, yet only a handful actually left all to follow Him. Oddly, Jesus appeared to over 500 brethren when He resurrected, yet only 120 were present at Pentecost to receive the baptism He repeatedly promised. They seem to therefore have been mere observers of real Christianity. But God has enough observers, He now wants some active participants! Will you dive in?
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