God’s Response Was Swift!

Recently I watched some video teachings on Babylonian religious practices.  I found the subject extremely interesting as the lecturer tied in Babylonian temple deities and religious symbols and objects with what we see in Romanism and Islam  … statues and symbols representing all kinds of deities, sun gods, moon gods, goddesses, ritual care and practice and the worship of anything considered sacred. Following this I watched the same lecturer tie these things in with similar practices that take place in Secret Societies such as Freemasonry. “The devices of the devil” was my overall thought, not fully realizing that I too was being snared by them … through the lecturer!

The man had some very interesting, truthful things to say as he taught, the only problem being, he was/is a Seventh-day Sabbatarian.  As a result, wherever he found an appropriate tie-in, he labored from the Bible the call for Sabbath Day worship for Christians, not Sunday worship. Colossians 2:16-17 came to mind a few times over the several days I viewed this man teach; nevertheless, I became disturbed in my spirit, lost my peace and momentarily came under a spirit of religious legalism. For me, there’s only one place to go when that happens and that is to the strong tower Psalm 61:3; Proverbs 18:10. I’m very glad I did … God’s response was swift!

One of the most glorious experiences to have in God is when He leads us to the answer. In other words, I don’t have to go digging and scratching, it’s as though God already has it in His hand and then places it in mine saying, “Here it is, this is what you’re looking for.” What was I looking for? A biblical response to religious legalists who seek to force Old Covenant laws upon God’s New Covenant people. The first answer came from an ex-seventh-day Sabbatarian whose teaching on the matter is totally biblical, clear, precise, systematic … and very liberating. As if that wasn’t enough, the Lord led me (no digging and scratching) the following day to a minister on You Tube, respected as an expository, systematic theology Bible teacher.

This minister not only taught expositional regarding the Sabbath Day and what it doesn’t mean for Christians, but he did the same regarding Sunday and what it does mean for us … giving me now a much clearer picture on both of them than I’ve ever had before. I’m so grateful for that negative experience, I would not have got the blessings without it! We don’t have to get into any bondage over Sabbath-keeping but it was a blessing to learn that I can go back to Genesis 2:3 and acknowledge that God blessed and sanctified the 7th day – and acknowledge God as Creator while I’m at it. As for Sunday, what a blessing to discover why we worship God on that day – the Lord’s Day.

I absolutely love what the minister said in summing up his teaching about the Lord’s Day: We don’t have any clear New Testament commands regarding Sunday, just the obvious fact that God filled that day with the most significant events in the founding of the church, namely the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Wow! On Saturdays I can look up and look out and be in awe of my Creator God and His creation, and on Sundays I can look up and look within and be in awe of my Redeemer God and His new creation taking place in me. For me now, every day is Saturday and Sunday … as is every moment of my day! I have no problems with the Old Covenant, it simply doesn’t belong to me that’s all.  

Something else the Holy Spirit had me take note of regarding these two men. Although the seventh-day Sabbatarian was knowledgeable on things Babylonian, authoritative on related topics, engaging in his presentations, enthusiastic for his doctrinal stance, and although he smiled a lot, in my spirit I discerned him to be a joyless, supercilious man.  On the other hand, ‘the Lord’s Day’ minister, whilst knowledgeable, authoritative, engaging and enthusiastic for his subject did not smile a lot … but he was full of joy! The difference between the two of them was remarkable. Both claimed the Bible as their authority, both quoted from it extensively, yet the Holy Spirit endorsed only one man, the minister.

Yet again did I get to experience the great reality and blessing of 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I thank God Jesus told us we can recognize the false from the true by the fruit. When I go into a church these days my first two questions are, “Where’s the joy? Where’s the liberty?” And I’m not looking for smilers, back-slappers and hand-shakers … not looking for ‘amen-good-to-see-you’ men.  From what I’ve experienced over the years, they’re more likely to be wolves in sheep’s clothing than those who don’t carry on with that stuff. Spiritual discernment is where it’s at, I’m not interested in what I see with my eyes. Having said this, if I don’t pray beforehand, Satan will take advantage.

The audiences of the two men were discernable too; no joy in the first, much joy in the second. Sad it was; two groups of people both feeding on the word brought to them – one group feeding on thornbushes and thistles and the other feeding on grapes and figs Matthew 7:16. Given that Jesus Christ was declared Savior and Lord by both men, I’m not suggesting the first group are false Christians. False Christians is not the issue here, false doctrine is … or – truth mixed with error. Wherever this can be discerned, joylessness will be discernable alongside and that’s the point of this post. The joy of the Lord is our strength Nehemiah 8:10. No joy – no strength. No strength – no liberty. No liberty – no life. No life – no witness.

Something else noticeable. The first man did not pray for the Lord’s blessing upon his message nor upon his audience. The second man did. Prayer is not important to most religious legalists. They’ll do it for show and to impress whoever is listening, but it never comes from deep within their heart. If it did, they would be open to personal change rather than persisting to change everybody else they come in contact with. Religious legalists are not humble people. Whilst they can speak about the Holy Spirit they cannot speak under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That’s why the Lord Jesus is never Central in all they are, think, say and do.

Worse. If all you know as a Christian is the teaching of a religious legalist then that’s what you’ll be as well.  You’ll be just like him. You’ll talk about Jesus, you’ll know something of what He said, something of what He did, but it will all be in the context of how you view your (legalistic) doctrines. In other words, you too will make Jesus fit into those doctrines, you will not make those doctrines fit into Jesus. I was speaking with a Christian man the other day who told me of his desire to work on a project with another Christian man living some distance from him. The second man wanted nothing to do with first man because he had not been immersed in water when baptized.

Now, I’m all for full-immersion baptism, but not to the point where I want to cut someone off because he’s not. Over time and after much prayer the second man would have had grand opportunities to share greater truths with the first man but he’s forfeited them all because he’s a religious legalist. He’s not interested in relationships, only rules – his rules! I’ve seen a little of the second man in action. He may as well be a seventh-day Sabbatarian too; knowledgeable on his subject, authoritative, enthusiastic … but joyless!  He’s not a pastor and I say thank God for that, but I can’t help but think perhaps he’s a product of a joyless one. Church leadership is full of them regardless of their ‘amen-hallelujah-good-to-see-you-brother’.

So what is this joy that I speak of? Well, I like the way an old saint of former days put it: Solid spiritual happiness. I love that. Solid spiritual happiness; not solid material /financial happiness – not solid denominational/doctrinal happiness – not solid church-relational /fellowship happiness. Without solid spiritual happiness all of that is a sham … and in most (not all) churches, ‘sham’ is what it is – a spurious imitation of the real thing. He said it’s, a joy which springs from a clear sense of God’s mercy. I hear lots of things from Christians – have done for 25 years. But I have to say even if one of my hands had only 2 or 3 fingers, that would be enough to count on how many I’ve heard speak with joy because of their clear sense of God’s mercy.

The old saint said of joy … the love of God being shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, and maintained there by the same influence. Being shed – not, was shed twenty years ago when I first turned to Christ, or not, will be shed once I make sure you get all your doctrines right … ‘like I have’! True joy can only ever be maintained by the same influence – always the Holy Spirit, never the religious spirit and never the human spirit. Among some other things he said of joy, this struck me; This is a genuine counterpart of heaven.  A genuine counterpart of hell is what emanated from the seventh-day Sabbatarian. But he’s not on his own, this same counterpart (and counterfeit) of hell is running rampant in churches – Saturday and Sunday.

Jesus tells us in His Revelation that He is the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. That means He’s everything in between too. But for many individuals and groups in the church, Jesus is not so, even though they would say He is. But the genuineness of what they say can be tested through sincere prayer.  All one has to do is ask, ‘who’s getting the glory here, Jesus or me? Jesus or him? Jesus or her? Jesus or them? Jesus or that?’  Then wait, listen and watch. That’s what I did the other day with the Seventh-day Sabbatarian and as I said earlier, God’s response was swift! God despises the spirit of religious legalism. “You will show me the path of Life; in Your presence is fullness of joy…….” Psalm 16:11.“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11.