The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Religious Dogma vs Spiritual Walk

As I ponder the question of what truly constitutes a spiritual walk and what the essence of worship really is, the words of Jesus come to mind. “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition…” (Mark 7:13)

I understand that we all must have a core belief system. However, I also know that God said through Isaiah “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Adam never said to Eve “Let us make God in our image and likeness.” It is God who said that about man. But ever since they chose to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, man has tried to make God fit into his form, making a form of godliness with no power of Life. Even as the children of Israel were on their exodus out of Egypt to the Promised Land, God gave instructions for a hand crafted lamp stand to be kept in the holy place of the tabernacle and they poured the form of a calf to worship. Abraham Joshua Heschel, Author of “The Sabbath”, wrote these words “For things of space are at the mercy of man. Though too sacred to be polluted, they are not too sacred to be exploited. To retain the holy, to perpetuate the presence of god, his image is fashioned. Yet a god who can be fashioned, a god who can be confined, is but a shadow of man.”

It’s not my intention to tear down or do away with the church. However, it is also not my intention to fashion or confine God to the shadow of my own limited thinking. The Song of Solomon says that we are gardens enclosed; springs shut up, and fountains sealed. He has made me a steward over the garden placed in me. It is my responsibility to tend the garden to His liking, open up the wells of salvation and allow the fountain of life giving power to flow.

In Mark chapter seven, Jesus was confronted with fault finding from the scribes and Pharisees (religious leaders of his day). They asked why the disciples didn’t follow their traditions. He replied by quoting from the book of Isaiah, saying “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men… Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” He then gathered everyone around him together and asked them to listen and understand. There is nothing from the outside that can defile you, but the things that come out of him (his words, actions, and reactions) (read Mark 7:1-23). It’s not what is perceived from outward observation, but what is established in a man’s heart that shows the essence of who he is. Let me put it this way. I have a bottle of English Leather After Shave in my medicine cabinet. If I poured out all of the contents of that bottle the only thing that would remain is the essence. So if all of a man’s character, possessions, and formulas were stripped away, the only thing that would be left is what has been established in his heart. Like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time, religion takes the approach of fearing God. It is a reminder to do the right thing so we will not suffer in the future. The spiritual approach to God is through the path of Life more abundantly. A spiritual walk teaches us not to fear God, but approach Him as a loving Father. Religion places great emphasis on outer forms and rituals. But God is not concerned with outer rituals. What is important is one’s inner attitude. Through practicing a true spiritual walk with God, we seek to build an inner sanctuary in our own heart.

Religion talks of The Kingdom of God as being high in the heavens or somewhere off in the future. At times God can seem far from the reach of humanity. However, a true spiritual walk shows us that God is omniscient and omnipresent and can be felt as a living presence in our own heart. Furthermore not only is God reachable but we can attain the inner realization of His fullness here and now.

When you study the root of the word religion, it simply means to return to bondage. When one is newly delivered from the bondage of the mold of the world around them and begins to recognize the awesome life changing love of God, their spiritual senses are brought to life and they are hungry for all of the presence of God they can get. After a while, they find themselves being sucked into another mold from that same old Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they were eating from before, called a form of godliness. I remember when I was in my late twenties; I took a friend of mine to the church I used to attend as a teenager. After the service he asked me a question. Now keep in mind that my friend was also a Christian with the same beliefs and experience in Christ. Over lunch he asked this question about the service, “How did everyone know to spontaneously stand, raise their hands, pray and speak in tongues without anybody saying anything?” It was then that I realized that this church had such a rigid form of worship that 500 plus people could function in absolute unison without missing a beat. So was there any room for God to really move? Maybe if He fell into the right time slot.

The religious traditions of man are not the answer for this groaning creation. God is not intending for all religions to come together. The heart of God is for the walls of religion to come down. If the word religion means to return to bondage, then religion is like a prison. Prisons are made up of cell blocks. If all the cell blocks came together as one, they would still be trapped behind the walls of that prison. But, if the walls of that prison were torn down, then the freedom that they feel would be a true reality.

In Isaiah 55, God urges us to freely drink from the waters of salvation and come to Him with nothing of ourselves to offer but our obedience, and buy the precious bread of life, the milk of His word and the wine of His loving grace. Come to Him and He will establish an everlasting covenant with you, seek Him and He will be found. Let the unrighteous man return to the Lord and He will have mercy and abundantly pardon. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than ours, and His thoughts than our thoughts.

He then said that as the rain and snow water the earth, and gives seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall the word be that comes out of His mouth. It won’t return void, but accomplish that which He pleases, and it will prosper in the things it was meant to prosper in.

He said that we will go out with joy and peace, and the mountains and hills will break out in singing. A true spiritual walk is filled with such joy and peace that it will transform our very surroundings. The things in our lives that seem like such great obstacles will break forth in singing. Even the trees in the field of His harvest will clap their hand in celebration of His goodness.

Instead of thorns and briers, the curse of the old fallen Adamic creation, He has given us the blessings of the Fir tree for building, and the sweet smelling fragrance of the Myrtle Tree, as part of an everlasting sign of His loving provision for us.

Now I’m not saying to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. I’m not against the church. The bible says that we are the church, and how can you have church unless the church shows up? All I’m saying is this; let’s not put God in with our little box of goodies. Just allow Him to direct our steps without any preconceived ideas or traditions of men.

Steve Doss

This and other articles, videos and resources can be found at www.highergroundoutreach.net