Pure Religion?
Wednesday I'm lecturing (will be trying to create conversation) on the religious background of the 4 gospels. It is interesting, as we are using Craig Blomberg's "Jesus & the Gospels" text, how many ancient pagan religions, as described by Blomberg's sources, have taken over quadrants of Christianity. The most interesting to me was the mystery religions... having an erie similarity to modern secret societies... and evangelical christianity... Have you ever heard something like this? "[Our goal is] not to learn something, but to experience something." That was the goal of these ancient mystery religions.
The danger here is in putting experience above biblically, spiritual data (i.e. truth). In other words, Scripture must drive our understanding of experience. It must interpret it, categorize it, and evaluate it. Have you ever heard a distinction between "head knowledge" and "heart knowledge." Anyone out there prefer to drone on in worship, not even considering what one is singing, until euphoria is reached? I've been guilty.
The fact is, pure religion, religion unstained by the world, involves outward action for the benefit of others. It utilizes knowledge to drive our experience... and our action. It's not just what I know (head), or what I experience/believe (heart), but it also works itself out of me, into the lives of others (hands). Head, heart, hands. Seems like that phrase is popping up more and more lately.
Head. Heart. Hands. Is your goal to simply experience something? Sign up for an ancient mystery religion. Is your goal to change the world, through understanding better what God tells us in His Word? Sign up for Pure Foolishness... the Gospel, that is.
