Escape from Religion — Roger E

Biblical Research Library Roger E. Dickson

CONTENTS Preface – 3

Prologue – 6

Introduction – 11

1 – The Subtle Move To Religion – 15

2 – Christianity Versus Religion – 19

3 – Challenge Of The Restorationist – 25

4 – Gospel Stimulated Worship – 27

5 – Gospel Worship – 32

6 – Legalized Worship – 38

7 – Assemblies That Reflect Love – 42

8 – Love–Organized Encounters – 48

9 – Freedom And Law – 52

[email protected] www.africainternational.org www.blog.africainternational.org Facebook: Africa International.org Philadelphia, Western Cape, South Africa Copyright 2018, Africa International Missions Scripture quotations from International King James Version

Preface For seagoing vessels throughout the themselves with the barnacles of tradi- world, barnacles are a nuisance. They are tion. “Barnacle free” churches are now a type of anthropoid that attach them- independent and on their way. We write selves to the hulls of ships. Over a long to these men and women who are into period of time, they begin to cover the the word of God in order to discover hull of the entire ship. They slow the anew the simple faith that is revealed in ship down, and thus they are a cumber- the word of God. some attachment to the ship. They are Nevertheless, we would give a word an obnoxious obstruction along for the of caution to these often young and zeal- ride, but prevent smooth sailing. For this ous pioneers. When the barnacles of an reason, every sailor must deal with bar- old encumbered religion have been nacles. scraped away, the sailing at first is fast When restoration movements are and furious. Unfortunately, as time young and vibrant, they thrive. The ex- passes, barnacles of tradition again start cited proponents of the refreshing wave attaching themselves to the hull of the of simple Christianity seek to be free of ship. What was once new and vibrant the barnacles of religion (traditions) that becomes bogged down with that from have encumbered them for so long in the which the fathers once freed themselves. past. Those of the initial restoration en- As ships must periodically have their joy the gospel of freedom that they re- hulls scraped free of barnacles, so also ceived in Christ, realizing that their sal- must restoration movements. We have a vation does not depend on defending the tendency to lose our first love, and once barnacles (traditions), but in living the again become stagnant with “barnacle gospel of Jesus Christ. They sail freely religion.” through the sea because they are not en- Since movements are the efforts of cumbered with conflicting barnacles that men, restoration movements are the ef- would make them a unique sect of the forts of sincere Bible lovers who seek to religious world. restore the authority of the word of God The audience of our writing in the for their faith. The problem is with the past few years has been to those through- men of the movement as the movement out the world who are seeking to scrape ages. The initial fathers of the movement the barnacles of religion from their faith braved the trials of getting our thinking in order that they might be free to sail back to the Bible and on track. But since the waters of life. There are thousands the descendants of the movement are men of believers throughout the world who themselves, and many years removed have pulled away from barnacle-laden from the pioneers, they must recognize “mainstream” religions that have over the that the movement has picked up some decades, if not centuries, encumbered barnacles along the way. The result is

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Preface 4 that the restoration loses its energy. It is This is not an easy task, but necessary. no longer restoration, but the preserva- If we are to see the hull again, we must tion of a barnacle-ridden heritage. This scrap away each barnacle one by one. is simply the way of all restoration move- Barnacles cement themselves to the hull, ments. There comes a time, therefore, and so, each one must be scraped away when the ship must scrape itself free with much difficulty. again from the obstruction of barnacles Our goal is to reveal the hull of the that are just along for the ride. ship that lies beneath the cover of the bar- Restoration movements that have nacles. Every ship is sailing with some been around for half a century have al- barnacles attached. But when the accu- ways attached to them some barnacles of mulation of barnacles becomes so mas- tradition. The hull of the ship is being sive, the ship is weighed down and obscured, and thus the ship is identified slowed in the waters. When we see a by the barnacles to be just another ship. heavily laden ship with so many attached It is the nature of our religiosity to barnacles, we know that the efficiency pick up barnacles. If we fail to recog- of the ship is greatly impaired. Because nize this, then we are doomed to create some do not want to suffer the pain of again that from which we once scraped scraping the hull, they simply live in the ourselves clean. Any ship that does not comfort of the ship regardless of it los- occasionally scrape itself free of bar- ing its purpose. There are a number of nacles, will eventually slow down be- ships in harbors throughout the world that cause it is encumbered. are just sitting in the harbor because no The process of scraping away the one wants to clean the hull. barnacles of tradition is hard. Before the As we journey through the trials of days of dry docks, sailors had to hold barnacle scraping, we must keep in mind their breath and dive beneath the surface that we are not of the persuasion to sit in of the sea in order to scrape the hull free a comfortable cabin and allow the ship of barnacles. It was extremely hard work. to sit idle in the harbor, being overloaded But it had to be done in order to free the with the barnacles of religious traditions. ship from that which hindered its smooth As a barnacle laden ship appears ugly be- passage through the waters of the sea. fore the world, we seek to dive beneath Those barnacles had to go in order that the surface in order to scrape the hull the ship go. clean in order that the glory of our Lord It is our task to aid those church Jesus Christ can be witnessed by the leaders who love the simplicity of the world. We ask for others to take up the gospel so much that they are willing to word of God and join in our efforts to endure all the pain that is necessary in clean away those religious rites and tra- order to dive beneath the surface of their ditions that align us with those ships that religious heritage in order to scrape the have long grown weary of scraping the gospel free of the barnacles of tradition. hull. If you are one of those people, then

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Preface 5 this book is meant to be a tool to encour- word alone. We must remember the age you in your “hull scraping” duties to words of two former Jews who were once keep the ship of our Lord Jesus sailing entangled in all sorts of legal religious smoothly through the seas of this world. restrictions. But they were scraped clean Is there an emotional reward for rec- in the blood of Jesus, and thus they ognizing and cleaning the hull of bar- warned some fellow Jews who failed to nacles? There certainly is! Just ask any keep their ship of faith free from the en- sea captain. Ask him his feeling concern- tanglement of barnacles: ing his ship as he sets sail for the first voyage after the hull has been set free For if after they have escaped the pollu- from all the inhibiting barnacles. He feels tions of the world through the knowledge that a great weight has been lifted from of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they his shoulders. He feels the efficiency of are again entangled in them and over- his ship. He feels he can conquer the seas come, the latter end is worse for them with his vessel for it is no longer laden than the beginning (Peter - 2 Pt 2:20). with the encumbering weight and drag of the barnacles. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by And for us to whom the metaphor which Christ has made us free, and do is applied, it is simply great to walk again not be entangled again with a yoke of by faith in God through the purity of His bondage (Paul - Gl 5:1).

PROLOGUE These things about which we write would endure the same rejection by the will be quite unsettling to some people. religious establishment that He endured. They will be so because we are all crea- As we look into the behavior of Jesus, tures of habit, especially in the area of we learn from His experience what is how we behave our faith in response to necessary to confront religion. Religion, what we believe God seeks from us in as the invention of men to manifest obedience. There is nothing wrong with unique beliefs, will always conflict with this in reference to how we express our the revelation of what God would require faith, either in worship, or in how we of those who walk by faith. In fact, reli- carry out those good works that we are gion would be revealed in its conflict with driven to do. However, the problem de- the behavior by which the disciples of velops when a group of people decide, Jesus would live the gospel. When the either consciously or unconsciously, that Word who was with God was incarnate they will clone one another after the same into this world, the religious establish- behavior as to how the disciples will ex- ment of Judaism rejected Him. Jesus press their faith in obedience to God. knew that His disciples would receive the They then become a unique sect, a par- same rejection as they took the message ticular denomination, or worse, a cult. of the Word into all the world. It was into this religious environ- We understand that the ministry of ment that Jesus came and confronted re- Jesus was not only about His teachings. ligion. Throughout His earthly ministry, It would be about how they, in following the religious establishment of the day was His example, would be successful in tak- in continual conflict with what He taught ing His teachings into a religious world and how He behaved. He did not fit into that was essentially antagonistic to the the norm of the religious behavioral hab- truth of the gospel. How He dealt with its of identity that defined a good reli- one of the most stringent religious groups gious Jew. Because He was preparing of history, therefore, became the road His disciples for new wine that would map that His disciples would need to sur- eventually burst the old wineskins of the vive in a hostile world of both Jewish and Jews’ religion, He lived that which was Roman religion. coming. He cautioned His disciples to Since religion is always the inven- beware of that which He confronted, lest tion of men, then any life-style revela- the gospel living that He was introduction from God would be in conflict with ing into the world would be compro- the religions of men. This is true because mised. men always devise religions that take the Jesus knew that after His departure, place of the will of God. Jesus came into His disciples would put on the mantel of such a scenario of religion in the first truth that He wore. Subsequently, they century. He lived the example of how to

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Prologue 7 confront man’s religion. We thus seek to about anything. But if everything goes, follow in His steps, knowing that these then we are going nowhere. Therefore, steps will be contrary to the religious es- there must be some distinctiveness about tablishment of the world in which we what Jesus taught. There must be some live, but to which we must go as His dis- teachings that are absolutes in order that ciples. we are accepted into the eternal fellow- We would not, therefore, be sur- ship of God. prised with the conflict that will arise out It is our purpose in the pages to of following in the gospel steps of Jesus. come to dig deep. We seek to dig until it These steps are simply contrary to the hurts because we know that we are crea- way of the religions of men. We will suf- tures who often take our religious habits fer persecution because we seek to live to the level of doctrine. Once our reli- the example life of the gospel. Our dan- gious habits are doctrine (law), then we ger is that we become weary of continu- start using our religious habits as the stan- ing this conflicting walk. Many have. dard by which we both judge others, as And because many have, we live in a well as self-sanctify ourselves before world of “Christendom” where univer- God. When we reach the point of self- salism is the religion of the day. sanctification, we have minimized the Universalism is simply an effort on sacrificial offering of our Lord Jesus the part of all who have a little Jesus Christ. somewhere in their thinking, but do not Because we know who we are, we want to live in conflict with one another. seek to guard ourselves against being The universalist seeks to live in a reli- those who walked in conflict with Jesus gious world of no conflicts, and thus, he throughout His ministry. We seek to be or she accepts any thinking that is pro- on the side of Jesus, not the side of those posed by others in reference to simply who based their religiosity upon their the- “believing in Jesus.” He thus rejects ology, and by doing such, brought them- judgment in reference to the word of God selves into conflict with the Son of God. because of his aversion to religious con- The very conflict that the early religion- frontation. It is for this reason that books ists had with Jesus was proof that they as this are very uncomfortable to read by had created after their own desires a reli- universalists. gion that was contrary to the Son of God. If we fear conflict in reference to For this reason, it is absolutely impera- matters of faith, then we set ourselves up tive that we dig through our own religi- to be deceived into believing that one can osity. We must search through the words believe anything, and yet be saved. Be- of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in or- lief is thus dissolved in the confusion of der to discover who this Jesus is. And religious diversity. The problem with this just as important, we must reach into the system of thought is that the religious uni- lives of those in the first century who versalist ends up with no commitment were deceived into believing that their

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Prologue 8 religiosity was acceptable to God, when unto the death of the cross. at the time, it was simply built on the This gospel message would be to foundation of the doctrines and traditions those religious groups today who think of men. that they have the “right name,” the “right Because most people are afraid to doctrine,” the right everything, and thus venture down this path of discovery, we should be considered “faithful” because will assume that there will be those who of their own self-sanctification and be- are fearful of even considering that they cause they have been faithful to “the are guilty of the very thing that brought law.” It is this group that is inherently the religionists of Jesus’ day into conflict difficult to convince that in some ways with what He introduced into the world. they too have become simply religious Jesus was indeed patient with His antago- in their attempts at self-sanctification in nists. We seek to be the same, though order to justify themselves before God we realize that we are not perfect in this through some form of perfect law-keep- matter. We simply seek to be honest with ing. As previously stated, it is difficult ourselves that we in some way might, as for the self-righteous to revisit their own the religionists who confronted Jesus, be beliefs and behavior, and then repent guilty of the same misguided religiosity. when they discover that they may have Therefore, we must measure by the stan- moved into the library of law something dard of the word of God everything we that was only a tradition. believe and behave. We seek to dig deep Jesus confronted this legalistic re- into our own beliefs and behavior in or- ligiosity during His ministry. In other der to extract those beliefs and behav- words, as some today, He confronted ioral functions of worship that keep us those who had forgotten the weightier close to a simple walk of faith. matters of the Sinai law and consigned In Jesus’ parable of the prodigal, their faith to a system of compliance to a most of us are like the “faithful” son who defined legal code of religion that they stayed with the father, and thus did not had constructed throughout years of re- end up in the pig pens as the prodigal ligious habits (traditions). The religious son. We are often self-righteous, seek- establishment of Jesus’ day found confi- ing to sanctify ourselves by our “faith- dence in their obedience to their legal ful” stay in comparison to the unfaithful religious habits of identity. In the same stray of the prodigal. way, there are those today who have re- It is difficult for the self-righteous structured Christianity into a set of simi- to repent. It is even more difficult for lar legal codes of identity. the self-righteous to look deep into his The problem with legal religiosity soul and discover those points of reli- as a system of faith is that it becomes gious arrogance that keep him away from extremely self-righteous. It becomes so the humble Son of God who gave up all self-righteous that it makes it almost im- in heaven in order to humiliate Himself possible for the self-righteous religion-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Prologue 9 ist to forgive the stinking prodigal son The problem is that the self-righ- who crawls back into the father’s house teous religionist thinks he has already on hands and knees and asks for forgive- arrived. This is where this book is going ness. His own whitewashed sin makes it to be very painful. With the prodigal, almost impossible for him to identify the there is little problem. He simply smells sin beneath the sin of his own self-righ- himself, and realizes that he does not teousness. smell like Jesus. But the self-righteous Self-righteous legalism is the curse religionist has trusted in his legal religi- of the day. Self-righteous legalism and osity for so long that he has associated universalism are extremes that oppose his obedience to his proof-text legalities one another. The universalist would say as a sign of his own righteousness. We to the prodigal that he is fine in the pig must, therefore, start working our way pen. The self-righteous legalist would through these legalities in order to deter- say that the prodigal must clean himself mine if they are truly fundamental behav- up just like the “faithful” son who stayed. ioral habits that God demands that must The problem with being as the son who be behaved in order to be saved. Or, we stayed is that it is only Jesus who can must determine if they are simply a manu- clean us up, not our self-righteous deeds factured systems of religiosity that are of merit in staying with the father. On disguised with a cloak of self-righteous- the other hand, the problem with the uni- ness. versalist is that he fails to recognize that We cannot have a simple faith in there is light in which one must walk in Jesus until we peel away religion and its order to be continually cleaned up by the rites in which we have for so many years blood of Jesus. And unless one finds that trusted to be necessary for salvation. We light, he is still walking in darkness. The seek to prove all things, and then grasp prodigal had to return to the father. with faith to those things that are true. If This brings us to a discussion on we are afraid to do this, then we are how we must restore ourselves to faith doomed. We are doomed to stand before in Jesus. If religion moves us further God on the merit of our own supposed away from God, and self-righteousness perfect obedience of the legalities that we keeps us away because of our determi- have bound on ourselves, but God never nation to behave and believe the religious bound. We are doomed to forcing God habits of our fathers, then we must find to judge us according to our self-sancti- our way back through faith. We must be fying religious rites and good works. We willing to find and sluff off any religious are also doomed to present to God our rite that would hinder our restoration to own self-religious behavior as the stan- simple faith. We must be willing to ig- dard by which we demand that He judge nore any religious tradition that would us. We force God to look past the cross bar us from fellowshipping all those who of justification in order to measure us ac- are walking in the same direction. cording to the merit of our own perfect

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Prologue 10 obedience. But all of us know that all will start refreshing ourselves in the lov- self-righteousness is futile in reference ing grace of a God who knows all our to atoning for our sins. imperfections, but is still willing to for- We propose to strip away those give our wayward venture to trust in our things in which we may have trusted for own religious behavior to save ourselves so many years, considering ourselves apart from, or in conjunction with, the “faithful,” because we stayed, while the cross of His Son. We must hang on, and prodigal son strayed. When we get down thus enjoy the ride to discovering the to the bare bones of faith, it is then that heart of God that was revealed through we can start restoring ourselves to the the Lord Jesus Christ. gospel of God’s grace. It is then that we

Introduction The central task of the restoration- were sawn asunder. They were tempted. ist is to call people back to the authority They were slain with the sword. They of the word of God. This is often an ar- wandered about in sheepskins and duous task because it is difficult to refo- goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tor- cus the minds of people from simply be- mented—men of whom the world was not ing religious to establishing again the worthy. They wandered in deserts and original source of our faith. Restoration- mountains and dens and caves of the ists arise because there has been a way- earth (Hb 11:35-38). ward move from the original foundation upon which the faith of the people was It is not the duty of the restorational based. We will thus continually “ask for prophet to be the center of reference of the old paths, where the good way is, and the people. It is his task to lead people to walk in it” (Jr 6:16). the Leader of the people. When we stray The prophets of God arose in the from the foundation of our faith—the history of Israel because the faith of the word of our King—we must be restored people moved from the authority of the to the authority of the word of our King law of God to religion. It was thus the (See Jn 12:48). We must remember that task of the prophets of God in the Old being religious is not good enough. Way- Testament to bring the people back to the ward religious people in the Old Testa- original roots of their faith. The same ment were called upon by the prophets work of restoration continues today. We to restore themselves to the authority of must continually be reminded of who we the law of God. are and what we behave in comparison Those who must be corrected are to the authority on which we base our those who have created after their own faith. traditions a religiosity that often perpetu- The persistent messenger of God ates powerful positions and purses. But should not be unaware of the difficulties when this religiosity is opposed, the mes- of implementing and continuing the task senger of the word of God must not for- of restoration. The restorationists of God get that traditional religionists will gnash in ancient times sometimes ended up in their teeth against the prophet and stone pits, isolated from society, and often car- him to death with either literal stones or ried off into captivity. Indeed, some of hardened words (See At 7:54). Even the those faithful Old Testament messengers Founder of our faith was nailed to a tree of God ... because He brought judgment on religionists while delivering from sin those ... were tortured ... had trial of mockings who had been captured by the established and scourgings, yes, also of bonds and religion of the day (At 10:39). imprisonment. They were stoned. They The reason for this resistance is easy

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Introduction 12 to understand. Traditional religiosity, Bible students today as our fathers and especially that of those who feel they mothers were a generation ago. Too have legally determined for themselves many people simply rely on the faith of all that is essential to be righteous before their fathers without testing that faith God, will often contend vigorously for with Bible study (2 Co 13:5). the faith (traditions) of their fathers and Second, by refusing to change from mothers. They assume that their fathers an erroneous heritage that they may have and mothers lived inerrantly before God. received from their fathers and mothers, They will confuse “contending for the those who are fearful of change often faith” that was delivered to us by our establish a code of religious traditions Father of faith (Jd 3), with the religious that they will in turn hand down to their traditions that were handed to them by own children. And when this happens, their earthly fathers. In a very emotional the heirs of an erroneous spiritual heri- way, therefore, they feel that they are con- tage eventually end up under the condem- demning their own fathers and mothers nation of what Isaiah said to apostate Is- if they would turn away in any direction rael in his day, and Jesus repeated con- from the religious traditions that were cerning His own generation: handed to them as their heritage of spiri- tuality. This people honors Me with their lips, Unfortunately, those who would but their heart is far from Me. In vain contend for the traditional faith of their they worship Me, teaching as doctrines fathers have forgotten two very impor- the commandments of men (Is 29:13; Mk tant points in reference to the faith of their 7:6,7). fathers and mothers. First, if the faith that they inherited from their fathers and The messenger of God’s word must mothers was truly genuine, then they never be intimidated by the religious must remember that their fathers and powers that exist. On the contrary, the mothers would immediately accept any prophet must be terrified by the words new Bible information concerning their that God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel: beliefs, or correct their beliefs through new studies of the Bible. A genuine faith When I [God] say to the wicked, “You is defined as such because it continually will surely die,” and you [as a prophet] drives us to learn more Bible. And when do not give him warning, nor speak to we learn more, our genuine faith drives warn the wicked of his wicked way, to us to change to that which we have save his life, the same wicked man will learned. Nevertheless, few people are die in his iniquity. But his blood I will willing to honor their fathers and moth- require at your hand (Ez 3:18). ers’ genuine faith by following in the footsteps of their fathers and mothers No true messenger of God’s word can who sought to learn more. We have few ignore these words. The sincere messen-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Introduction 13 ger of God is driven by fear of what will Therefore, we will bear with those happen to him if we does not speak. He who call for the restoration of the word knows that the responsibility of teaching of God, though they may be prophets of the word of God to those who have doom. If we do not repent, we will con- moved away from God rests squarely tinue to allow ourselves to be unchal- upon his shoulders. The restorationist lenged by the word of God. If a teacher must not, therefore, even in view of beat- has a Bible in his hands, and quotes book, ings and pits, detour from his or her ob- chapter and verse, then, for our own ben- jective to teach the word of God to the efit, we will spare him from stones and people. pits. The restorational leader speaks in We must not be surprised by any order that we repent. He speaks in order disturbance that is caused when the word that we not bring ourselves into destruc- of God is preached. Restorational mes- tion as was the case with Israel of old sengers and their word are often difficult (See Hs 4:6). to accept, for they often remind us of that In order to be restored to the Au- from which we have strayed. Neverthe- thor and Finisher of our faith, we must less, we must take our Bibles and prove always go back to the simplicity of the the word of every messenger of God’s heritage of the early disciples. We use word. We accept the messengers who the word “simplicity” simply because would warn us of our wicked way in over time faith is always encumbered apostasy. They seek to restore us to that with a host of religious traditions that genuine faith that continues to be based cloud the original source of the author- on the word of God. ity of our faith. Therefore, we must be We are wise enough to understand “picky” in our understanding of the au- that as time passes, we are always in dan- thority of our faith. We must be willing ger of enshrining the religious traditions to identify even the minutest tradition in of our fathers. We are always in danger order to understand that we are encum- of allowing the culture in which we live bered with traditions. It is not that we to influence our faith. We are always in can live tradition free lives. What we danger of allowing the politics or eco- must be willing to do is identify our reli- nomics of the day to determine what we gious traditions and understand that such should believe. For this reason, we un- traditions are not the foundation of our derstand that our genuine faith is always genuine faith. in danger of digressing into religion. We God allows traditions, but in our are in fear of waking up one day and dis- study of the word of God, we must con- covering that we too are as the religious fess up to any tradition that might detour establishment of the day of both Isaiah our efforts to restore ourselves to that and Jesus. We are fearful of finding our- which is the simplicity of His word. In selves worshiping God in vain after the this way, we can keep the original au- religious traditions of our fathers. thority of our faith firmly in mind as we

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa Introduction 14 struggle to identify our own religious tra- refreshing in a world that has invented ditions. In this way we will refresh our- every form of religion that men can con- selves in the nurturing word that is so ceive.

Chapter 1 THE SUBTLE MOVE TO RELIGION In her book, Fugitive Pieces, the with the fall of national Israel. One day Canadian poet, Anne Michaels, elo- they woke up in captivity, realizing that quently pieced together several stories of Jerusalem and the temple were lying in holocaust survivors and their families. ruins. She made a statement in the book that is It was not that Israel was without so relevant in reference to any movement illustrations of a “gradual instant” in their into religion: history. The book of Judges was written because of the problem of social digres- Nothing is sudden. Not an explosion— sion that always takes place within a so- planned, timed, wired carefully—not the ciety. As a group, we do not get better burst door. Just as the earth invisibly morally. We become worse. The conse- prepares its cataclysms, so history is the quences of Israel’s moral digression fi- gradual instant” [emphasis mine, nally came to a conclusion when God al- R.E.D.). lowed their enemies to come upon them in order to punish them for their way- Remember the following statement ward ways. For example, throughout by the Holy Spirit: “For whatever things their cycles of sin and restoration that are were written before were written for our recorded in the book of Judges, the cycles learning” (Rm 15:4)? Those things that began when “the children of Israel again were written in the Old Testament were did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Jg 4:1). not simply in reference to doctrinal mat- As their punishment, “the Lord sold ters. Much of the Old Testament was them” into the hands of their enemies written about the history of Israel in the (See Jg 4:2). Then “the children of Is- gradual apostasy of the people from God. rael cried to the Lord” (See Jg 4:3). In These things were written for our learn- answer to their cries, God sent a leader ing in reference to our own possible apos- to lead the people back to the way of the tasy. Lord in order that they could be deliv- What Michaels was saying in her ered from their enemies. statement concerning the holocaust was Over and over again this cycle of that social norms change gradually over sin, repentance and deliverance happened time. Changes toward evil are the in Israel. If we would therefore learn any- “gradual instant” that over a period of thing from the history of the Old Testa- time can find their sudden conclusion in ment, it would be that we always gradu- a devastating social cataclysm. What ally move away from the Lord. There- may take years to develop, instantly fore, we need to be reminded from where comes to a conclusion. And so it was we have moved. We must experience a

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 1 - The Subtle Move To Religion 16 “gradual instant” for which our digres- a time when God said concerning their sion has prepared for us over a long pe- state of religiosity, “My people are de- riod of time. stroyed for lack of knowledge [of My Our move away from the Lord is word]” (Hs 4:6). They could not repent always slow. It is unnoticed, and there- and return to that which they had forgot- fore deceptive. There is no moral con- ten. sciousness of the move. Because the The only recourse for God was pu- moral move is so gradual and painless, rification of the people through the bond- we must not be deceived into thinking age of captivity. Their “gradual instant” that when people fall out of love with the finally appeared in the north in the com- word and will of God, they are not on a ing of foreign armies. Therefore, in 722/ move away from God. The people are 21 B.C. the northern kingdom of Israel morally moving, but their move is not a went into Assyrian captivity, and in 586 move closer to God. Moral and religious B.C. the southern kingdom went into moves are always away from God. Apos- Babylonian captivity. tasy is always a result of man’s religious While in captivity, something new movement away from God in order to happened in their religiosity. There was please himself. And in reference to Is- a swing of the religious pendulum. They rael, these “things were written for our went from forgetting and forsaking the learning.” law of God to surrounding the law with There were numerous examples of their traditions.. Instead of reaping the fall and restoration throughout Israel’s consequences of captivity again, the history upon which the people could con- people of Israel sought to guarantee that tinually reflect. Nevertheless, they seem they would never again forget the com- to never have learned. In their end, God mandment of God. For example, in or- judged their spirit of rebellion: “My der not to forget the Sabbath of the Sinai people are bent on backsliding from Me” law, they surrounded the keeping of the (Hs 11:7). And so are we. We live in a Sabbath with countless rules by which world of backslidden religiosity that has they sought to guarantee their obedience lost its way. to the Sabbath. They added so many rules Israel’s cycle of fall eventually de- and regulations to the original Sinai law veloped into an irreversible fall that re- that they had to write religious books as sulted from their total neglect of the word the Talmud and Tanakh in order that their of God. There were no more restorations invented rules and regulations not be for- for the nation when this happened. The gotten or violated. problem was that they could not repent The consequence of this system of for they had forgotten that to which they religiosity was that the simplicity of what must return. Repentance, therefore, God required in the Sinai law became availed nothing for they had gone into buried beneath heaps of rules and regu- the doom of misguided religiosity. It was lations. The commandment of God was

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 1 - The Subtle Move To Religion 17 so far buried in their obsession to keep is always a move away from God. If we their Sabbath rules that a new society of would learn anything from the history of religious people had to rise to the occa- Israel, it would be that when we either sion in order to bring peace of mind to forget the commandment of God, or ig- the people concerning the application of nore the commandment of God by focus- all the rules and regulations. These were ing on our own religious traditions, we the scribes, or lawyers of the law. And are moving, or have moved, away from in order that all the rules and regulations God. The problem with being in a state be obeyed of what Paul later referred to of apostasy where we have forgotten the as Judaism (“the Jews’ religion”), a reli- commandment of God is that we have no gious force of policemen had to arise to knowledge of a base to which we can re- make sure everyone followed the rules turn. Those who are in the process of and regulations. These were the Phari- laying aside the commandment of God sees. The Pharisees were thus the reli- are so obsessed with the religious tradi- gious policemen for what the scribes de- tions of their fathers that they feel they termined should be obeyed. are forsaking the faith of their fathers and By the time Jesus came into the mothers if they restore themselves to the world, something opposite had happened commandment of God. Their move away to what had developed in the years of from the commandment of God was slow Israel’s apostasy during the time of the and painless. But their repentance can judges and national Israel under the often be emotionally traumatic. kings. During those years the people sim- The Holy Spirit did not leave us ig- ply forgot the commandment of God and norant concerning how we find ourselves ran after their own religious rules that in the deplorable religious condition of pleased them. Baal won out over Bible. having laid aside, or rejected the com- But when Jesus arrived, the command- mandment of God. He explained in the ment of God became so buried beneath Roman letter why and how such things the religious rules of the Jews that the occur in a religiously oriented people. Jews marginalized the commandments. Paul explained: Jesus judged the Pharisees and scribes in the following statement: “For laying For they [the Jews] being ignorant of aside the commandment of God, you hold God’s righteousness [justification] and the [religious] tradition of men” (Mk seeking to establish their own righteous- 7:8). Jesus then went further in His con- ness [justification], have not submitted demnation of their religious behavior themselves to the righteousness [justifi- because they had gone again into apos- cation] of God (Rm 10:3). tasy: “All too well you reject the commandment of God so that you may keep When religious people who have forgot- your own [religious] tradition” (Mk 7:9). ten the word of God, but seek to please The problem with religion is that it God, they will invent their own system

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 1 - The Subtle Move To Religion 18 of justification (righteousness) by which to the gospel the following words as he they will satisfy their consciences before remembered his former years in the reli- God. After they have created their self- gion of his father and mother: justification through obedience to their own religious rites, they will with great And I advanced in Judaism [the Jews’ zeal seek to self-sanctify themselves religion] above many of my contempo- through strict obedience to the religious raries in my own nation, being more ex- rites they bind upon themselves. When tremely zealous for my ancestral tradi- they falter, they will establish a system tions (Gl 1:14). of meritorious good deeds to atone for any infractions of the rites and rules. This He, as well as many zealous young Jews, is apostasy to religion. had made their fathers proud. As many Inventors of religion will do as Paul young Jews who gave so much for the described his fellow Jews: “For I testify religiosity of their fathers, Paul thought of them [the Jews] that they have a zeal of this as fruitless time he had spent in for God, but not according to knowl- bearing the burden of a religion. It was a edge” (Rm 10:2). Regardless of their dead religion that brought no salvation. zeal for God through their own self-righ- If there ever could be a system of teousness, the Jews stood condemned in self-sanctification for salvation, then cer- their own religiosity. And for this rea- tainly men as Paul could have arrived at son, Paul wrote of his fellow Jews, “My the pearly gates on the foundation of re- heart’s desire and prayer to God for them ligious performances. Many years after is that they might be saved” (Rm 10:1). his enlightenment through the gospel, At least one very startling point was Paul wrote to the Philippian brothers and clarified when Paul made the preceding sisters whom he loved so much, “Beware statement: One cannot be saved by es- of the dogs. Beware of the evil workers. tablishing his own self-righteousness Beware of the false circumcision” (Ph (justification) in order to please God. 3:2). When Paul wrote these words, he The reason for this is clear. “For by was thinking back to his former years works of law no flesh will be justified” when he was one of those “dogs,” an “evil before God (Gl 2:16). Whether a reli- worker” and of the “false circumcision.” gious law is devised by man, or by God, In those days when his religiosity ex- no one can keep law perfectly, and thus celled above his fellow Jews, he ravaged all have sinned and fall short of the pre- the saints through persecution. “Con- cious salvation that God offers through cerning zeal,” he remembered, “perse- grace (See Rm 3:23; 6:23). The road to cuting the church; concerning righteous- self-righteous justification is a dead end. ness that is in law, blameless” (Ph 3:6). We can see a tear of sadness that But when Jesus confronted Paul (Saul) dropped on the manuscript when Paul in- on the Damascus road, he was shocked scribed many years after his obedience into the reality that the gospel was true

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 19 and the religion of his father and mother fathers, as Paul discarded the religion of was a dead end street in reference to sal- his father and mother, something very vation. The power of the gospel subse- powerful must come upon us in order to quently transformed his thinking and his do so. Paul would know. Because of life. what he had done in his former life as a “dog” and “evil worker,” we can now Indeed more, I count all things lost for better understand what he meant when the excellency of the knowledge of Christ he wrote Romans 1:16: “For I am not Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power the loss of all things. I count them refuse of God unto salvation to everyone who [dung] so that I may gain Christ (Ph 3:8). believes.” In view of what Paul cast out as “re- The King James Version was correct in ligious dung,” we can understand that he literally translating the word “refuse” was speaking of more in this passage than with the word “dung.” The translation salvational matters. He was speaking of rendered Paul’s statement that he counted a gospel that was so powerful in one’s his former religiosity “but dung, that I heart that it would move the most ardent may win Christ.” All the zeal. All the religionist to count all his religiosity as works. All the self-righteousness. All dung to be cast out in order to gain the the ambition to uphold the Jew’s religion. Lord Jesus Christ. One must come to the It was all as human refuse (dung) to be realization that there is no salvation in cast out as repugnant waste. religion. Salvation is only in the gospel When we speak of discarding a re- of Jesus Christ (At 4:12). ligion that was handed to us by our fore-

Chapter 2 CHRISTIANITY VERSUS RELIGION

In reference to society in general, word “progressive” is often used to dis- the definition of a “liberal” is one who guise the desire of the liberal to do that has lost either his social or moral com- which is right in his own eyes. He is pro- pass. The liberal seeks to live beyond gressive in the sense of “progressing” in restrictions. As an individual, the liberal any direction without the constraints of generally seeks to be “free” from the re- any moral center of reference. He is truly straints of social or legal norms that a ship without a moral anchor. would hinder his freedom to do as he Because he is an “anchorless” ship would choose to do according to the in- on a social sea, the liberal does not like fluences of the general trends of the so- disagreement with his position at any special environment in which he lives. The cific time in his progression to an uncer-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 20 tain destiny. The conservative will an- the nation of Israel slowly moved in a swer “no” to the liberal, but the liberal is direction away from their moral norm of offended because the negative answer, or the Sinai law. After enjoying their free- argument against his existing position, is dom from Egyptian captivity for about a contrary to the central core of his phi- century, the people ignored much of the losophy of life. civil and moral order of the Sinai law. A society that is built on either a re- They determined to progress away from ligious, or constitutional rule by law, can God’s moral norms of the Sinai law. usually keep individual “progressive” citi- The reason for Israel’s progression zens in check by the majority of conser- away from the moral norms of the Sinai vatives. However, when the majority of law was stated by an inspired historian: the society becomes “progressive”—they “In those days there was no king in Is- are progressing in any direction the ma- rael, but every man did what was right jority so chooses—then there are prob- in his own eyes” (Jg 17:6). This is the lems. If the majority of society is com- “standard” of the liberal. The truly lib- posed of those who have a liberal philoso- eral person seeks to do that which is right phy for establishing constitutional social according to his own desires. He refuses norms (rule by law), then the constitution to be directed by any unchanging man- must be amended when the society mor- date of law. When the majority of the ally digresses, or at least be interpreted citizens of a society conduct themselves through the social philosophy of liberal in this way, then the society as a whole thinking. And thus, this is the inherent overcomes the obstacle of the conserva- curse of democratic government, espe- tives who seek to hold on to the social cially those societies that are not held in norms of what now has become the past. check by faith. It is difficult to hold moral Liberal philosophy can even affect standards in check by constitutional law, an entire world generation of people. for constitutional democracies are often Progression away from unchanging established on the basis of a separation of moral norms happened with the entire faith and government. Whatever the ma- world’s population at one time in the past. jority of the civil government chooses to In the Genesis 6:5 historical statement, be morally correct, then the majority con- the word “wickedness” is used to define dones. If corruption in the government is moral and religious behavior that is con- deemed acceptable, then government of- trary to the doctrinal and moral norms of ficials have no scruples about embezzling God. In other words, one can be money from state coffers. “wicked” while being religious. As was But in a theocratic government, the case of Israel, the “wicked” at the time things are somewhat different, but never Noah prepared the ark were not neces- free from the attack of a liberal philoso- sarily bad people who did bad things. phy of either moral or theological dan- They were people who had forsaken Di- gers. For example, the social norm of vine standards of moral and social order

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 21 in order to progress in the way of behav- It took religious conservatives in the ior that was determined by their own stan- governments of both America and Europe dards. The same was true of the cities of to banish the slave trade. The law to ban- Sodom and Gomorrah. So the inspired ish slavery was determined by the moral historian wrote of the entire generation laws of God. When these laws were ac- of progressives in Noah’s day: “And God tivated in society, they eventually ban- saw that the wickedness of man was great ished slavery around the world. This was on the earth, and that every imagination one time in history when religious con- of the thoughts of his heart were only servatives won the day. evil continually” (Gn 6:5). A conservative is defined by the The definition of the conservative very law of governance by which the lib- is that he seeks to establish in govern- eral views as constantly in transition. The ment or faith norms by which citizens liberal seeks to change the constitution will live by rule of law in society. He throughout the years, or he has forgotten seeks to maintain doctrinal norms in ref- the original intent by which each consti- erence to his relationship with both God tutional mandate was inscribed. In fact, and his neighbor. In government, he throughout the history of a nation, it is writes out a constitution, or some civil almost impossible for the liberal to make “bill of rights,” that will be the social contemporary judgments concerning the compass by which all citizens of the so- constitution because he views the articles ciety must be governed. of the constitution through the “moral” One good thing that colonial pow- filter of his own liberal philosophy of life. ers brought to their respective people He cannot identify with the moral con- over which they assumed rule, was conservative norms of the original writers of stitutional law. Such was unheard of in his constitution, for he judges that his Africa prior to the arrival of the colonials. needs, and his social environment, have In the absence of such, the chief of the changed since the original writing of the tribe established the moral norms of the constitution. people over whom he reigned. If canni- The religious liberal maintains the balism was right, then those of his tribe same perspective in reference to his origi- could capture and eat anyone of another nal “constitution.” He assumes that a tribe. If the chief could gain wealth by two-thousand-year-old “constitution” of the slave trade with the colonials, then the law of God’s word is far out of date. capturing those of another tribe and trad- It is not relevant to present needs. He ing them for goods from the slave trad- may remain religious, but the liberal has ers on the coast was morally right. But made obsolete any “constitution” of rules when constitutional rule by law was in- that the conservative would maintain to troduced, and enforced by the colonial be applicable today as it was when first armies, then both the slave traders and written. slave trading chiefs went out of business. In this context we would compare

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 22 the position of the Muslim. When Mu- come liberal, and thus forsake the moral hammad observed that the Jews were and legal norms of the Islamic “constitu- ruled by a system of Judaeo interpretation” (the Quran), the imams of Islam (the tions of the Jews’ original constitution legal judges, as the Jewish scribes and (the Sinai law), he assumed that he could Pharisees), enforce obedience to the man- write his own. Therefore, as Israel was dates of the Quran. originally built upon the moral norm of The conservative Muslim views the the Sinai law, and thus should be a theo- West to have totally gone liberal in ref- cratic government as God intended, then erence to any relationship with God (Al- he too could establish the same. If the lah). The conservative Muslim views the Jews had a right to change, add to and liberal West to be going in the direction subtract from the original constitution of of the pre-flood days of Noah where ev- the nation of Israel, then he too added ery person of humanity sought to live in his continued mandates. To the Muslim, conflict with the moral and doctrinal Muhammad thus became the last of a norms of God. And for this reason, the series of prophets and lawgivers of God. conservative Muslim views the West with His additions to God’s (Allah’s) word the perspective “that every imagination among men were thus sealed and final. of the thoughts of his [Western] heart” When Israel strayed from the man- is only evil continually (Gn 6:5). dates of their original constitution, God Those Muslims who do not view the sent prophets to exhort them to get back West in this way are considered “moder- on course. When that did not work over ate” (liberal) Muslims, and thus not real the centuries, then He sent the Assyrians Muslims according to strict Isalmic law. and Babylonians to take them into cap- We may see a Muslim woman with a head tivity. Israel learned their lesson in cap- scarf parading in a march of liberal West- tivity. However, after captivity, they were ern protestors, but the conservative Mus- now paranoid about straying from their lim views the woman as an apostate who constitution. Subsequently, they added has joined those whose every imagina- precept upon precept to their constitution tion is wickedness in reference to the in order to guarantee that the moral norms mandates of the Quran. And in reference of the constitution be obeyed and never to being consistent with his moral and again broken. Muhammad just came doctrinal constitution in a true Islamic along in the seventh century A.D. as a state, he is right. He is consistent with supposed final prophet to make additions the teaching of the Quran. and a change in direction and focus. If indeed Allah is one and Muham- The liberal West will never under- mad is His [final] prophet, then true Is- stand true Islam, and for this reason, there lam can be maintained only in an Islamic will always be a conflict between the state wherein the constitution (the Quran) moral norms of the West and Islam. In is not continually amended as individu- order that the individual Muslim not be- als of the state become more liberal. There

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 23 is thus the necessity for “scribes and Phari- heavenly King. They would be stealing sees” (imams) in a true Islamic state in freedom from those they would “convert” order to guarantee that the liberals of the to freedom in Christ. In other words, if state do not changed the constitution, and the church took hold of the sword, then consequently change the behavior of the the church would function in contradic- citizens of the Islamic state. tion to the very principle of freedom that In order to guard against the state Jesus brought into the world. determining the moral and doctrinal di- Paul revealed a principle of freedom rection of His people, King Jesus sepa- in the heavenly kingdom in the follow- rated the state from the function of His ing words: “Stand fast therefore in the people as a heavenly kingdom. He pro- liberty by which Christ has made us free, nounced that those citizens of His spiri- and do not be entangled again with a tual kingdom would have dual citizen- yoke of bondage” (Gl 5:1). This state- ship. They would have citizenship first ment was made specifically in reference in His kingdom, but then He said that the to salvational and relational matters in citizens of His kingdom must also have the heavenly kingdom. Those who would citizenship in kingdoms of this world. seek to live under a meritorious system of And as citizens of any earthly kingdom, salvation by works of law would be cut the citizens of the heavenly kingdom off from the grace that saves (Gl 5:4). As must “be subject to the governing au- long as civil law does not confine, work thorities” of the earthly kingdom (Rm against, or subvert the law of the heav- 13:1). Because Jesus established a spiri- enly kingdom, then the citizens of the tual kingdom, those who were citizens heavenly kingdom can live in peace. But of His kingdom would also be citizens as soon as a heavenly kingdom citizen lays of any physical kingdom of this world. his hand to a sword to enforce any reli- Regardless of the moral condition of the gious law on all the citizens of the earthly physical kingdom, however, Jesus’ citi- kingdom, then he has become insubmis- zenship could live freely according to His sive to heavenly kingdom freedom. “rule by law.” There is the vast difference between Because the earthly governing au- a true Islamic state according to the thority seeks to establish a kingdom of Quran and Christianity. True Islam is a peace wherein each “heavenly citizen” theocracy. Christianity is not. In an Is- can function, God gave the sword exclu- lamic state, the state has the authority to sively to the earthly kingdom authorities bind Sharia law on the citizenship. In (Rm 13:4). If the heavenly kingdom citi- contrast to an Islamic state, a secular state zens ever try to take hold of the sword of guarantees freedom of religion through the earthly kingdom in order to enforce constitutional law. In reference to dress their faith and morals on all citizens of in an Islamic state, for example, the state the earthly kingdom, then they would be would bind the hijab (head and facial cov- functioning outside the mandate of their ering). A secular state that is governed

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 2 - Christianity Versus Religion 24 by constitutional law guarantees free- citizens of the state, then he has become dom, on the other hand, the women have a religionist. He is no different than the a choice. They may wear the hijab in Muslim official of an Islamic state. order to express their faith, or they may Our efforts as restorationists are not not. But if the state mandates that all to restore civil states. Our task is to re- women wear the hijab in order to express store the state of God’s will in the lives their faith, then the state has infringed of citizens according to His law. We on the religious freedom of all the citi- would not, therefore, confuse ourselves zens of the state. by thinking that if we are obedient citi- The conclusion to the preceding in zens of the state, we are also good citi- reference to the subject of religion is evi- zens of the heavenly kingdom of Jesus. dence of the existence of religion. Chris- One can be a faithful citizen of the heav- tianity is not a religion. Those who would enly kingdom even though the earthly submit to King Jesus do not propagate kingdom goes in the way of wickedness their faith with the sword of the state, nor as in the days of Noah (Gn 6:5). Regard- with a unique dress code. This is why the less of the wickedness of the day, Noah Crusades of the Middle Ages did not rep- was righteous before God. We as Chris- resent Christianity, but religion in action. tians must remain faithful to our calling In order to recruit soldiers for the Cru- regardless of the environment in which sades, the religionists of that day used the we live on this earth. After Paul had in- name of Christ. But this did not mean that structed the wayward brother to be cast the Crusades promoted Christ. To this day, out of the fellowship of the faithful, he misguided Muslims still do not understand exhorted the church not to condone un- this, for they continue to associate Chris- righteous living, though they had to live tianity and Christ with the Crusades. Nev- in a world of unrighteousness. There- ertheless, we continue to educate our fore, he said to the faithful: Muslim friends that because Christ freed the citizens of His kingdom from any re- However, I did not at all refer to asso- ligious mandates of the state, the Cru- ciation with the fornicators of this world, sades were an illustration of an apostate or with the covetous, or extortioners, or religion that used the power of the state with idolaters, for then you would have to enforce its religious beliefs on others. to go out of the world (1 Co 5:10). The first sign that one has moved into being a religionist is when he seeks Christians seek to remain in the to use the law of the state to enforce oth- world in order to be the salt and light of ers to conform to his faith. This does not the world (Mt 5:13-15). Therefore, Jesus mean that Christians cannot be officials said, “Let your light so shine before men in a democratic state. But if the Chris- that they may see your good works and tian official begins to use the authority glorify your Father who is in heaven” of his office to enforce his faith on other (Mt 5:16).

Chapter 3 CHALLENGE OF THE RESTORATIONIST

All the palaver of the preceding their Bibles. As a result, their call is more chapter brings us to the challenge of the to membership of “their churches,” in- true restorationist. In view of what hap- stead of calling people past themselves pened to the entire world’s population to the cross. These are those who are before Noah, and the nation of Israel, it “always learning and never able to come was the work of the restorational prophet to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tm 3:7). of God in the Old Testament, and the res- They are thus blind guides who blindly torationist today, to call people of faith lead the blind. back to the moral and doctrinal norm of The true restorationist is a zealous the word of God. But in his efforts to student of the word of God, for the mo- deter the social and religious liberal from tive of his ministry is to call on people to progressively taking the people to a des- return to the only source of faith that we tiny that leads only to doom, the restora- must have in order to establish a relation- tionist has many challenges he must face. ship with God. There are pits and persecution in his fu- But herein a problem develops. ture because society has dug the pits and Those who are “always learning and he often finds himself hidden somewhere never able to come to a knowledge of the in a cave to avoid being “cut asunder.” truth” will cry out that the true restora- In reference to faith, and in view of tional leader is a “liberal.” They do not his mission, there can never be a restora- understand the position of a true restorationist who does not know the moral com- tionist. What the restorational leader is pass by which he is calling on people to trying to do is shed all the “doctrines and restore. A restorationist who does not traditions” of men that surround God’s know the moral and doctrinal compass standard for moral and theological direc- is as the blind leading the blind. If one tion in order to restore to the people a does not know where he is calling the clear and definite compass by which the people, then he will never know when people can find their way out of religious he gets them there. confusion and moral confusion. Unless Herein is one of the greatest decep- all the barnacles are scraped from the hull tions of Satan. There are supposed of the ship, the true ship will never sail prophets standing in pulpits around the smoothly. world who are calling the people back to In the midst of a world of religious God and Jesus, but they have little knowl- confusion, we thank God for those Bible edge of the Divine Compass. They do teachers who study their Bibles in order not know their Bibles. They do not study to come to a knowledge of the truth. They

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 3 - Challenge Of The Restorationist 26 are able to separate Bible from Baal. We would thus consider the follow- Such religious leaders understand the ing statement of Jesus to be a warning, plea of true restoration. Nevertheless, instead of an exhortation: “He who re- there are also those in the religious world jects Me and does not receive My words, who are not as noble in their desire to has one who judges him. The word that I study the word of God (See At 17:11). have spoken, the same will judge him in Instead of calling people back to the the last day” (Jn 12:48). Bible, these prophets know little Bible Jesus and His word are the final to which to call people, and thus they are standard by which all men will be judged confused with contradictory messages (See At 17:30,31). The truly liberal among themselves. Because they are would discard the word of Jesus as the confused, the people are confused be- final authority by which all will be judged cause there are as many different mes- (See Jn 12:48). When the conservative sages proclaimed on Sunday as there are exalts Jesus and His word to be the final churches in every respective community. authority in judgment, he is by this de- In the midst of all this confusion, fined to be a true restorationist. When the true restorationist seeks to discard any one seeks to discard any religious tradi- religious tradition that would hinder us tion that would hinder all of us from re- from returning to the “old paths” of God storing Jesus and His word in our lives, in order to enshrine His word in our he is not a liberal. If one does not know hearts. The false restorationist consid- the word of Jesus well enough to deter- ers sluffing off the religious traditions of mine the difference between those reli- our fathers the work of a “liberal.” Be- gious traditions that mislead faith, and cause the identity of his faith is defined the word of Jesus, then that person is a by the uniqueness of his traditions, to blind guide, “and if the blind lead the forsake any religious tradition would be blind, both will fall into the ditch” (Mt forsaking the religion of his father and 15:14). mother. He thus uses the word “liberal” We are liberal in reference to any in a wrong context in his argument doctrines and religious traditions of men against the true restorationist. that would hinder us from calling the To exhort the people to obey the people back to the eternal norms of God. word of God, is not legalism. To dis- We will thus heed the following words card any religious tradition that hin- of the Holy Spirit: “Examine yourselves ders obedience to the word of God is as to whether you are in the faith. Test not liberalism. And unless one can un- your own selves” (2 Co 13:5). derstand this, he will never be a true res- Throughout the remainder of this torationist to bring the people of God book you will probably judge that we are back to the final norm of morals and being “picky” in reference to calling the teaching that God has given to us through your attention to those traditions that sur- Jesus Christ. round the assembly of the saints and other

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 4 - Gospel Stimulated Worship 27 functions of the body of Christ. But we is to continually reflect on the word of believe that every aspect of our obedi- the One before whom we will all stand ence must be brought under the scrutiny in judgment (Jn 12:48; At 17:30,31). of the word of God. We must do this in If we refuse to recognize the impact order to separate religious tradition and of social norms and traditions on our be- behavior from what is actually required havior and faith, then we are simply prac- of us in obedience to the word of Christ. ticing “ostrich religiosity.” If we do not If we are afraid to sift through all our “rethink that the liberal philosophy of soci- ligiosity” in order to strain out any tradi- ety affects the religious behavior and tion from the word of God, then we are beliefs of the people, then we are in in trouble of making religious traditions trouble. When society becomes liberal, an inseparable part of our faith. those who do not base their faith on the It is an axiomatic truth of history, word of God become liberal. This is es- as previously stated, that we gradually pecially true of those religious groups move away from God when we enshrine who do not have a heritage that was built our religious traditions. This is particu- on the final authority of the word of God larly true in these times in the West where in matters of faith. As more “believers” society is becoming increasingly liberal. move toward a doctrine of universalism As goes the culture in which we live, so in faith, the word of God becomes more goes our faith if it is not grounded on the obsolete as a final norm of faith. unchanging standard of the word of God. These are times in which restora- If we are simply religious, our religion is tionists call people to study the history often determined by our culture. For the of the nation of Israel in the Old Testa- liberal, social norms are the standard that ment. Our study of the prophets of Is- dictate the beliefs and behavior of the rael are frightful simply because they religionists. But for those who want to identify the social decline of a people that stay close to God through His word, then is so common to our world today. the only option to a “barnacle free” faith

Chapter 4 GOSPEL STIMULATED WORSHIP

Here are some questions to consider • Could we worship God in a quiet in order to begin any study to determine meadow with David? if we have some traditions linked to our • Could we worship God alone in a worship that could possibly hinder our closet? efforts to restore the word of God as our • Could we worship alone in any isolated final standard to guide us in worship: place?

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 4 - Gospel Stimulated Worship 28 • Could we worship God outside a “spiri- Gospel worship is in gratitude to tual sanctuary” that was built specifi- what God revealed through the gospel. cally as a place of worship? He gave His Son freely for us without • Could we worship God without per- any conditions (Jn 3:16). God the Son forming a system of legal ceremonies? gave up being on an equality with God • Could we worship God without the in order to go to the cross for us (Ph 2:5- sound of surrounding musical instru- 9). He was incarnate in the flesh of man ments? for us (Jn 1:14). He redeemed us by His sacrificial offering. God the Father, Son If you answered “yes” to all of the and Holy Spirit did all this for us. The preceding questions, then you need to be gospel was the revelation of how much encouraged to continue on your way of we were loved. The more we realize this worshiping God in spirit and in truth. love, the more we respond in worship. The unfortunate thing about the pre- The more we understand what was ac- ceding questions is that many people in complished for us through the gospel, the the religious world today cannot answer less we complain about what we need in “yes” to all the questions. Being a part order to pour out our worshipful grati- of a formal group in a place of designated tude to God. worship, with ceremonies and instrumen- After being with others in worship, tal sounds, is believed by many today to we must never complain, “I did not get be essential crutches that generate wor- something out of the worship.” Worship ship within the worshipers. And unless is not about getting something. It is they are in the environment of such, there about releasing thanksgiving. Gospel is no inner expression of worship that is worship is never contingent on what the spontaneous. In some cases, emotional worshiper receives. Gospel worship has experientialism is confused with worship. no strings attached that are necessary in If our worship must be generated by out- order to be released. Religionists seek side influences, then our worship cannot to get something out of worship. But gos- find a spontaneous outpouring from pel livers seek to give back praise in within our hearts. thanksgiving for what they received The series of questions that we through the gospel. True worship is not posed focus on the desires of the wor- about getting. shiper in reference to the One who is to When discussing the subject of be worshiped. When we speak of the worship, we must caution ourselves about gospel as the motivation that stimulates ourselves. One is not driven to worship worship, we are referring to worship because of something that is needed, that is generated by the gospel. The other than the need to worship. We need gospel focuses on what God did for us, fellowship. We need friends. Sometimes not on what we must receive or experi- we just need a place to go. But the gos- ence in worship. pel will not allow one to confine his wor-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 4 - Gospel Stimulated Worship 29 ship to special places, or of necessity to are honest with ourselves, then we will be stimulated by performing legal cer- search for the true worship which God emonies, burning candles, or dimming seeks. If we struggle, we grow, for lights. We have experienced tears of struggle is the evidence that we are not worship driving down an isolated road satisfied with our worship. In order to while singing spiritual songs to ourselves. grow in worship, we must discover the The more we appreciate the gospel, the first requirement for acceptable worship, more worship explodes from our hearts. and this requirement is to understand the We need no stage props to worship the One we seek to worship. We seek to God of the gospel. In fact, the more out- know this God of love who did so much side stimuli one needs to worship, the for us in the past, and will deliver on our more struggle he or she is having with faith in His promises in the future. worshiping God. Jesus sought to identify true wor- If our worship cannot be excited shipers with the following declaration: without all the motivational schemes and “God is spirit” (Jn 4:24). This one state- theatrical performances that are prevalent ment is enough to sweep away all the in so many assemblies in the modern physical aids that we have treasured to church, then we must dig deep into our be so necessary in order to generate wor- hearts in order to discover why we “go ship within us. Gone is the necessity for to worship.” We must be honest with our- special sanctuaries. Gone is the neces- selves that we are possibly “out of tune” sity to observe ceremonies that we feel with the gospel that generates spontane- we must legally perform. Gone is the ous worship of thanksgiving. necessity for all the instruments and elec- Self-oriented worship is an oxymo- tronic devices. Gone is even the air-con- ron. It is contradictory. There can be no ditioning and heating, with the comfort- self in worship. There can be no demands able carpets and pews. Because God is for comfort, or environment, or empiri- spirit, these physical things mean noth- cal input. Worship is defined by what ing to Him in reference to Him accept- comes forth from our hearts as a result ing the worship that comes from the of a gospel outpouring to God. Worship hearts of those who are so thankful for is our appreciation for our salvation. the gospel of His Son. Therefore, we must banish from our “God is spirit, and those who wor- minds this thought that worship is in any ship Him must worship Him in spirit and way a self-sanctifying effort on our part in truth” (Jn 4:24). When we discuss to gain acceptance by God. All self-sanc- worship, there should be no need to in- tifying performances, props, or locations terpret this statement. What the Holy cannot be conditions upon which we pour Spirit says in this statement is that be- out our hearts in appreciation to God for cause God is spirit, the medium through what He did for us through the gospel. which we approach Him must be as He If we struggle with our worship, and is. Worship simply does not involve the

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 4 - Gospel Stimulated Worship 30 physical things of this world that we of- is not conducive to our comfort, this too, ten feel are necessary in order to wor- must be ignored. Surrounding noise is a ship God. When we understand that it distraction. Worship in spirit and truth was the heart of God that was nailed to must not be distracted by the environment the cross, then we understand that only in which we worship. It is for this rea- that which comes from our hearts can be son that worship explodes from our hearts offered in worship of Him. God seeks in a quiet place in the desert because there for a spiritual response to His heart on are no distractions. Worshipers must al- the cross. Physical things and ceremo- ways keep in mind that the more we de- nies have nothing to do with that which sire to have crutches, props and ceremo- is spiritual. nies in order to worship, the more diffi- These are mental and spiritual mat- cult it is to go deep into our hearts and ters about which Jesus spoke to the Sa- minds to dig out appreciation for what maritan woman in John 4. Those things God did for us through the gospel. that are in our hearts (spirit) and minds If we must go to some sanctuary, or (truth), are those emotional and intellec- be with certain people in order to express tual responses that must be offered to God our gratitude for the gospel through wor- in appreciation for the gospel of His Son. ship, then we have cheated ourselves. At The more emphasis we place on our- least, we have limited our worship to selves, the more we are distracted from places and people. It is simply an axi- the objective of our worship. The more omatic truth that the more we focus on conditions we place on ourselves in or- our own desires and conveniences in order to worship, the further we move der to worship, the more difficult it is to away from the object of our worship. pour out our hearts in worship. In other In other words, the more physical things words, if we must do something in order we demand in order to worship, the fur- to generate worship, then that which is ther we move away from the God who is generated may not be true worship. It spirit. It is for this reason that legalized may simply be an emotional stirring of worship can never be acceptable to God. our own spirit. If our worship is legal- Legalized worship becomes a cloak of ized through the performance of certain performance that disguises a heart that acts of worship, then we satisfy ourselves has long forgotten how to produce a tear that we have fulfilled the requirements of gratitude for the incarnational sacri- of the law. However, we often walk away fice of the Son of God. from such legal worship feeling empty, God does not want us to be dis- unfulfilled, knowing that something is in- tracted from the objective of our worship. deed wrong. We fulfilled law, but there If the seating is uncomfortable, it must were no tears, no remorse, and no thanks- not be a distraction. If the singing is not giving for the gospel of Jesus. There is in tune, this too must not be a distrac- no serendipitous relief that we have emp- tion. If the atmosphere of the assembly tied from the inner most recesses of our

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 4 - Gospel Stimulated Worship 31 soul our gratitude to our God for His love than the motivation for worship that ex- of us through His Son. isted before Jesus came into this world. Consider this from the perspective Though David and Abraham worshiped of what Jesus said to the Samaritan God, there would be true worshipers in woman: the future. Fourth, the Father would accept But the hour is coming and now is when those who worshiped in “spirit and truth,” the true worshipers will worship the Fa- though He was also accepting the wor- ther in spirit and in truth, for the Father ship of those who had worshiped Him seeks such to worship Him (Jn 4:23). since the beginning of time. He accepted David’s worship, though there was a dif- Understood in the historical context of ferent motivation that stimulated David’s when this statement was made by Jesus, worship than the worship that was com- the statement carries with it an incred- ing. It was not that God did not seek ible meaning. If we look close, this state- David’s worship. What Jesus was em- ment reveals the gospel motivation that phasizing was that there would be a dif- is at the heart of the context in which He ferent motivation for worship yet in the made the statement. Consider the fol- future. lowing: First, the statement was made Fifth, there were true worshipers in view of the cross to come. We assume, right there at the time whom Jesus was therefore, that the cross to come in the in their midst. He was the gospel in ac- life of the Samaritan woman, and thou- tion at that time, and would be the final sands of others who would obey the gos- revelation of the gospel at the cross, in pel, would be a paradigm shift in wor- the resurrection and in the ascension. The ship. worship of Jesus’ immediate disciples Second, in the not too distant future had changed in His presence. As they from when Jesus made this statement, began to realize who He was, their wor- true worshipers would worship “in truth.” shipful response to His presence was as However, there were worshipers of God Thomas: “My Lord and my God” (Jn at the time the statement was made. The 20:28; see Mt 14:33). In the paradigm indication is that something different was shift in worship, God would not accept coming that would judge one to be a “true legal worship according to law or loca- worshiper.” What would determine “true tions, specifically the Sinai law. He worship” would be the motivation for would accept only the worship that was worshiping, which motivation had not motivated by a recognition that Jesus is existed with believers from the beginning both Lord and God. of time. In the context of Jesus’ statement Third, the true worshiper would of John 4:23, Jesus had listened to the worship in spirit and in truth. The “spirit Samaritan woman who explained the and truth” had to be something different worship of her fathers who worshiped on

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 32 “this mountain,” and the worship center rifice, glorious resurrection over death, of the Jews in Jerusalem (Jn 4:20). But and the consummation of the kingship of Jesus responded, “Woman, believe Me, the Son of God in His ascension to the the hour is coming when you will nei- right hand of the Father. This inspiring ther on this mountain nor in Jerusalem good news (gospel) would generate wor- worship the Father” (Jn 4:21). What ship within the hearts of those who Jesus meant was that never again would obeyed the gospel. Those who sought there be a legally designated place of God through obedience of the gospel worship for those who believed in Jesus would be those whom God would seek and obeyed the gospel. And since there to be His true worshipers. No ceremo- would be no designated places of wor- nies would be needed. No purpose-built ship, then worship would be spontane- facilities, no instrumental noise, nor le- ous anywhere and at any time. gally acted out ceremonies would be nec- Jesus taught that the true motive for essary to draw forth worship from the worship would be generated at any time hearts and minds of those who bowed in the hearts of those who were driven down in appreciation for what God had by what was coming. And what was com- done for them through the offering of the ing was the fulfillment of all prophecy incarnate Son of God. concerning the gospel of the atoning sac-

Chapter 5 GOSPEL WORSHIP

Those who walk in gratitude of the for someone to plug in a guitar. We gospel of the Son of God need no offi- would not call for an assembly. We cial orders of worship nor commands in would simply, reverently and fearfully, order to be moved to together with other fall down on our faces in worship. It is worshipers. They need no choreographed for this very reason that any worship that ceremonies in order to fall on their faces does not surround the heart of men with in thanksgiving for the God who so loved the incarnational offering of the Son of the world that He gave His only begot- God, cannot be worship of God accord- ten Son. True worship is simply a spon- ing to the true worship about which Jesus taneous outpouring from the heart of an spoke to the Samaritan woman in John individual who has sensed the awesome- 4. Those folks who do not often gather ness of God’s love that was poured out around the Supper of the Lord need to on the cross for our sins. seriously consider this point. If Jesus were to appear before us at When the gospel was finalized in this very moment, we would not call for the world, all other worship of God was a “book of worship.” We would not wait nullified. Paul announced that the times

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 33 of ignorance of the gospel was over- able worship does not result from the per- looked by God. But now God calls all formance of any legal ceremonies of wor- men to bow down in response to the in- ship. Worship cannot be legally acted carnational offering of His Son and in out. The reasons for this is in the fact view of the coming judgment by the Son. that we cannot keep law perfectly in or- He no longer accepts worship that is der to justify our worship before God based on ignorance of who He is (At according to law. The scribes and Phari- 17:22,213,30,31). All former worship be- sees tried this. They were masters at cre- came vain and obsolete when Jesus as- ating acts of worship after the traditions cended to the Father. All other worship of the fathers. They surrounded the Si- before the ascension was not based on nai law with so many ceremonial acts of the gospel by which we are saved. A obedience that the law was certainly wrong motive for worship since the cross, obeyed in all its legal requirements. resurrection and ascension, cannot pro- However, the original intent of the law duce an acceptable worship of the God was forgotten. Subsequently, their wor- who gave His only begotten Son. No ship was in vain. We are forced to the worship is true if it bypasses the truth of conclusion that true worship of God the gospel of Jesus. can never be accomplished by any le- This brings us to a better under- gal performances on the part of the standing of Jesus’ rebuke of the scribes worshipers to legally perform worship. and Pharisees: “In vain they worship Me, True worship is simply not a performance teaching as doctrines the commandments of acting out laws, whether laws from of men” (Mk 7:7). The scribes and Phari- God or our own laws. And from the sees not only tried to worship God le- Greeks, we learn that worship cannot be gally by law, they also added their own made acceptable through the construction religious rites in order to guarantee that of great temples and religious idols we their worship would supposedly be ac- would make with our hands. cepted. Unfortunately, in making all their The reason for this conclusion is ob- additions of traditions, they forgot the vious. Once the assembled worshipers ac- law. As a result, they self-righteously complish certain legal acts of worship, worshiped according to their own reli- then they feel they can go on their way gious rites (Rm 10:1-3; see Mk 7:1-9). from the “hour of worship” with the de- They were as the Athenians who wor- ceived notion that they have legally worshiped what they imagined in their minds shiped the Father in spirit and in truth. and fashioned with their hands (At What Jesus was stating in the context of 17:24,25). John 4 was that “in spirit” and “in truth” We learn a very important point does not refer to actions or places of le- from the scribes and Pharisees: There is gal worship, but to responses. What He no legal formula devised by man that meant by using the phrase “in truth” was would constitute true worship. Accept- not the establishment of a legal system of

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 34 worship ceremonies. He was revealing who sought to bring the disciples under what God was at the time preparing certain laws in order that they be legally through the One who was standing before justified before God (See At 15:1; Gal the Samaritan woman. He was preparing 2:5). When Peter and others in Antioch Jesus for the cross. Jesus was the truth “were not straightforward about the through whom all men must come to truth of the gospel,” Paul declared that the Father in spirit. He was the revela- they were behaving contrary to the gos- tion of the Word to man, which revelation pel of freedom by which Christians have would inspire worshipful hearts to give been set free. We have been set free from praise to God (Jn 1:1,2). The gospel, there- the necessity of perfect law-keeping in fore, inspires worship. Gospel worship is order to be saved (Gl 2:14). This is the a response to the gospel of Jesus. principle of the “truth of the gospel” that In both phrases of John 4:24, Jesus we must apply to every aspect of our was leading His audience to the cross, Christian walk, including worship. The resurrection and to His ascension to be sufficient justification of Jesus for our King over all things. Through the cross, sins set us free from the necessity of jus- He was leading the people to the heart of tifying ourselves through any system of God, and thus, the true motivation that meritorious law-keeping. would generate true worshipers. True In reference to worship, the legalist worship would always be an inward re- would assume that the phrase “truth of sponse to God who outwardly put His the gospel” must be a legal outline of heart on the cross. No outward perfor- ceremonies to be performed for accept- mances or creations of our hands could able worship. He assumes, therefore, that take the place of the heart of men who worship “in truth” is worship according would worshipfully respond to the heart to a legal outline of law, and thus, one of God. must meritoriously worship according to We must view worship “in truth” the laws of the outline. The legalist thus from the perspective of how Paul de- formulates a legal system of lawful ac- fended the gospel against those who tions that worshipers must ceremonially wanted to continue to worship legally perform in order to lawfully worship ac- according to law. These were those who cording to the “truth.” All other worship- were denying the “truth of the gospel” ers who do not perform the outline of law- by preaching a gospel of legal justifica- ful worship are judged to be worshiping tion (Gl 1:6-9). in vain because the prescribed “laws of Paul’s use of the phrase “truth of worship” are either violated or ignored. the gospel” in the Galatian letter would If Peter’s actions in Antioch were be misinterpreted by the legalist, those not according to the “truth of the gos- to whom Paul wrote to rebuke. The “truth pel,” then we must consider that some of the gospel” was being denied because worship is not “in truth” because it is also there were those in Jerusalem and Galatia not according to “the truth of the gos-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 35 pel.” According to Paul’s argument to perfect law-keeping. For this reason, those in Galatia who were enforcing jus- therefore, his behavior, with Barnabas tification by law-keeping, he first identi- and other Jews in Antioch who withdrew fied these enforcers to be preaching “an- from the Gentiles, was not according to other gospel” (Gl 1:6-9). This was a the gospel of freedom that we have in “gospel” that was based on the same er- Christ. roneous premise as the legalistic Jewish Some have sought to dodge the brethren who would bind on Christians force of what the Holy Spirit said in the meritorious acts of obedience that would statements of Galatians 2:16 and Romans supposedly justify one before God (See 3:28. They have sought to follow some At 15:1). translators who slipped the definite ar- What the “other-gospel” preachers ticle “the” into the text of both passages had failed to see was the primary premise in order that the text read, “the law.” In upon which Paul based the entirety of his doing this they have sought to divert the argument. It was an argument against power of Paul’s argument away from us meritorious law-keeping that denied the by presumptuously assumption that Paul truth of the gospel. The premise of his was speaking specifically of the Sinai argument was based on one resounding law. But Paul was addressing any law principle of the truth of the gospel. Paul by which we might presume we can jus- revealed this truth: “A man is not justi- tify ourselves before God apart from His fied by law” (Gl 2:16). To the Roman grace. By works of any law, it is not pos- disciples, he was more emphatic: “There- sible to justify oneself before God sim- fore, we conclude that a man is justified ply because no man can keep any system by faith [in the gospel of grace] apart of law perfectly. from works of law” (Rm 3:28). In other It is true that the Sinai law is dead words, through the perfect keeping of any and gone (Rm 7:1-4). We know that we law, including the law of Christ, one can- are not under the Sinai law. Under that not justify himself before God. The rea- law, the scribes and Pharisees sought to son for this truth is axiomatic in that no legally, and thus, meritoriously worship man can either live or worship per- God through a self-imposed system of re- fectly according to law (See Rm 3:23). ligious rites. However, Jesus judged that The gospel set us free from the ne- their worship was in vain because they cessity of perfect law-keeping in order sought to worship God legally accord- to be justified before God. Peter’s ac- ing to the strictness of law-keeping. tions in Antioch of withdrawing from the The problem was not in the Sinai Gentiles because he was intimidated by law, but in how they sought to implement those who sought to enforce law-keep- the law in their lives. In order to keep ing in order to be saved (At 15:1), was the law in the strictness of its precepts, an action that was contrary to our free- the Jews added precept upon precept in dom from justifying ourselves through order that the law be kept. This was vi-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 36 tally important to those of the religion of In the letter to the Romans, Paul Judaism. They believed that meritorious gave the example of Abraham who was obedience to law indebted God to justify not justified by works of law when he them before Him. But Jesus judged this was called on by God to walk by faith system of law-keeping to be in vain (See (Rm 4:1-3). He then applied Abraham’s Mk 7:1-9). principle of faith as an example for all If we would today seek to worship those who would attempt to be meritori- according to the same system of merito- ously justified before God according to rious law-keeping, then we would receive law, including any legal system of wor- the same judgment that Jesus pronounced ship as was practiced by the scribes and upon the scribes and Pharisees. We Pharisees who tried such, but ended up would be denying the truth of the gospel worshiping in vain (Mk 7:1-9). (Gl 2:5,24; Cl 1:5). The inherent fallacy We must apply Paul’s conclusion to of worshiping God according to a self- those who would deny the truth of the justifying system of law is that “all have gospel in their efforts to meritoriously sinned” (Rm 3:23). But the gospel re- worship God as the scribes and Pharisees. vealed God’s righteousness “that He Paul thus wrote, “Now to him who works might be just and the justifier of him who [meritoriously in worship], the reward is believes in Jesus” (Rm 3:26). not credited according to grace, but ac- The contradiction within the the- cording to debt” (Rm 4:4). Herein is ology of those who seek to worship God legal worship a denial of the truth of the according to a meritorious system of gospel of grace, and thus another gospel. law is that Jesus set Christians free If one, as the scribes and Pharisees, would from meritorious worship by law. But seek to meritoriously worship God ac- this does not mean that the worshiper has cording to law, then he would be put- a right to worship God without lawfully ting God in debt to accept his worship. doing so according to His instructions. Once the legal performance of ceremo- If one would seek to worship without any nies was concluded with a “closing knowledge of God, then we are worship- prayer,” then the worshiper would go on ing ignorantly. This point is certainly in his way, having obligated God to accept the meaning of what Paul wrote concern- his legally performed ceremonies of wor- ing the vain worship in which the Jews ship. This is a denial of the truth of the involved themselves. gospel. This was not the worship “in truth” that Jesus revealed to the Samari- For they being ignorant of God’s righ- tan woman. teousness [justification] and seeking to The gospel of Jesus on the cross set establish their own righteousness [justi- us free from the meritorious works of law fication], have not submitted themselves unto death. We have not ... to the righteousness of God (Rm 10:2).

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 5 - Gospel Worship 37 ... received a spirit of bondage again to tem of law, then we have denied the gos- fear [of breaking law], but you have re- pel of grace. If we presume to obligate ceived a spirit of adoption [through the God to accept our legally performed wor- gospel of Jesus] by which we cry [in ship, and justify us on the basis of our worshipful thanksgiving], ‘Abba, Fa- legal worship, then we have denied the ther!’ (Rm 7:15). gospel of grace. If we assume that our worship is Christians worship because they have legally perfect, then there would be no been redeemed from the curse of merito- need for grace in reference to our wor- rious law-keeping (Gl 3:10). The curse ship. If we lead ourselves to believe that of law is that we are all lawbreakers, and we have meritoriously performed laws of thus, we all fall legally under the con- worship perfectly, then we have deceived demnation of law that punishes lawbreak- ourselves. We are not worshiping ers. straightforwardly according to the truth At the conclusion of the argument of the gospel. Our worship is thus not on this matter, Paul reminded the Roman according to the truth of the gospel. It is disciples that because of the gospel, noth- not “in truth.” We are thus seeking to be ing can separate us from the love of God obedient to another gospel than the gos- that was revealed on the cross (Rm 8:31- pel that sets us free from the necessity of 39). We worship God in response to this perfect law-keeping in reference to wor- gospel of grace. If our worship is not ship (See Gl 5:1). perfect according to law, we are still ac- Consider the fact that the interpre- cepted by God. He will not cast us away tation of some in reference to “in spirit” if we worship imperfectly according to and “in truth” establish a paradox. It is law. Therefore, we do not worship God correctly understood that “in spirit” re- in order to put Him in debt to accept our fers to the spiritual outpouring of one’s worship. heart in response to the gospel. How- True worship in spirit needs no law ever, it is also assumed that “in truth” to cry out, “Abba, Father.” If we would refers to an outward performance of cer- attempt to resort to a law of worship in emonial acts of worship according to law. order to self-sanctify ourselves, and thus Herein is the paradox. The points of the put God in debt to accept our worship, outlined worship can be performed with- then we are no better than the scribes and out any “spirit” being involved. It is as- Pharisees. Paul is so adamant about this sumed that if one would simply go point that he reminded the Galatians, through the outline of acts, then God is “You have been severed from Christ, you obligated to accept our worship. How- who seek to be justified by law. You have ever, if our performance of the outlined fallen from grace” (Gl 5:4). In other acts of worship are used to generate a words, if we seek to legally worship God “spiritual” response in worship, then the according to a “perfect” meritorious sys- outline becomes the crutch upon which

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 6 - Legalized Worship 38 we strive to generate a worshipful spirit. we have been set free. Christians love We never consider the fact that if one one another because God loved them “act” of the outline cannot be performed, through the gospel of the cross (Jn 3:16; then we assume that our worship is not 1 Jn 4:19). However, assemblies, accord- complete. It cannot be complete until all ing to law, often do not reflect love the dots are connected on the outlined among the attendees. It is for this reason acts of worship. that thousands of people leave assemblies We need a reality check on what we today without experiencing love. They are actually saying. Suppose we lived in faithfully and ceremoniously go through a jungle or desert and did not have ac- a system of legal assembly laws, but they cess to bread or fruit of the vine for the experienced no love, even from fellow Supper. Does this mean that we could spectators sitting at their sides. We sin- never worship God “in truth” until all the cerely do not think that this is what the performances of the outline are com- Lord had in mind when He encouraged pleted, which would include the Supper? the disciples to assemble with one an- We sometimes forget that worship is other in order to stir up love and good based on love because the worshiper is works (Hb 10:24,25). responding to the love of God what was Therefore, we must seek to restore poured out through the incarnational of- the assembly of love by which we are to fering of His Son. It is love that should be identified as the people of a God of generate worship, not legal conformity love (Jn 13:34,35). It is gospel assem- to an outline of legal ceremonies. blies as this that we seek to “attend.” It is easy for love to stand outside Love “mandates” that we worship be- the “church house” when assemblies are cause we want to, not because we have simply a legal performance of acts of to according to the mandates of law. Con- worship. We often forget that it is the fidence in our worship is measured by gospel of God’s love that brings us to- tears, not by some checked off point on a gether to celebrate the grace by which legal outline of worship.

Chapter 6 LEGALIZED WORSHIP

Because the Christian is justified by law no flesh will be justified” (Gl 2:16). faith in the grace of God, he or she can- The Holy Spirit’s message is that because not worship God contrary to the gospel we cannot obey law perfectly, we cannot of grace. “Therefore, we conclude that be justified before God through law with- a man is justified by faith apart from the out grace. works of law” (Rm 3:28). In fact, the It is a contradiction to assume that Holy Spirit proclaimed, “By works of we can establish an outward recognizable

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 6 - Legalized Worship 39 system of worship according to perfect then our hearts are moved away from the law-keeping in order to self-justify our- gospel of grace in order to focus on selves inwardly after we have performed whether we have legally performed our a designated system of laws of worship. legal worship. If we are focusing on our It is impossible to establish a perfor- legal worship performances, then we di- mance of supposed worship laws gress into arguments over how the legal whereby we feel that we have justified ceremonies are performed during our le- ourselves for the week if we have legally gal assemblies. performed the laws of worship perfectly. Legalized worship often leads to The religious leaders of Israel tried this, two “categories” of worship in our think- but to no avail. It led them to a hypo- ing and behavior. First, there is the sup- critical behavior. They would perform posedly lawful worship that is conducted their legal acts of worship outwardly, but by the performance of certain acts of wor- inwardly they were full of dead men’s ship in an “official” assembly. This wor- bones (Mt 23:27). Once we realize that ship is usually conducted on Sunday we cannot be justified by a legalized wor- morning, which is supposedly the offi- ship, then we will focus totally on the cial time of worship. grace of God who put His Son on the Second, there is the worship that is cross. performed outside the “official” worship If we are justified by faith through on Sunday morning. The legalized wor- the grace of the gospel, then there is no ship must be performed with the comple- need for a legal system of worship in or- tion of certain acts of worship. The other der to supposedly guarantee that our jus- worship can be accomplished without tification before God is secured through performing the acts of official worship a perfect performance of some system of during the “hour of worship.” Therefore, legalities. How can those who have one is “official” and the other can exist been set free from attempted justifi- without the restrictions of ceremonial cation through perfect law-keeping, laws. bring themselves again under law in There could possibly be a third “par- order to supposedly worship God per- tial” worship that is conducted during an fectly according to law? “official” assembly when there is no fruit There was never a legal system of of the vine or bread present to conduct worship established in the New Testa- the “act” of the Supper. In some cases, ment by which worshipers could compare when there is no money to be contrib- one system of supposedly lawful worship uted, we might feel that our self-sancti- with another. Worship is generated in our fying act of worship was not complete hearts when we realize the crucifixion of because we were personally unable to the heart of God on the cross. The re- perform the act of contribution in wor- sponse to this gospel does not produce a ship. We have come across many breth- legalized worship. If we seek to do such, ren who have no Bibles. They have little

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 6 - Legalized Worship 40 teaching in their assemblies because the and then served the multitude. Bible is absent from the assembly. The Some in the audience immediately only Bible they may have may be with saw the inconsistencies that we have cre- the preacher who is on a mission some- ated by legalizing acts of worship in the where else in the region. assembly. The contention among some The reason for reminding ourselves was often based on legal performances of these realities is to reveal our incon- of law, while at the same time they for- sistencies, if not our Pharisaical defini- got the gospel that the bread and fruit of tion of legalized worship. Worship from the vine represented. They forgot the our hearts can more often be determined gospel in their contention to remember by a tear in the eye than a fat check the gospel, and thus revealed that they thrown into the collection plate. Whether were not living by the gospel in arguing in an “official” assembly, or alone in the over legal worship ceremonies. wilderness, it is the tear that reveals to We wonder how many there are who God a contrite heart of worship. have brought themselves into contention A good example of the division that with one another over legal worship, and legalized worship can often cause was il- thus, denied the truth of the gospel of lustrated on a visit we once made to the grace by which we are justified before country of Malawi. We were in Malawi, God. To such people we would make the attending a meeting of several Christians same statement that Paul made to some in the area who had come together for a brethren in Jerusalem who were claim- seminar on the Bible. During the week- ing that there were brethren who were end meeting, a wise elder of the spon- worshiping in vain because they had not soring church group stood up to admin- been circumcised “according to law”: ister the Supper of the Lord. When it “To whom we did not yield in subjec- came time to serve the fruit of the vine, tion even for an hour, so that the truth he realized that there were many in the of the gospel might continue with you” assembly who had caused contention on (Gl 2:5). whether we could use one cup or many Of course some might object and cups in the “legal” service of the Supper declare that there would be those who to distribute the fruit of the vine among would not partake of the Supper unless the people. So he wisely had in his hand they were under law to do so. Some judge one large pitcher that he referred to as that others are worshiping in vain because “the cup.” He said to the audience, “Jesus they are not partaking of the Supper ev- took the cup.” The wise old elder then ery first day of the week as they suppose said, “Because there are so many of us the law states. But there is no such law. here today, we will distribute the contents Acts 20:7 is not an imperative statement of the cup by using many cups I have be- of command. If we would change an ex- fore me here.” He then poured the con- ample into a command, then we have tents of “the cup” into the many cups, twisted the Scriptures.

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 6 - Legalized Worship 41 Jesus indeed said, “Do this in re- are obligating God to forgive our sins membrance of Me” (Lk 22:19). At the on the basis of our legal performance time He made this statement, however, to partake of the Supper. What we the disciples understood little about what have done is shift the atonement for He was saying. They had little under- our sins from the cross to our merito- standing of the cross that was going to rious obedience to the “law of the Sup- take place only a few hours after He made per.” We forget that we have been for- this statement. In other words, there was given, and thus we partake. We do not nothing yet to be remembered in refer- partake in order to be forgiven. If we are ence to the gospel other than Himself who observing law in order to meritoriously was at the time headed for the cross. justify ourselves, then we are not living However, after the cross, and seven according to the truth of the gospel that weeks after this meeting in an upper set us free from self-justification through room, on the day of Pentecost and by the perfect keeping of law. inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they knew Another example to consider in this the whole story (Jn 14:26). It was then context is what happened in Antioch that they needed no commandment to do when some “circumcision brethren” that about which Jesus spoke to them in came up from Jerusalem to bind law the infancy of their legal religiosity on where God had not bound. They came the night He took the cup and bread. The to intimidate Peter and the other Jewish cross had set them free from perfect law- brethren who were in fellowship with the keeping. From Pentecost on, they wanted “uncircumcised” Gentile brethren. Pe- to “eat and drink,” not because of law, ter, Barnabas and the Jewish brethren of but because of a worshipful thanksgiv- Antioch were carried away with hypoc- ing of what Jesus had poured out on risy on this occasion. They had previ- the cross for them. Those who neglect ously affirmed that they lived according the Supper, therefore, fail to understand to the truth of the gospel of freedom from as blood-cleansed saints, the significance justification through law-keeping. But of the cross. We must remember that we when they were intimidated by the legal- are driven to the table of the Supper be- istic circumcision brethren from Jerusa- cause of thanksgiving, not because of law. lem to withdraw from the Gentile breth- However, if we do yield to legal ren, they were living contrary to the truth matters where God never established of the gospel. Paul made the following such, then we are thinking that we can direct statement about this behavior: “... be justified by our own perfect law-keep- I saw that they were not straightforward ing on Sunday morning, and not by the about the truth of the gospel ...” (Gl grace of the cross. If this is the case, then 2:14). we are obligating God to accept our wor- If someone from Jerusalem would ship on the basis of how perfectly we by chance visit our assembly on Sunday, have keep our legal acts of worship. We and there was no bread or fruit of the vine

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 42 available, would we as Peter and the other cause he succumbed to those who would Jewish brethren in Antioch, be embar- bind perfect law-keeping as a means of rassed because we were fellowshipping salvation. with one another because there was no Christians worship God according bread or fruit of the vine? to the instructions of His word. They do When we deny the gospel by legally not do so to be justified before Him be- trying to worship God according to the cause they presume to keep His instruc- perfect execution of law, we are not be- tions perfectly. In fact, they pour out their ing straightforward about the truth of the hearts in thanksgiving to God for their gospel of grace and freedom from the justification at the cross because they re- necessity of keeping law perfectly. The alize they cannot keep perfectly all the actions of Peter and others placed them instructions. True worship is offered in in a situation of being condemned before thanksgiving for the God of grace who God. Likewise, by our actions we can has saved us from the necessity of per- also deny the gospel by which we are fect law-keeping in order to have our wor- seeking to live if we succumb to the in- ship accepted. It is for this reason that timidation of legalists who would bind we are moved to the table of the Lord. perfect law-keeping where God has jus- We are not moved there by law, but by tified us already by His grace. If we seek an overwhelming appreciation for the to justify ourselves through “Supper- grace of God that was revealed through keeping” apart from grace, then we are the sacrificial offering of the incarnate as the scribes and Pharisees who bound Son of God. Those who neglect, or even perfect law-keeping where God did not marginalize the Supper of the Lord, have bind. As Peter, Barnabas, and the rest of not yet understood the heart of God that those who withdrew from the Gentiles was nailed to the cross on our behalf. in Antioch, we would be denying the truth They have usually focused their attention of the gospel. However, if we do such, on the performance of their religious cer- we pray that someone will do for us as emonies in order to entertain themselves Paul did with Peter: “I opposed him to at the expense of remembering the Lord his face because he stood condemned” in His Supper. (Gl 2:11). Peter stood condemned be-

Chapter 7 ASSEMBLIES THAT REFLECT LOVE There is something that is dramati- ing because of where we are in our as- cally different between the assemblies of sembly culture today and where the early the early Christians and the typical as- Christians were in their participatory semblies that are common in the religious gospel assemblies wherein individuals world today. This difference is interest- with the gifts of the Holy Spirit were

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 43 given an opportunity to edify the body. gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Never- We must not forget that the regular theless, those who understood the impli- assemblies in the early church were small cations of the gospel carried out their groups of disciples who met in the unity with one another when they came homes of the members (See At 2:46; Rm together. 16:5; 1 Co 16:19; Cl 4:15,16). There Because they were only five to six were possibly only a few large assem- years in the faith, it seems that the new blies as we witness today, simply because Christians in Corinth were having some the early Christians had no large facili- trouble in their early relationships with ties in which to meet. They met from one another. They were behaving in their house to house, for there were no pur- house assemblies as the pagan unbeliev- pose-built church buildings, no civic halls ers of the local temple in Corinth. They or school auditoriums in which to meet. were behaving as such because in their Their assemblies thus reflected their per- infancy as disciples, they had not yet been sonal relationships with one another in a perfected in love. Their assembly with spirit of love. We must always keep this one another was dysfunctional because in mind as we approach the New Testa- their love for one another was dysfunc- ment in reference to the function of the tional. disciples in any New Testament assem- The instructions of 1 Corinthians bly. If we do not do this, we will miss a 11-14 were written on the background of correct understanding of the function of the dysfunctional assembly behavior of the body of Christians as it is addressed novice Christians who had not yet spiri- in the New Testament. We will distort tually grown in love. Because they had the meaning of those texts that speak of not grown in love, love was not reflected the relationship the early disciples were for one another when they came together exhorted to have with one another, as well in assembly. We assume that the instruc- as when they came together in assembly. tions of the context were directed toward The first premise upon which we their common meeting in their homes. must study this subject is to understand However, there is textual evidence that that the early Christians’ common obe- the assembly about which Paul wrote was dience to the gospel was reflected in an occasional meeting that all the dis- their participatory function with one ciples throughout the province of Achaia another when they came together in had when they all came together into one the assembly of their homes (See At place. The statements of 1 Corinthians 2:44-47). It may be that some had bound 14 seem to indicate this occasional pro- on themselves the assembly structure of vincial meeting when “the whole assem- the unbelievers, and subsequently never bly gathers in one place” (1 Co 14:23). instituted the “one another” participatory Since the letters of both 1 and 2 function that should naturally result from Corinthians were directed to all the Chris- believers who have obeyed the unifying tians in Achaia, we would assume that

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 44 Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 11- were doing the same. They were bring- 14 were in reference to the provincial ing the drunken feast behavior of the meetings that took place occasionally in common temple assembly into the assem- the city of Corinth (See 1 Co 16:15; 2 Co blies of the disciples. In doing so, they 1:1; 9:1,2; 11:10; compare 1 Th 1:7,8). had even turned the Supper of the Lord It was this occasional assembly that some into a drunken ordeal wherein those who were corrupting with their unloving sec- traveled from great distances throughout tarianism and competitive use of their the province were ignored by the glut- gifts (See 1 Co 1:12,13). tonous behavior of those who ate all the Some were behaving in the provin- food of the love feast before everyone cial meeting as those unbelievers who be- arrived (See 1 Co 11:17-22). They were haved in the pagan feast meetings at the behaving as they did when they were in- temple. The assemblies of unbelievers volved in the drunken and gluttonous of the provincial religionists were exclu- temple feast. sive. They were the opportunity for self- But the Holy Spirit would have exalting speakers to seize the opportu- none of this in the context of the mem- nity of any gathering to voice their opin- bers of the body in any assembly of the ions, become unruly, or take up a contri- disciples. He thus corrected the Corin- bution. Some of the arrogant and self- thian dysfunctional assemblies by correct- appointed leaders among the disciples in ing those who were walking contrary to Achaia were behaving in the same way the gospel of love and unity (1 Co 1:10). during the assemblies of the disciples, es- Through His instructions of rebuke, He pecially those who were gifted with lan- mandated that the assemblies of the dis- guages. ciples should be inclusive. The eating of Though Paul’s instructions were the love feast was to be inclusive, and re- possibly directed to large assemblies, the flective of their love for one another. instructions would also apply to the regu- The partaking of the Lord’s Supper lar weekly assemblies in their homes. In was to be inclusive. The ministry of their fact, the unruly behavior in the regular gifts for edification was to be inclusive house assemblies would have brought on of all who were gifted to exhort the body. even more disruption to the participatory And because the assemblies were to be environment of the home meetings. inclusive, the assemblies were to be based This is a common challenge today on the members’ consideration for one when those who are accustomed to large another (See Hb 10:24,25). The follow- “church assemblies” come into the con- ing statement of the Spirit voiced this in- text of a house fellowship. They natu- clusive participatory “order”: “When rally bring their behavior of the large as- you come together, every one of you has sembly into the participatory environ- a psalm, has a teaching, has a language, ment of a house fellowship. In the con- has a revelation, has an interpretation” text of the Corinthians, it seems that some (1 Co 14:26).

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 45 The assumption of the statement is the gifts. In such communicative assem- that every gifted person was to be given blies, not all the gifted individuals were the opportunity to exhort the assembled always present to use their gift for the body. However, if one gifted with speak- edification of the body. However, at least ing in languages was present without one everyone had the opportunity to receive gifted with interpretation, then the one edification when a gifted person was speaking in languages was to remain si- present. lent. No one who spoke in a language If there were those in every assem- that only he could understand was al- bly who had something to say, then they lowed to speak in the assembly. were to be given the opportunity to On the background of the first cen- exercise their gift for the edification of tury miraculous gifts of ministry, the as- the whole body. Assemblies that did not semblies of the early disciples were al- give an opportunity for any prophet, ways to be inclusive of each gifted at- teacher, or speaker in languages, to speak, tendee for the benefit of the whole body. became exclusive. In the Corinthian In any individual assembly, “everyone” context, the prophets (teachers) were who was present did not have the gift of being marginalized by those who prided languages or the gift of interpretation, or themselves with their gift of languages. some other gift. In order to emphasize This was the problem in some house as- this point, Paul presented questions in semblies of the Corinthians. Some as- chapter 12 that the Corinthians, as well semblies, therefore, become exclusive as we, could correctly answer: “Are all and competitive, if not rude and offen- prophets?” (1 Co 12:29). The answer sive. From what we understand from the is, NO. “Are all teachers?” (1 Cor Holy Spirit, instructions in the context 12:29). NO. “Do all speak with lan- of 1 Corinthians 11-14 teach one very guages?” (1 Co 12:30). NO. It is not important principle: No one gifted per- that there were those in every assembly son in the assembly has a right to domi- who had something to say, or must use nate the assembly. their endowed gift for the benefit of the The problem in Corinth was that whole. However, since the gifts were to some of the assemblies became exclusive be used for the benefit of others than the because there were those who were be- gifted, in every assembly where the gifted having as they did in their former temple were present, there must be made an assemblies as unbelievers. In this par- opportunity for the gifted to exercise ticular situation, there were those who their gifts for the “profit of all” (1 Co were trying to dominate the assembly of 12:7). the saints by the use of their particular The early Christians were meeting gift. Because of pride, those who spoke in small assemblies in homes in order that in languages wanted to use the assem- the gifted be brought into direct contact bly as an opportunity to boast in the with those who needed the ministry of use of their gift.

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 46 Competition among gifted individu- the small assembly of a home. The lead- als disrupted the unity of all the believers of large assemblies often have a dif- ers. There was competition between ficult time transforming into the partici- those who were gifted with languages and patory culture of a small group meeting. those who were gifted with teaching Some of the Corinthians were having a (prophets). In this particular situation in difficult time in this area. Nevertheless, Corinth, the prophets and “tongue speak- they had to move from the customary ers” were causing confusion because both large temple assembly culture of their were in competition with one another as former years in temple religion into the to who would dominate the house assem- small house assemblies of the saints with- bly and draw the attention of those who out behaving as they did in the temple were present. We can only imagine how assemblies. offensive this became as one teacher al- In large assemblies, it is necessary ways dominated the group, while other to place limitations on how many gifted teachers in the same house assembly had people can minister their gifts to the body to sit in silence. of people who have gathered at any par- Compare this with our common ticular time. But this necessity must not large assembly scenario today. One move us to overlook the assemblies of prophet (teacher) shows up with his mes- the early church to whom the Holy Spirit sage to be shared with the whole assem- gave the instructions of 1 Corinthians 11- bly. During the assembly, he is given the 14. The problem was that the majority sole opportunity to dominate the assem- of the gifted were required to sit continu- bly with what he has prepared to say, ally in silence. When this happens, both while other teachers, who may have a spiritual and numerical growth are sty- message, are not allowed to share their mied because gifted members cannot use prepared message. In the same manner, their gifts for the edification of the body. a single song leader comes with his list One common answer to this prob- of songs by which he dominates the sing- lem for large assemblies today is to give ing of the assembly with the songs he has an opportunity for all gifted individuals chosen to sing. All other song leaders to use their gifts at different assemblies. are silenced because of one dominate In this way no one person is allowed to song leader. Other songs that are on the silence any other person who has the hearts of the members are not given an same gift. It should be the objective of opportunity to be expressed. the whole body to encourage every gifted There was certainly a difference be- member of the whole body to use their tween the large temple assembly in the gifts for the edification of the whole body, first century and the large church assem- though the exercising of the gifts does bly today. Nevertheless, the leadership not necessarily have to be at the same behavior that is cultured by large assem- assembly. blies does not do well when brought into Sometimes the problem arises when

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 7 - Assemblies That Reflect Love 47 a gifted member would rather sit in si- In our efforts to prevent assembly lence while others use their gifts to the disunity in large assemblies, we have in- edification of the body. If this is the situ- corporated orders of assembly. Such or- ation, then the “silent sitter” must be ex- ders were necessary in the assembly func- horted not to bury his talent, but to use it tion of the first century unbelievers, for the edification of the body. which assemblies often became chaotic In order to maintain order, the assem- as the one in the temple of Artemis blies of unbelievers designated those who (Diana) in Ephesus when Paul once vis- would participate in an assembly. If there ited the city (See Ep 19:28,29). How- were no order of assembly of unbeliev- ever, in our Western institutional obses- ers, chaos often prevailed in the assem- sion with order, we have forgotten one blies. We must keep in mind that it is not very important point that brought order wrong to have an order of assembly. How- to the assemblies of the early disciples ever, if the order is to prevent disunity in without becoming exclusive of “every- a Christian assembly, then we must go one” who would come to the assembly deeper into the problem of why disunity to minister a prayer, a song, a message, would prevail among those who are sup- etc. The most important “order of as- posed to be living the gospel of Jesus. This sembly” that brought order to the assem- is exactly what Paul did when he wrote blies of the early disciples was written on the subject of love in 1 Corinthians 13. on their hearts. Love was written on their We must also keep in mind that hearts, and thus love prevailed when they some order of assembly is necessary for came together in assembly. large assemblies. However, we often We must think for a moment on this forget that the instructions of 1 Corin- point because our common assemblies thians were given to those who were today are so far removed from the early meeting in small assemblies in the homes church “order of love.” To begin, we of the members. The common assembly must ask why did the Holy Spirit place today is often composed of hundreds, if the greatest chapter in the Bible on love not thousands. In order to prevent chaos right in the middle of His instructions on in these assemblies, there must be orders how the assemblies of the members were of assembly. But this was not the his- to function? 1 Corinthians 13 is not there torical context in Corinth among the because it was time for the Spirit in the house assemblies. Paul’s instructions to document of 1 Corinthians to complete a correct the Corinthian problems in as- legal outline on doctrine. It is there be- sembly must be understood in the con- cause there was dysfunction on the part text that the members were meeting in of some in the assembly who sought to small groups throughout the province of selfishly dominate the assembly with Achaia. The same would be true of the their particular gift. They were not be- assemblies of the disciples wherever having in their assemblies according to there were Christians in the first century. the gospel of love.

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 8 - Love-Organized Encounters 48 Some gifted individuals wanted to bers of the body in assembly were to re- exclude others from using their gifts in late with one another. Paul wrote, “Love the assembly. A teacher wanted to suffers long and is kind. Love does not present the only lesson of the assembly. envy. Love does not exalt itself, is not The song leader wanted to sing only his puffed up” (1 Co 13:4). 1 Corinthians list of songs. Our inquiry is how the 13, therefore, must first be understood Spirit, who determined the distribution and applied in the context of how Chris- of the gifts (1 Co 12:6,11), corrected their tians are to relate with one another in an assembly dysfunction in view of the prin- assembly context. After identifying the ciple that “everyone” must be given the Corinthians’ disorder when they came to- opportunity to exercise his gift when the gether, Paul introduced love-organized disciples come together in one place. assemblies with the statement, “And yet According to 1 Corinthians 13, the I show to you a more excellent way” (1 Spirit’s “order of assembly” was based Co 12:31). on the gospel of love by which the mem-

Chapter 8 LOVE-ORGANIZED ENCOUNTERS

Here is how we should interpret the of any assembly of the disciples, then instructions of 1 Corinthians 13 in the order always prevails in the assembly. context of Paul’s guidelines of love: The gifted must remember that their gift is given to them by the Holy Spirit. Love suffers long when several prophets The gift is not given to exalt one’s self in speak on and on because they have some- the presence of others, neither is the gift thing heavy on their hearts. Love does given in order that the receiver might seek not jump up and say, “It’s my turn.” Love to self-sanctify himself by the use of the does not sit there and listen, while think- gift. It is given in order to minister to ing, “I could teach better than him.” Love others. Love does not say, “We need to does not say, “I wish I were better than sing more songs because we sing in or- him.” Love is not puffed up and says, “I der to be right before God.” Leading am a better song leader,” or, “I can word singing is for the benefit of others, not a better prayer” or “I can preach that sub- for one’s self. In any assembly of the ject better.” Love does not dominate the saints, it is the love of the saints for one assembly by exalting one’s gift above oth- another that brings order to all assem- ers. blies. We minister our gifts for the love of others, not for the purpose of putting When the gospel of loving others as ourselves on display before others. “The Jesus loved us is made the foundation manifestation of the Spirit is given to ev-

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 8 - Love-Organized Encounters 49 eryone to profit all” (1 Co 12:7). (Some ment all the instructions of 1 Corinthians preachers need to rethink this point.) 11-14 in the assemblies of the typical Love encourages all things to “be modern large-assembly church. Now we done for edification” (1 Co 14:26). Love are getting to the point. In view of what prevents chaos because there is consid- Paul wrote, we will either have to pass eration for one another as members en- over some of the Spirit’s instructions of courage love and good works (See Hb 1 Corinthians 11-14 in reference to mu- 10:24,25). When others are speaking, tual edification within the assemblies, or love is considerate to be silent and listen we will have to change the structure of (1 Co 14:28). So to all the teachers, Paul how each one of us will function in the wrote, “For you can all prophesy one environment of a participatory assembly. by one so that all may learn and all may This is not to say that large assemblies be exhorted” (1 Co 14:31). are wrong. Paul wrote to correct disor- In early house assemblies, there was der in such assemblies. The purpose for given the opportunity for all those who the instructions of the 1 Corinthians 11- had a message to share with the group. 14 context were at least directed to the No one teacher excluded any other abuses that took place in the large pro- teacher by dominating the stage with his vincial assemblies. However, we must message. If more than one teacher was question the problems that can arise when present, then no one teacher was to domi- the orders of worship that are used to nate the assembly. The order was “one maintain harmony in large assemblies are by one,” not one excluding the others by brought into the context of a small group exalting his gift over the others. It is as- of disciples in a home. When such is sumed from Paul’s instructions, that those done, the “order” often brings stilted or who were gifted with teaching had to be formal relational behavior between broth- given an opportunity to teach. ers and sisters who assemble around a When assemblies are inclusive, then living room table.) they become totally different from the It seems that we have forgotten one chaotic assemblies of unbelievers. Love of the most important evidences that the inherently brings order. “For God is not unbelieving world can witness when we a God of confusion [as in the pagan as- are truly the disciples of Jesus. Jesus ex- semblies], but of peace, as in all the as- horted that by love “all men know that semblies of the saints” (1 Co 14:33). you are My disciples” (Jn 13:35). If our When “all the assemblies of the saints” assemblies are inclusive without being function in peace, then the world can see chaotic, then the world can see that love that there is something different about is functioning in our assemblies. How- those who assemble in peace (See 1 Pt ever, if there is little love, as in the Corin- 3:15). thian scenario, then there will be disor- (Some will agree that there is no der. And if the assemblies are not par- possible way for the disciples to imple- ticipatory where love can be revealed in

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 8 - Love-Organized Encounters 50 the harmonious function of all the par- that is based on structure or law, than ticipants, then those unbelievers who love. The structure of an “hour of wor- come into our assemblies cannot experi- ship” that sets between the bookends of ence the love by which we are to be two prayers reveals that the assembly is known as the disciples of Jesus. If the “unified” more on the foundation of in- assemblies of the Christians were orga- stitutional orders of assembly than on nized after the order of any temple as- love. After all, whoever would want to sembly, or according to law, then there is “open” our love for one another with a no opportunity for the unbeliever to wit- prayer, and then close one another off ness the love of God in action in the with another prayer after we have per- hearts of Christians who are actively par- formed an hour of ceremonies? ticipating in a relational assembly with If love is to be reflected in our mu- one another. tual participation in assembly, then love It is difficult to witness love in a would demand that our being together is large assembly of believers that is highly always too brief. We must keep in mind structured according to the mandate of that if the “uninformed” (unbeliever) at- an “order of worship.” Upon his visit to tends our assembly, it is not our “order the assembly, the unbeliever only wit- of performed worship” that will convict nesses the precision by which the attend- him (1 Co 14:23,24). It is love that con- ees can conduct an orderly assembly just victs. Therefore, unless our assembly is as the Gentiles. But if we take away the identified by the function of love, then it directive of an “order of worship,” and has lost its mark of identity as the church place the attendees in a living room as a of Christ, and its power to convict the small group, it is then that the visiting unbeliever. For this reason alone, it is unbeliever can experience love in action quite impossible for an institutionalized as the disciples function in a relational large assembly to be the medium through consideration of one another. which we can reach out to the unbeliever This should lead us to question our who may visit. In a large institutional- love for one another if our assemblies are ized assembly, all the unbeliever wit- chaotic. If we cannot have an assembly nesses is an order of assembly that is ex- of peace without an order of assembly ecuted with the precision of a parliamen- wherein everyone’s duties are organized tary assembly according to Robert’s Rules with specific times, then we are probably of Order. revealing our lack of love for one another. The good news about all this is that This is why the traditional religious most of the large assembly churches of culture of the “hour of worship,” that is the Western world are now using small enclosed between an “opening” and house fellowships through which they “closing” prayer, reveals more than we seek to manifest the love of Jesus to their would confess. The belief and behavior neighbors. They continue to have their of such assemblies reveal more “unity” large assemblies, but they have realized

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 8 - Love-Organized Encounters 51 that large assemblies alone do not present tached no “end time” to the time of speak- the opportunity for the members to love ing, or an end to the succession of the others as Jesus would have us be identi- participants. Maybe we need to read fied by our love for one another (Jn again the following instructions: 13:34,35). Large assembly churches that are not into small loving fellowships in If anyone speaks in a language, let it be the homes of the members are still bas- by two, or at the most by three, and each ing their “unity” on organization, charis- in turn, and let one interpret. But if there matic speakers, autocratic leadership, or is no interpreter, let him keep silent in “orders of worship.” the assembly, and let him speak to him- We must keep in mind that in the self and to God. Let two or three proph- Corinthian context, as well as the con- ets speak, and let the others judge. If text of all the disciples in the first cen- anything is revealed to another who is tury, the Christians met regularly in small sitting, let the first [sit down and] keep fellowships in their homes on a weekly silent. For you can all prophesy [teach] basis. For the occasional large assem- one by one so that all [the audience] may blies when the Christians of the entire learn and all may be exhorted. Now the province of Achaia came together in one spirits of the prophets are subject to the place, there was assembly chaos. At the prophets (1 Co 14:27-32). end of chapter 14, Paul deals with this problem. He corrected chaotic large as- We see no “closing prayer” to stop semblies in the context of the Achaians’ the preceding succession of speakers. occasional gathering together in one Since the “spirits of the prophets are sub- place. However, he was also correcting ject to the prophets” (1 Co 14:32), then small assemblies wherein the pride of we suppose that it is the decision of the some in the city of Corinth was causing speakers as to when to conclude the pro- disorder. Some were manifesting their ceedings of the assembly, and not the au- pride and arrogance in their assemblies dience. The number of speakers who had by the use of their gifts. Their assem- a message of exhortation must be given blies, therefore, were not based on love. the opportunity to minister their word of It seems that some were bringing their edification. If an “hour of worship” was behavior of the large assemblies of the enforced with a “closing prayer” before temple before they were Christians into all the speakers had an opportunity to the context of the small house fellow- speak, then the assembly would become ships. exclusive of some speakers. We must not forget that when Paul If the context of the 1 Corinthians did give some instructions concerning instructions was an occasional provincial “orders of assembly,” he stated that the assembly of all the members in the prov- leading participants should function or- ince of Achaia, then Paul was stating that derly by speaking “one by one.” He at- the assembly must go on until the last

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 52 speaker was finished. If the situation was of the small group assemblies that char- a regular weekly house assembly, then acterized the Christians for over three any speaker who did not have an oppor- centuries after the Pentecost of Acts 2. tunity to speak could come back next Because the early disciples implemented week if he so chose this “order.” The the gospel of love for one another, they final decision must be left to the speaker, easily followed the instructions of Paul: for he may have something heavy on his “Let all things be done properly and in heart that must be said. If several speak- order” (1 Co 14:40). This can be accom- ers had something heavy on their hearts, plished in assembly only when “love suf- then we would assume that loving pa- fers a long assembly and is kind to all tience on the part of the audience would speakers; love does not allow any speaker prevail. The assembly would continue to envy another speaker; love does not until all the speakers, “one by one,” com- allow speakers to exalt themselves over pleted their ministry of exhortation. This one another; and as a speaker, love does is what love for the word of God and the not allow one’s self to be puffed up as a speakers would do. Each one of us need speaker” (1 Co 13:4). The “order of as- to think about this the next time we look sembly” of the disciples is not written on at our watches during the end of the West- a chalkboard, or handed out on a piece ern 20-minute sermonette that has be- of paper. It is written on the hearts of all come so common. those who show up at the assembly with Now herein is the behavioral nature a spirit of love.

Chapter 9 FREEDOM AND LAW The law of God hangs on the two fectly in order to demand God’s favor. principles of loving God with all our The law of faith in God, Paul wrote, sets heart, soul and mind, and one’s neighbor aside any boasting in reference to any as himself (See Mt 22:36-40). Because proposed justification through perfect the law “hangs” on love, then freedom law-keeping (Rm 3:27). Paul continued from religion cannot exist without law. that we do not set aside all law because Those who respond to the love of God we trust in God’s justification (Rm 3:31). seek to know and do God’s will. They On the contrary, because we trust (have seek His will because the do not want to faith) in God’s love for us, we seek to return to religion which is based on the establish His law in our lives. It is by the law of man. law of faith, therefore, that Christians However, obedience to the will have been freed from the necessity of jus- (law) of God gives no opportunity to tifying themselves through the law-keep- boast because we have kept the law per- ing of religion. But if one has come out

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 53 of a religion of law-keeping, this is usu- tionalized in Egyptian captivity. They ally not the end of the story. now had to learn how to relate with God When one is released who has been and one another. They had to learn in imprisoned for many years by religion, the desert how to totally trust in Him. In he walks outside the prison doors. His the absence of the “meat pots” of secu- first feeling is to return to the security of rity in prison, they now had to walk by the prison. He has this feeling because faith in God to take care of them. he subconsciously, or consciously, real- Once one is molded by “bondage izes that now he must take ownership of mentality,” it is difficult for him to enjoy his freedom. He must determine for him- the spirit of freedom. The explorer can self how he will conduct his life. And wake up everyday with adventure on his herein is the purpose of law. Law must mind in reference to new things he might teach the newly released prisoner how to discover during the day. On the other conduct himself in society. When those hand, one who finds comfort in the tra- who have escaped the prison of religion ditions of his own religion has a very dif- first walk free, they cry out, “Abba, Fa- ficult time venturing outside that with ther.” They thus seek law from the which he is familiar. The common phrase Father in order to stay free from reli- we hear in reference to behavioral mat- gion. Jesus set them free through the jus- ters in Africa is that “it’s our culture.” tification of the cross. They stay free be- “It’s our culture” brings a certain predict- cause they live by the law of faith, and ability about life. It erases surprises, and thus need not resort to the perfect law- thus lends one to being unchangeable and keeping of religion in order to be justi- susceptible to religious traditionalism. fied before God. However, God deals with us in a manner When Israel was finally delivered by which we must deal with traditional from the bondage of Egyptian captivity, religiosity. We are set free from religion, the people had not yet reached Mount Si- but we must be brought into the instruc- nai before they complained to Moses and tions of His will by faith. If we do not Aaron about not having what was needed submit to His instructions (law), then we to survive in the wilderness. They com- will bring ourselves into the bondage of plained about it being better with the behavior that is contrary to the will of “meat pots” in bondage than in the free- God. We will be right back in the bond- dom of the Sinai Peninsula (Ex 16:3). age of religion. God knew that the people would But there can be a problem. The emotionally and spiritually be disoriented problem with a fear of freedom is that in their release from bondage. So the first we naturally seek to live according to our thing He did with the people was to traditions in order to feel secure, espe- march them straight to Mt. Sinai and give cially if the traditions have been handed them instructions (law) concerning social to us by our forefathers. In this way, the behavior. Their minds had been institu- one who is fearful of freedom does not

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 54 have to take ownership of his own faith, she is actually in bondage. No faith is even of the traditional religion that was challenged when one walks in bondage. handed to him by his forefathers. Some- Jesus, as Moses, came to set men one else determined the traditions, and free from bondage. In the case of Jesus now it is only the responsibility of the as the Deliverer, He would not only set heirs to continue the traditions. men free from the bondage of sin, He This is a very common problem would also set them free from the bond- because those who would be free of reli- age of Jewish religion. Jesus once said gion do not study their Bibles. They do to some Jews who believed in Him, “If not study because of their fear of discov- you continue in My word, then you are ering something that might be wrong with truly My disciples” (Jn 8:31). This was the religious heritage they have received not a problem at the time. But “those from their forefathers. Jews who believed in Him” had no idea As long as Israel lived in the bond- what He was saying or what was com- age of Egypt, they could easily complain ing. So Jesus continued, “And you will about the oppression of their taskmasters. know the truth, and the truth will make However, when the taskmasters were you free” (Jn 8:32). They did not under- taken away through Israel’s deliverance stand the freedom about which Jesus from bondage, the people complained in spoke. order to return to the taskmasters. For Religious people who are in the many years, they had developed a bond- bondage of their own religiosity have a age culture that gave them security, even difficult time understanding that they are though the burdens of slavery were dif- in bondage. The psychological reason ficult. At least they did not have to wake for this is simple. Religion is a system up each morning as an explorer and de- of belief and behavior whereby and termine by faith what they would do for wherein one finds satisfaction and secu- the day. The freed Israelites were men- rity in his own self-sanctifying perfor- tally disciplined to live under law, but in mances of his religious rites or Sunday their freedom, they were emotionally in- ceremonies. As long as the religionist secure. So through Moses, God contin- performs the rites of his religion, then he ued to march them to the holy mountain can live within the comforts of his own where they would be given law. religious village. “Bondage mentality” became a Keeping the religious culture of the problem among the disciples of the first fathers is comfortable. In doing so, one century. Most of the early disciples were need not take ownership of our own des- former Jews, and thus they had lived for tiny. This all sounds fine except for one centuries in the bondage of the Jews’ re- fact. The one in bondage to his own reli- ligion. The problem was that one who giosity of self-sanctification needs to lives in the comforts of religious bond- have little trust [faith] in God. If one can age usually never realizes that he or justify himself by keeping the traditions

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 55 of the religion, then God is kept off one’s Corinth, those who were freed by the back through perfect keeping the rites of gospel were delivered from the bondage the religion. of temple religiosity. But there was a So “those Jews who believed in” problem with some of the new converts. Jesus, responded to Jesus, “We are When Paul wrote to the disciples in Abraham’s seed and were never in bond- Corinth, he made the statement, “How- age to anyone. How is it that You say, ever, not everyone has this knowledge” ‘You will be made free’?” (Jn 8:33). This (1 Co 8:7). By “knowledge” he was re- is bondage denial! They had certainly ferring to the fact that there was no longer forgotten that they had 1,400 years be- any religious significance to eating meat, fore been delivered from Egyptian bond- which meat the weak still associated with age. They had 536 years before been de- the offerings at the temple. So for these, livered from the bondage of Assyria and he reminded everyone that “meat does Babylonia. And at the present, they were not commend us to God, for neither if we in the bondage of the Romans. eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat But Jesus was not speaking of be- are we the worse” (1 Co 8:8). He said ing in the bondage of another kingdom this for the sake of those disciples who power. It may have been that the reli- were still in the bondage of their past re- gious leaders were getting the point, and ligion in reference to eating meat that had thus, they complained that they were not been sacrificed to idols. in the bondage of their own religiosity. Those who had determined that But they were, and this was the bondage there was no religious significance to the from which Jesus would deliver them. eating of meat were using their freedom When religious bondage becomes the to eat without considering the con- culture of an individual, it is a fearful sciences of those who still had not grown thing to consider leaving that cultural out of their emotional attachment of meat security bondage. So in this context, the to temple religion. Their minds were still Jews may have been arguing against be- in bondage to former religious rites. Paul ing set free from what they did not con- reminded those who ate meat, “Knowl- sider to be the bondage of the Jews’ reli- edge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Co gion (Gl 1:13). 8:1). “However,” Paul continued, “not The revelation of the gospel through everyone has this knowledge [that there Jesus was a wake-up call, a culture shock is nothing religious about eating meat], of reality, and thus, a call to freedom from for some accustomed to the idol until now religion. But offering and giving free- eat meat as a thing sacrificed to an idol, dom to those who have been in bondage and their conscience being weak is de- has its risks. It is difficult for some to filed” (1 Co 8:7). adjust to freedom after coming out of The mature disciples who had es- institutionalized religion. caped temple religion had the freedom When gospel freedom came to to eat any meat. But they must forego

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 56 this freedom until those who were still wrote that for the free “all things are law- in the bondage of their consciences would ful, but all things are not expedient” (1 grow up in their freedom to disassociate Co 10:23). We have the freedom to func- meat from idol religion. But until then, tion where there is no law, but our free- Paul exhorted the mature, “But take heed dom must not infringe on the conscience lest somehow this freedom of yours [from of those who have not yet grown out of “religious meat”] becomes a stumbling the bondage of past religious rites. In block to those who are weak” (1 Co 8:9). the Corinthian situation, some of the new Though there were those still in the bond- Christians were struggling to enjoy their age of certain religious scruples associ- freedom in Christ. It was the responsi- ated with the eating of meat, those who bility of those who were mature in Christ, appreciated their freedom to eat must be therefore, not to seek their own good, considerate of the weak until they also “but everyone another’s good” (1 Co appreciate their freedom from religious 10:24). This is the law of love. rites that they had received from their Paul voiced the complaint of the fathers. free when he wrote, “For why is my free- However, the exhortation to those dom judged by another man’s con- still in the bondage of “temple religion” science?” (1 Co 10:29). In our freedom was that they must eventually grow until to function under grace, we must always they are as the strong and mature dis- remember our purpose as disciples. We ciples who had completely freed them- would do as Paul in these areas. “I please selves from temple religion. We learn all men in all things, not seeking my own from the Holy Spirit’s instructions in 1 profit, but the profit of the many, so that Corinthians 8 that we can escape sin in they may be saved” (1 Co 10:33). In baptism, but it takes time to free one’s some things, therefore, it is right to give mind from his former religious scruples. up one’s freedoms for the purpose of Through faith in God one must struggle drawing people to the love of God. It is to leave the “meat pots” in the bondage right to give up eating meat in a way that of religion, and free himself from all would encourage a brother to eat meat in binding traditions. Once one has been violation of his religious conscience. set free from sin in obedience to the gos- Love would dictate that the freedom to pel, he is indeed set from the bondage of eat meat should be sacrificed for the ben- temple religion when he grows up in efit of those who are growing out of their Christ. past idolatrous association of sacrificed Those who have already been set meat with idol worship. This is what love free from religion must be cautious with would do. their freedom. They must be consider- But at the same time, we would heed ate of those who are still struggling to the Spirit’s warning through the hand of set themselves free in their minds from Paul: the bondage of their past religiosity. Paul

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 57 Beware lest anyone take you captive the Galatians about not being entangled through philosophy and vain deceit ac- again in the bondage of religion, is warn- cording to the tradition of men, according enough that there is always a real pos- ing to the elementary principles of the sibility that Christians can return to the world, and not according to Christ (Cl prison of religious bondage from which 2:8). Christ delivered them. We fear when we hear no warnings from religious leaders Since we have “been buried with Him concerning these matters. The reason we [Christ] in baptism,” we are no longer are concerned is because there is little under the bondage of any “handwriting sensitivity in the Christian community of of [religious] ordinances” that Jesus returning to a religion of self-justifica- nailed to the cross (Cl 2:12,14). We have tion through the supposed perfect obedi- been set free from the religious ordi- ence of religious rites. nances that once kept us in bondage. Universalism is the belief that ev- When we obeyed the gospel of freedom eryone is religiously accepted before God through baptism into Christ, Christ set on the merit of their own religiosity. us free. Therefore, in our freedom from Universalism is always a threat to Chris- the legal rites of religiosity, we must be- tianity. When Christians start believing ware lest others come along in order to that everyone who believes in Jesus can bring us again into bondage. meritoriously find their way to heaven, There were those brethren who had then universalism has set in. When we moved into the area of the new disciples make Christianity a religious system of in Galatia. They had moved into the re- self-sanctification in order to be justified gion with intentions of bringing the new before God, then the universalist leads disciples in that region into the bondage himself to believe that everyone will be of a legal religiosity. Because legal reli- saved as long as they do good works and gion attacks the very core of the gospel, believe in Jesus. the book of Galatians was probably the We are as God who does not desire first inspired Scriptures to come forth that any should perish (1 Pt 3:21). But from the Holy Spirit. In this letter to de- the fact remains that Jesus said, “Not ev- fend Galatian disciples in their freedom, ery one who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ Paul warned, “Stand fast therefore in the will enter into the kingdom of heaven, liberty by which Christ has made us free, but he who does the will of My Father and do not be entangled again with a who is in heaven” (Mt 7:21). Universal- yoke of bondage” (Gl 5:1). ists must take a moment and consider the Freedom from religion is not some- fact that if everyone will be saved on the thing that should be taken lightly. It must merit of just being a good person, then be guarded. The fact that the Holy Spirit they have denied the gospel of Jesus. If warned the Colossians about others tak- one is free on the merit of his own per- ing them captive back into religion, and formance of deeds before God, then the

Dickson Biblical Research Library, www.africainternational.org Escape From Religion — Roger E. Dickson, ©2018: Africa International Missions, Hutchinson, Kansas U.S.A., Philadelphia, South Africa 9 - Freedom And Law 58 gospel was a useless effort on the part of century, some turned their freedom from God to so love the world through Jesus. law into a behavior to live unrighteously Therefore, there would have been no ne- and contrary to the law of Christ. These cessity for the incarnation. There was denied Jesus, thus denying the resurrec- no necessity for Jesus to suffer on the tion of the Son of God. Jude wrote of cross. If everyone is justified before God these apostates: on the merit of his own self-sanctifying good works, then there is no such thing For certain men have crept in unnoticed, as freedom in Christ. If we are all free to who were long before marked out for this do as we so choose, then there can be no condemnation, ungodly men who turn special freedom in Christ. the grace of our God into licentiousness According to Peter, there is a realm and deny our only Master and Lord, of freedom that Christians enjoy in Jesus Christ (Jd 4). Christ. Christians “live as free men” (1 Pt 2:16). We live free because we have Jesus came into the world to set us been set free from the religion of merito- free from the bondage of our own reli- rious justification through good works. gious selves (Lk 4:18). And if the Son However, as the free, Peter exhorted, “Do of God “will make you free, you will be not use your freedom as a covering for free indeed” (Jn 8:36). But if we deny evil” (1 Pt 2:16). Law was made for the our only Master and Lord, then we deny unlawful (1 Tm 1:9). But freedom from our freedom. We bring ourselves into law does not mean that the Christian is again the bondage of religion. free to live contrary to law. In the first