Beware of the religious spirit !

Friday May 14, 2021

Beware of the religious spirit !

Acts 16.3 - Paul wanted to take him (Timothy) with him ; and taking him, he circumcised him for the sake of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

This passage surprises me a lot ! The apostle Paul was coming out of a "convention" where the problem of the circumcision of non-Jews had been discussed. The main leaders of the day were unanimous in deciding that this yoke should not be put on the “Gentiles” who were converting (see Acts 15.23–29). Paul had been a strong supporter of this option. And lo and behold, some time later, to please the Jews, he circumcised Timothy who would become one of his most faithful collaborators.

My beloved, let us be on our guard, because the religious spirit will always try to seduce us. Of course Paul avoided a lot of inconvenience by doing this, but was that a good motivation ? Be careful, the desire to please will very often lead us to compromise. In our Christian circles, the pressure is sometimes strong to fit into the religious mold. Don't give away the freedom that Christ has given you.

Religious rites and the life of the Spirit do not mix. The Lord Jesus was virulent against the religious traditions of his contemporaries, because He knew very well that religiosity kills life. My words may be strong, but the devil is as much behind the yoke of religion as he is behind the yoke of sin.

My beloved, let us be surprised by the power of life communicated by the Holy Spirit. Let us not hesitate to let Him upset our habits and our traditions. Let us be invaded by his innovative and creative thoughts and we will breathe the good air of freedom in Jesus.

Good reflection.

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministries)