Full Printed Booklet, available BEFORE church for every attendee. Word count 4,200. Time to preach. 40 minutes.
Toxic Religion
verses
Growing in Grace!
Study Number One - Introduction
March 06th 2007
Pastor Roger Spackman
Te Atatu Baptist Church
C:\…Preaching Teaching\Toxic Religion 01.doc
© Full permission to teach and adapt his material obtained from:
·David Riddell – WWW:LivingWisdom.co.nz.
Mentor, Supervisor and Brother in the Lord!
Allow me to ask you a couple of probing questions this morning.
‘What are you doing here at church today?’
Slide # 2 – ‘Dragged to church!’
‘What are your expectations – your reasons for coming to church this morning?’
‘Why have you come here today?’
Scripture makes it clear that ‘God gives us the desires of our hearts’.
That doesn’t always mean that what ever our hearts desire, God will give to us,
…but that God is able to change our hearts and put a desire to love and obey Him – within us!
To want to come into His presence and join with others to worship Him and learn of His ways for our lives.
But sometimes this takes an action or motivation on our own behalf, to desire to seek God and experience His touch upon our lives.
‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!’
One thing I know for sure, is that God will bless and reward you for coming here today!
For listening to the preaching of His holy Word!
You won’t leave here the same as you came in!
You know, it’s a valid question that I just asked you; ‘Why have you come to church today?’
In fact, it’s a question that I ask myself often.
One of the reasons I am here today, is summed up in a poster I have hanging on my office wall.
Slide # 3 – Scripture Rom 10:17
You see, I believe God has the power, and the desire to transform your heart and life today!
I believe without a shadow of a doubt that by listening to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, your faith will be increased today!
And it is true, that; ‘Without faith, it is impossible to please God!’
But it doesn’t stop there, and unfortunately much of the contemporary church of today – has stopped at the ‘faith’ level and refused to go any deeper.
You see, it’s easy to talk about ‘faith’, because somehow ‘faith’ is separate from the rest of our lives, from our character and personality.
But the reality is, that God does want to work in your heart, in your personality and character today.
The desire of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify your life – that means,
…to change your attitudes and your character more and more into the image of Christ as revealed through the Bible.
Slide # 4 – Photo – bound person
It is not healthy or right, to have been a Christian for ten, twenty or thirty years,
…and still harbour a critical spirit, unforgiveness, anger, lust, addiction or low self worth within our hearts and lives – within our character.
And if you identify with any of those areas this morning, then you need to stop excusing these things or ‘explaining them away’, and you need to get help, godly professional help.
And if the voices that just entered your head said something like;
‘It’s not really that big a problem’, or
‘You can fix this yourself if you really wanted to’, or even;
‘I don’t need others to help me, God will do it for me’.
If any of those statements just raced through your mind or emotions, then you need to understand that they are a lie of the devil to stop you finding true and lasting freedom in Christ.
And if they were true, then how come after so many years, you are still struggling with those areas, and you haven’t been miraculously or instantaneously delivered?
If this describes your situation, then you need help, my friend, and you need to admit it.
Because the purpose of the Cross is two fold, first for salvation, and then for sanctification.
If you have missed out on either of these two purposes, then I know for a certainty – you are living an unhappy and unfulfilled life!
My goal this morning, is to ‘draw you’ into this message – and in doing so, draw you closer to the heart and grace of a loving Heavenly Father who wants His best for all His children.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to draw out a desire for God from within your deepest being and longings.
Because one thing I hate with a vengeance, is going to a church service and being bored to tears.
Slide # 5 – Asleep photo
I hate being bored!
Can anyone say ‘amen’ to that?!
I promise you, you will not be bored today!
I’ll make a deal with you.
I promise to hold your attention for the entire next thirty minutes, and if at any time you get bored or tired – or if I loose your attention, you can either get a cup of coffee, have a nap, or leave the buildings entirely!
Slide # 6 – Hour glass!
It’s been said that the purpose of preaching, is to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable!
Basically, I want to ‘push your buttons’, to encourage, motivate and inspire you to live your lives fully for God!
In fact, when I was helping with Traffic Control at the recent Parachute festival at Mystery Creek, the title given to me by my good friend Stan, was, ‘Looking For Trouble!’
My job was to ride around on my motor bike, look for trouble, and sort it out.
And if your heart or life is in trouble this morning, God’s holy Word is going to ‘seek you out’ and bring you comfort, challenge, and shower you with His love and grace!
One of my goals for this year, for this church, is summed up in two words,
‘Authentic Participation!’
That means getting each one of you to enter fully into the life of the church, joining a small group, entering fully into worship and the preaching of His holy Word.
Slide # 7 - Scripture
And in light of this, please turn in your Bibles to John 8:31-32
In this verse, Jesus tells those who believed in Him, to ‘hold’ to My teaching.
The KJV translates it correctly where it says, ‘If you continue in my word – then you are my disciples indeed.’
It’s not enough to remain ‘babes in Christ’ all our lives.
We are to grow, to continue to grow in our understanding and obedience to the Word and the Spirit of God.
It is a journey, a discovery of learning and insights.
It’s a life-time journey of learning to ‘fall in love’ with the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we continue on the journey of knowing and loving Christ, we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free!
But, the question that must be asked.
From what shall we be set free???
In the context of this verse, Jesus was talking to both legalistic and believing Jews.
Jesus assured them that by abiding in Christ, they will be set free from the legalism of their interpretation of Scripture, and free to find Christ and eternal life through the Scriptures.
Slide # 8 - Photo of Cross
The trouble was, that many of these Jews were so set in their minds about what they believed about the Scriptures, that they were in bondage to them, and instead of being free, were bound and restricted.
Isn’t that an interesting thought, that somebody could actually be in bondage to Scripture, making it say what they wanted it to say, instead of the truth of what was intended by the author!
They were so intent in looking into the scriptures, that they failed to look though them, and in doing so – find God in Christ!
Instead of bringing truth and freedom, their understanding of God and the Scriptures brought bondage and legalism.
Can you see, and perhaps relate to this?
They tried to find God within, or as the scriptures, and failed to understand that the Scriptures were not an end unto themselves,
…but they served the purpose of pointing them to God through Christ - as revealed within the Scriptures, both OT and New!
Romans calls the Old Testament a ‘schoolteacher’ to teach, and point us to Christ.’
But they were so consumed with the Scriptures as an end unto themselves,
…that they failed to see and understand the purpose of the scriptures as a tool of God to point and instruct His people towards His love and salvation.
Slide # 9 – Out of focus photo
They lost focus by being overly focused!
With great respect and reverence, may I suggest that the same may be true of many God-fearing Bible-believing Christians today.
Let me ‘unpack’ that statement a bit, and explain what I mean.
You see, I’ve explained to you how many times – as Christians – we fail to understand how God wants to transform and change our character and personality,
…and how many Christians are totally unaware of how God actually does this,
…and how these things – our past, our family life, our childhood, our personality and character – affects or distorts our understanding about God and the Bible.
Now I want to give you an example, to enable you to get the ‘ahhh’ factor.
Slide # 10 – Sunset photo
‘Ahhh, now I understand!’
One of the saddest discoveries over the last nine years of pastoral ministry and fulltime Biblical study,
…has been the realization of how much New Age Cosmic philosophy and psycho-babble has crept its way into the contemporary church of today.
But the saddest thing about all of this, is that the majority of pastors, leaders and teachers who understand and know these things,
…who know the truth – are actually afraid to teach or preach it to their people!
During one of my papers at BCNZ, I read one of the most alarming sentences of my life.
It was within a theological book on the gospel of John.
After an honest disclosure and exposition of that gospel, it closed with these words:
‘It would be best that you didn’t preach or teach the members of your congregation the truth about what you have just read. They probably would not be able to accept or understand it.’
Slide # 11 – Hiding from the truth photo
And yet Jesus said, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!’
You know what I’ve discovered over the last seven years of preaching and teaching the Word of God?
Many well meaning, God fearing and Bible believing Christians do not want to know the truth!
Although this may surprise you, allow me to explain this statement:
Often times we have accepted or developed misconceptions and misunderstandings about God and the Bible – based around our own experiences or deficits, me included!
And because they are so ingrained into our own personality and dysfunctions –
…many Christians are not willing or prepared to face the pain and effort to change not only their understanding about God, but about themselves, their personality and their past.
Such as one young woman who had suffered a terrible accident while a non-Christian that left her maimed for life.
This lady believes God punished her for her unbelief and therefore she is disabled for life, and if she doesn’t take every word of Scripture literally, God will punish her again.
I asked her about the passage of Scripture that tells us to ‘cut off our right hand, or pluck out our right eye if it causes us to sin’, asking her if this too was meant to be taken literally.
‘Yes’, she replied; ‘Along with every word of Scripture, we must take it literally and obey it!’
‘Then why do you still have two hands and two eyes?’ I asked her.
‘That’s where the doctrine of grace comes into play.’ She replied.
“God expects every one of us to do this literally, but because we don’t have the strength or will-power to do this, God forgives us and showers us with His grace – that’s why Jesus died on the Cross!’
This, my brothers and sisters, is a FALSE GOSPEL based upon the hurt and life experiences of this unhappy person, and their misconception of God because of them.
This woman didn’t understand that growing in Christ means growing in self-awareness and growth of character.
It means allowing Christ to bring healing to our hurts, changing our sorrow into joy, our mourning into dancing, and turning our pain into purpose.
Now, although this is an extreme, many Christians today, to greater or lesser degrees, have formed God, the Bible, and Christianity into what THEY think it is or should be.
It’s as if there are at least two stages to our journey as Christians.
1. The first is when we come to Christ, and form a perception of who WE think God should be.
2. The rest of the journey, is when we discover this truth and misconception, and seek to find God for who HE is in Himself – in truth and reality – outside, above and beyond what we think or expect Him to be.
And the same needs to be said about His holy Word, the Bible.
Sadly, like the well meaning Jews, some Christians today have even turned the Bible into an idol, and true-grace into legalistic-grace.
I will explain these things later, and help us find truth and freedom.
In a nutshell, the theological term for this is Isogesis – which describes a person who doesn’t understand how their own experiences, prejudices, culture and personality impacts upon how they view and understand God and Scripture.
Basically, they lack personal insight and self-awareness of how their own fallen human nature DOES impact how they view, understand and relate to both the Bible, God and the church.
The opposite, and the positive side that we should seek to attain to, is Exegesis.
Simply put, exegesis is the understanding of Scripture and Christianity within it’s cultural, geographical, historical, emotional, and grammatical genre in which it is written!
It describes a person who has self-awareness and personal insight into how their own personality, upbringing, personal challenges and culture impacts upon how they view God, Scripture and Christianity.
It describes a person who has allowed the Holy Spirit of God to continue a work of transformation upon their character and life!
A healthy Christian who can look themselves in the mirror, see below the surface, and say with confidence and grace, ‘I know who I am as a child of God!’
That’s why Christianity can never be done in secret or private.
That’s why the charismatic awakening of a ‘personal relationship with Christ’ – while true and healthy and good, has become destructive at times, making people think they don’t need relationships of accountability and community with other believers.
That’s why many teachers and preachers are afraid to tell the truth to their congregations, because they know many people cannot handle the truth.
And if they don’t like what they hear,
…will leave that church and go somewhere else there they will ‘have teachers who will teach them only what they want to hear, and ‘tickle their ears’ with watered down doctrines.’
Well, do I have your attention yet!
Stay with me on this exciting series, and I promise you – you will not be disappointed.
You might even discover some insights about your heart and life, and grow into a more healthy and mature person as a result.
Just a word of warning – this might not be easy.
It might even be uncomfortable for you.
But please, don’t leave the church – or shoot the messenger!
It’s a fact, that it requires a lot of energy and effort for a little chick to peck its way out of the egg into new life.
And if you help a butterfly escape from the chrysalis, it will die.
Slide # 12 – Butterfly photo
You see, painful as it is, both the chick and the butterfly MUST expel an enormous amount of effort and struggle in order to find new life.
If you help them, they will probably die, because it is at the exact time of most intense effort and struggle, that the chick and the butterfly develop the strength to survive.
This will be hard to understand for those of us who are ‘rescuers’ of others in trouble.
But, sometimes, we can do more harm by ‘helping and rescuing’ others, than if we simply prayed for them, and committed them to the grace of God.
Sometimes God takes people through the ‘hard times’ of conflict, pain and suffering, in order to develop and mature their character.
Remember, hard times are not bad times when viewed from God’s eternal perspective and purposes.
And by ‘rescuing’ others, we sometimes do them more harm than good, and actually fighting against the will of God for their lives.
Often times, if a person is a chronic ‘rescuer’ or ‘defender of the helpless’, it is because they are still longing to be rescued themselves,
…often from a horrific injustice in their own lives, usually from their childhood.
Slide # 13 – Photo of man on beach.
One of the hardest discoveries about our Christian faith, is the understanding that our relationship with God and His holy Word is directly related to our growth and maturity as both a Christian and our personal character.
First comes the cross for salvation, then comes the cross for sanctification – our growth, maturity and development as a child of God – including the healing of our pain and hurts, and the development of our personality and character.
The purpose of this series of studies on Toxic Religion verses Growing in Grace, is to help us to understand and view God, the Bible, and Christianity - in a healthy and honest way.
I struggle more than many of you will ever know or understand, to bring these series of Bible studies over the next few weeks.
I struggle, because I know that the truth, although it sets us free, is hard to accept.
Rather than accept the truth that Christ come to bring, His very beloved ones crucified Him, rather than change their hearts.
Such is the degree that people – even devoutly religious people – will go to, to protect the pain and prejudice within their hearts and lives.
One thing I will not do, is be afraid to preach and teach the truth – in love.
Today I will briefly outline the topic of each area of Toxic Religion that exists within the church today.
As we cover each topic in more detail in the weeks to come, I will also offer heaps and heaps of encouragement, truth, Scripture and freedom to make you feel happier and satisfied.
Slide # 14 – Toxic lollies graphic
They are TOXIC, in that although many of these beliefs and teachings look nice and good, if you are exposed to them, (or come into contact with people who believe them) it will hurt you, burn you, or eat you away from the inside out,
…sometimes years after you have had exposure to it, unless you receive the antidote of truth to set you free!
These studies will also be a mirror in which we see our own reflection, heart and character, and allow the Truth of God’s word heal and transform our lives.
Allow me to briefly describe the topics we will cover throughout this interesting and fascinating series of studies:
Slide # 15 Photo - Reincarnation
1. Spiritual fatalism ‘Whatever will be- will be!
This is a Christian version of Hindu ‘fatalism’, accepting everything as either from the hand of God, or an attack of the devil! It is a failure to understand the power God has given to us – to make decisions for ourselves!
Slide # 16 Photo – Revival photo
2. We don’t need counselling, we will all be fixed when God ‘zaps’ us in the revival!
Again, a Christian version of ‘Magic thinking’, or even an expression of our ‘instant’ society where we expect God to be like our morning coffee, on the boil and instant!
Slide # 17 Photo - Pope
3. Veneration (exaltation/full obedience) towards any person’s teachings
This main ingredient for a cult leader – or a follower – is to accept this person’s word as ‘being from God’ without questioning it or verifying it against truth and reality. ‘Prophecies’ that govern and direct people’s lives like tarot cards or horror-scopes fall into this category!
Slide # 18 – Hiding from the truth
4. Simply Forget Whatever Lies Behind – denial of reality
Usually based upon ONE Scripture in an attempt to avoid dealing with the issues of our past that hold us back like anchors! Often these hurts manifest themselves in unhealthy and destructive ways, even as motivation and ‘fuel’ for ministry – and become addictive.
Slide # 19 – Music concert
5. Encounter with the Holy Spirit or Religious Concert?
When God’s Spirit leaves the building, many churches ‘turn up the volume’, usually with music and emotions! While these areas are not wrong in themselves, it does become wrong when used to hypnotise Christians. Believe me – it happens – often!!!
Slide # 20 Photo - Peacekeeper
6. Harmony is a Christian’s top priority
Harmony is NOT the top priority, God and His Truth are! Sometimes we need to ‘speak up’ in order to bring harmony. Even ‘Peace Keepers’ in foreign lands carry weapons and ‘back people into corners’ in order to being lasting peace!
Slide # 21 Photo - Prescription
7. If it’s in the Bible, it must be prescriptive for every life
Literalism is very dangerous, and an inability to understand the many different genres of grammar within the Bible. The Bible becomes an idol.
Slide # 22 Photo – Woman power!
8. A Christian woman must not challenge or instruct a man
This is a horrible belief that whole generations have believed in the past, often based upon the cultural misunderstanding of one or two verses of Scripture. Sometimes it is a manifestation of misogyny – meaning, a cultural mistrust and disrespect of women. It is prejudice and racism at its worst! Truth is not limited to gender.
Slide # 23 Photo Blueprint
9. God has a perfect ‘blueprint’ for my life
This misconception is often held by people with a ‘black and white’ mentality and view on life. This mentality is compared to ‘walking a tightrope’, miss God’s will even by a small amount, and you might fall into shark infested waters below.
Slide # 24 – Alone photo
10. God really doesn’t need me!
Often based in low self esteem. You are unique, there is no Heavenly Photocopier that makes duplicates. God loves YOU so much, that He would rather die than live without you!
Slide # 25 – Juggling commitments
11. Commitment Gospel
Often called the ‘Contemporary Gospel of Commitment’, often preached and enforced by insecure Church leaders. We are saved by grace, not performance or commitment!
Slide # 26 – Photo - confused
12. Behaviourism confused with sanctification
Often following literally some verses in the Bible without considering others, such as always ‘turning the other cheek’ and therefore allowing bullying or abuse to continue.
Slide # 27 – Photo insane
13. Hyper-faith, followed by the emotionally insecure
Many, many times, hyperfaith is actually based in emotional or mental illnesses! We are to be ‘transformed by the RENEWAL of our minds, not the removal! Real faith is not blind faith!
Slide # 28 – Photo servanthood
14. Servant-hood as the ultimate ideal. Today, many Christians have confused servant-hood with stewardship! Are we servants of Christ, or His stewards??!
Slide # 29 – Photo mean judge
15. The Vindictive God
A view of a vindictive and insecure God who doesn’t obey His own commandments to ‘love your enemies’. Seeing God as a harsh judge instead of a loving father. Often the view of those without a natural and loving father themselves.
Slide # 30 – Icon Alpha
16. Crushing our Curiosity
Those who are well meaning, but have equated doubt as sin, therefore shutting down honest questions and doubts that should be asked along the journey of faith.
Slide # 31 – Photo burnout
17. J.O.Y. Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last!!!
Ouch! Well meaning, but actually quite dangerous and a recipe for burnout!
Slide # 32 – Photo Running to win!
18. The new gospel of excellence
Also known as triumphalism. Confuses the blessing of God with materialism and prosperity, forgetting that Christ didn’t even have a home or bed to call His own.
Slide # 33 – Graphic Skeletons in closet
19. Baptised bruises
When an existing damaged personality comes to Christ, and instead of finding freedom and healing, that dysfunction is ‘baptised’ or channelled into serving God, but still out of pain and hurt.
Slide # 34 – Graphic Trinity
20. The Trinity just grew to Four!
In their enthusiasm and eagerness to please God, many Christians today have elevated the Bible as divine, and have grown the Trinity from Three to four!
Slide # 35 – Graphic Horror scope
21. Magic prayers!
Treating prayers and prophecies like magic potions or horoscopes, believing more in the prayers that in the One who hears and answers prayers.
Well, I want to finish where I began today.
Allow me to ask you a couple of probing questions this morning.
‘What are you doing here at church today?’
Slide # 36 – ‘Dragged to church!’
‘What are your expectations – your reasons for coming to church this morning?’
‘Why have you come here today?’
Scripture makes it clear that ‘God gives us the desires of our hearts’.
That doesn’t always mean that what ever our hearts desire, God will give to us,
…but that God is able to change our hearts and put a desire to love and obey Him – within us!
And sometimes this takes an action or motivation on our own behalf, to desire to seek God and experience His touch upon our lives.
‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!’
One thing I know for sure, is that God will bless and reward you for coming here today!
For listening to the preaching of His holy Word! You won’t leave here the same as you came in!
Slide # 37 – Poster of Psalm 34
Let’s pray together!
So – how do I become a Christian?
The central theme of the Bible is God’s love for you and for all people. This love was revealed when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. Because Christ died, your sins can be forgiven, and because He conquered death you can have eternal life. You can know for sure what will become of you after you die.
You have probably heard the story of God’s love referred to as the "Gospel." The word Gospel simply means "Good News." The Gospel is the Good News that, because of what Christ has done, we can be forgiven and can live forever.
But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly accept it. God requires an individual response from you. The following verses from the Bible show God’s part and yours in this process:
God’s Love Is Revealed in the Bible
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." —John 3:16 (NIV)
God loves you. He wants to bless your life and make it full and complete. And He wants to give you a life which will last forever, even after you experience physical death.
We Are Sinful
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." —Romans 3:23 (NIV)
You may have heard someone say, "I’m only human—nobody’s perfect." This Bible verse says the same thing: We are all sinners. We all do things that we know are wrong. And that’s why we feel estranged from God—because God is holy and good, and we are not.
Sin Has a Penalty
"For the wages of sin is death." —Romans 6:23 (NIV)
Just as criminals must pay the penalty for their crimes, sinners must pay the penalty for their sins. If you continue to sin, you will pay the penalty of spiritual death: You will not only die physically; you will also be separated from our holy God for all eternity. The Bible teaches that those who choose to remain separated from God will spend eternity in a place called hell.
Christ Has Paid Our Penalty!
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." —Romans 5:8 (NIV)
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, has paid the penalty for all your sins. You may think you have to lead a good life and do good deeds before God will love you. But the Bible says that Christ loved you enough to die for you, even when you were rebelling against Him.
Salvation Is a Free Gift
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." —Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself: forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God’s gift to you is free. You do not have to work for a gift. All you have to do is joyfully receive it, Believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you!
Christ Is at Your Heart’s Door
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." —Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. Picture, if you will, Jesus Christ standing at the door of your heart (the door of your emotions, intellect and will). Invite Him in; He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life.
You Must Receive Him
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." —John 1:12 (NIV)
When you receive Christ into your heart you become a child of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer at any time about anything. The Christian life is a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.
Although being a Christian is a life long journey, it often starts with a decision of the will.
You must choose to follow Christ. You can’t ignore this choice, the Bible says that you are: either for Him or against Him.
There really is no neutral ground! If you are wanting to follow Christ today, you can choose to do so RIGHT NOW!
When you are ready, you can pray a simple prayer like the following.
Please remember, this prayer has no ‘power’ of its own, the only power to save, is in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Dear Lord Jesus
I believe in You! I believe in Your holy Word, the Bible and all it has to say about the love and forgiveness You have towards me. I want to receive this love, receive Your forgiveness. I ask You to come into my heart and life and make me Your child! Please help me to repent – to stop doing the things that are wrong and hurtful towards You, other people, and myself. Give me the strength to follow You for the rest of my life.
In Jesus Name I pray.
Amen
If you are making this commitment to Christ today, please let us know. We would like to send you Bible study materials to help you grow in your faith.
Ps Roger Spackman
Te Atatu Baptist Church
TABC@xtra.co.nz
448 Old Te Atatu Road
Te Atatu Peninsula
