Destructive Religion And Joyous Living

Religion Perverts God’s Law

The pharisees determined that Jesus was not from God because He broke the Sabbath by healing on it. The law does state that no man shall work on the Sabbath but the Pharisees had come up with a long list of rules that classified as work.

There are three specific ones that Jesus had broken according to the Pharisaical law. Richard Philips defines it this way

John, Volumes 1 & 2 Twisted Minds

In healing the blind man, Jesus had violated the Pharisees’ law in three different ways. The first was when he spat on the ground and made a ball of clay, since they defined making clay as manual labor. Second, while the rabbis permitted healing on the Sabbath in the case of someone who was dying, they forbade it in cases in which the patient could wait. For instance, a doctor was not allowed to treat a toothache, and a person with a sprained ankle was forbidden to apply a cold cloth. Third, there was a specific injunction against applying saliva to the eyes, which Jesus had done in healing this man.

The pharisees had missed the intent of the law and turned it into one of the most miserable days of the week. Rather than people enjoying the rest that God intended on the Sabbath, the lived in a state of fear for violating it.

This is the very reason perversion of the law is noticeable. It promotes a sense of fear rather than a desired will to obey. Jesus puts it this way 1 John 5:3

1 John 5:3 NASB95

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

God’s laws are meant for our good and we should have a desire to want to keep God’s law. When man perverts God’s law, it becomes a burden to us when we fear the ramifications of man rather than God. Man’s interpretation will cause us to fear them when we fall short of their interpretation even if we are not convicted by the Holy Spirit.

We should seek the truth in the law and adhere to it in accordance to how the Holy Spirit guides us. When a pastor, elder, deacon, or any other church member dictates what you can and cannot do and doesn’t line up with God’s word, you should always question it. You should have respectful dialog and be willing to listen to one another. The deciding factor should always be the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

1 John 2:27 NASB95

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Modern perversions of the Law

Many people see the church as a place that has a lot of rules and regulations that suck the joy out of life. Unfortunately, in some instances they are correct.

Some people refuse to go to restaurants because they serve alcohol. They have been taught total prohibition from alcohol and anyone who consumes it is a sinner. This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible does teach not to get drunk. Ephesians 5:18

Ephesians 5:18 NASB95

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

Some people refuse to go to events when there will be dancing. I don’t know where they came up with this rule. But this is what the Bible says 2 Samuel 6:14

2 Samuel 6:14 NASB95

And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

Now I don’t dance because I can’t. This is why I do not go to a place that focuses on dancing.

When it comes to moral adherence, the word of God and the conviction of the Spirit should be our Guide.

Religion Robs Us of Joy

When Jesus healed the blind man, there was reason for tremendous joy, but the religious pharisees robbed all of the joy from everyone. They robbed it from the man who was born blind, it robbed his parents, and the Pharisees were even robbed of the joy.

Man born blind

The man who had been born blind and healed should have been rejoicing in the miracle of the Lord. Instead he was taken to the Pharisees for something that they said was wrong. He was accused of being a sinner and associating with the “sinner” Jesus. They believed Jesus was a sinner for violating the Sabbath.

This man had things to see that he had never seen before. Instead he is taken to a trial that robs Him of experiencing the joy of the miracle.

Blind Man’s Parents

The blind man’s parents should have been celebrating the healing of their son. Instead they were forced to give an answer for their son before the religious elite of the day. The Bible says they were fearful of being put out of the synagogue if they testified that Jesus was of God.

They could not express their true belief for fear of man’s restriction. I’m sure that they would want to worship Jesus for healing their son, but they were not able to because of their fear of man.

We face this today. We fear worship because of man made laws that prohibit us from that expression.

The Pharisees

The Pharisees were more interested in convicting Jesus than they were realizing the miracle that had just happened. They were more concerned over their own agenda rather than celebrating Jesus. They would have known that the Messiah was predicted to give sight to the blind. Isaiah 29:18

Isaiah 29:18 NASB95

On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

Isaiah 42:6–7 NASB95

“I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

They refuse to see the truth of the word of God because they were more concerned about their religion than they were the truth.

People can be like this today. A prime example is when they are more concerned about defending a doctrine rather than spreading the gospel.

I know that there is value in defending the truth but not at the expense of saving souls.

Relationship Give Life

After they threw the man out of the synagogue Jesus found him. He gave the healed man an opportunity to restore his joy. He asked him if He believed in the Son of Man. When the man answered affirmatively, he began to worship. This man’s eyes were taken off of the legalistic religion and put on a relationship with Jesus. His joy was found in relationship.

The Pharisees wanted this joy but were not willing to have the relationship with Jesus. Jesus told them that because they refused to see they were still in their sin.

Perhaps you are here this morning and you have been robbed of your joy because of some sin. Satan has convinced you that you cannot be a Christian because of this sin. If you are willing to repent of this sin and look to Jesus, your joy can be restored.

Maybe your here this morning and you have been hurt by someone in the church or by a church. Today is your day of healing. Take your eyes off of the hurt of the church and put them back on Jesus. You will find your joy and restore your worship>