My Dear Friend,

For centuries many Christians have been drawn to religiousness, while others were busy searching for realism. Let's examine these two spiritual magnets to discover what they are and which we should seek.

Let me begin by asserting, this is no insignificant or merely academic study! Why? One of these two things leads to heaven, the other to hell. Yes, it's that serious.

Religiousness is a beautiful, man-made robe covering unredeemed souls with a facade of pious behavior, good works, and ornate worship. Realism intentionally removes this impressive wrapping and chooses to simply believe a God-planned salvation, receive a God-sent Savior, follow a God-designed life-path, and worship the God-desired way.

Religiousness leads its followers to trust in their religious and charitable good works "seen of men" (Matthew 23:5). Realism trusts Christ's redeeming work on the cross and lives the life "hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). Its "works" are quiet, unobtrusive obedience to God, faithful use of its God-given gifts, and humble service to others, often the least noticed and valued, to be seen by Christ (Colossians 3:23).

Religiousness prompts one to act righteously, which often leads to religious play-acting or hypocrisy - consistently pretending to be what one has no intention of becoming. Realism reminds its disciples to be righteous by being themselves in Jesus, which decreases self-consciousness, increases Christ-consciousness, and prevents hypocrisy.

Religiousness emphasizes the regular and dutiful public reading of precisely worded, long-respected creeds and confessionals. Realism confesses childlike confidence in its Living Creed, Jesus, whose divine nature, words, and works it deeply trusts and loves.

Religiousness is satisfied to put an elaborate liturgical covering - a mystical, ritualistic enchantment, if you will - of reverend ceremonies, sacred songs, and beautiful sanctuaries, and biblical symbols over essentially unchanged people. Overawed by God's awesome being and holiness, realism moves its worshipers to honestly examine themselves daily, humbly confess and forsake all sins, and, growing in sanctification, draw near God in His "new and living way" of life and worship (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Religiousness prioritizes studying and debating doctrine more than devotional Bible reading, prayer, and worship in the "secret place" (Psalm 91:1; Matthew 6:6). Moved by an insatiable need to experience God's presence and feed richly on His Word, realism reverses this order, pursuing devotion first, and then doctrinal studies.

Based on tradition alone, religiousness asserts infant baptism and confirmation ceremonies are saving and Spirit-endowing works of grace. Based on God's Word, realism asserts salvation is received only by a spiritual rebirth (John 1:12-13; 3:1-8) and the Spirit's fullness only by the Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11-12; John 4:10-14; Acts 1:5, 8).

Religiousness assumes worship must occur in steepled or domed religious structures. Realism knows worship requires only a surrendered heart, not a special place, and can be offered anywhere - in a house or cave, by rivers or under trees - as long as it expresses heartfelt adoration for God's worth-ship in "spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24).

Religiousness evaluates ministers by seminary training, denominational affiliation, speaking skills, and ministerial recommendations. Realism looks for a divine call, a confirmed gift, the Spirit's anointing, accurate biblical insight, a consecrated life, experiential knowledge of God, and proven ability to help Christians mature spiritually (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Religiousness holds formal services preplanned to the last detail - and not to be interrupted by even the Holy Spirit moving to help those in great need! Realism holds informal meetings where: the order of worship permits the orderly interruptions of the Spirit; all believers may contribute (1 Corinthians 14:26); and Jesus is the unrivaled center of attention, for "unto Him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:10).

Religiousness needs visible and audible things - robes, vestments, miters, staffs, statuettes, stained glass, towering sanctuaries, sacred chants, choirs, pipe organ music, processionals - to induce worship. By the simple, Spirit-aided sight of faith alone, realism envisions the invisible Godhead present among His people and needs nothing else to flow in heartfelt songs, worship, and praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The ministers of religiousness love titles - "Father," "Reverend," "Pastor," "Bishop," "Doctor," "Deacon," "Apostle" - and feel overlooked, even insulted, if addressed by name only. Comfortable with or without titles, realism's ministers see themselves soberly and all believers as equally valued members of Christ's body.

Sadly, religiousness (in high and low churches) often creates a prideful sectarian attitude that imagines God specially favors its organization over others. Realism knows "God does not show favoritism" (Acts 10:34, NIV) but loves and honors every Christian "tribe" that honors Him, His Word, and His ways (1 Samuel 2:30).

Religiousness increases as vibrant faith, devotional zeal, and personal obedience decrease - until religiousness alone remains. Realism nourishes faith, zeal, and obedience by steady Bible teaching and Spirit-filled worship until, thriving spiritually, it doesn't need the lifeless symbols and rituals that prop up religiousness.

Tragically, religiousness often draws the most followers, though it fails to satisfy their hearts' hidden thirst to truly know and regularly experience Jesus. Realism has fewer followers, yet deeply and often satisfies their trial-weary hearts with the Holy Spirit's refreshing, spiritual water given by Reality Incarnate, who promised, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst [again]" (John 4:14).

Religiousness breeds an unspoken blind trust in its organizations' many years, decades, or even centuries of tradition. So many cannot be so wrong so long about so many doctrines and practices! Aware of church history, realism understands truth is determined by God's Word alone, not tradition, and that long-established churches have often erred and fallen into shocking sin, heresy, and confusion. So, it trusts in the truth of the infallible Bible, not the doctrines of the fallible church.

Simply put, religiousness never saved a soul, raised a mature Christian, launched a Spirit-inspired movement, or transformed a culture. When pursued faithfully, realism has never failed to produce all these core kingdom activities.

Historically, religiousness infiltrated the church on a large scale during the reign of Constantine, who changed it by introducing elements of pagan worship: ornate vestments, processionals, incense, choirs, and other things not previously part of church life. These unbiblical changes have continued with us.

But Christ has never needed nor approved them, nor stopped trying to remove them! As Christians persisted in seeking religiousness down the centuries He persisted in sending periodic "new things" (Isaiah 43:18-19), or new spiritual movements by remnant groups with brave leaders and loyal followers willing to buck the religious trend and return to realism: simpler, truer, biblical, ecclesiastical practice. They found that reality in the original pattern of church life and worship seen in Acts and the Epistles, and faithfully followed that "pattern shown thee in the mount" (Hebrews 8:5) in humble yet unapologetic separation from their religious yet less biblical peers.

Every time these movements arose, these courageous revivalists and reformers paid a price for hungering after realism - yet simultaneously received rich, inward, spiritual compensations. By fully following the Real One, they experienced His deeply satisfying fullness: His full presence; full insight into His Word; the fullest anointings of His Spirit; full discernment of His voice and hand; full knowledge of their times and God's plan; and His fullest degree of kingdom fruit. Why review this?

It is time for another "new thing." In these last days, God will use realists, not religionists, in His great final work. At Jesus' first coming, His real disciples followed Him; the religious people crucified Him! This spiritual trend continues to this day. The devotees of religiousness still persecute the followers of reality.

So, where are the Christians who thirst for spiritual reality today? Enough to pay the price the Redeemer and His realists paid before us, while joyfully drinking in all the rich, inner spiritual compensations of Christian reality?

Thirsting for spiritual reality,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES