Articles from this month's issue of the
Berean News

Perspective - Religious Externalism

by Larry Urbaniak

The Apostle Paul was both hurt and upset when he wrote the letter to the Galatians. Titus had given him a very disturbing report about the situation there. Paul's letter refers to both personal attacks on his character and credentials and a perversion of the gospel message.
Not one to "pull his punches", Paul asks them: "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Much of the letter concerns the debates of faith vs. works and grace vs. law. You don't earn your salvation. It is clearly and only a gift of God. If, however, you have real, honest-to-goodness faith, it will be demonstrated through works.

The author Chuck Missler labels the book of Galatians "a call out of religious externalism." We often have a tendency to evaluate a person's spiritual commitment level by the number of religious activities he or she is engaged in. This is not a good measure at all. Paul associates this with the law and/or works. And while religious activities can be very beneficial to one's spiritual growth and development, they can also be a very poor barometer of spirituality.

I have now been retired for four years. I lead a rather busy life. I obviously have much more time available for me to choose how to use than I did when I was working and raising a family. I am able to spend more time in church activities and in Biblical pursuits and study than previously. And I do. Hopefully this is beneficial to our church and to me spiritually. But such religious externalism does not necessarily transfer itself into internal spiritualism.

Paul makes it clear that the measure of spiritual growth is the fruit of the spirit. He lists nine such fruit. The first three, love and joy and peace, are of the heart. The next three, longsuffering and gentleness and goodness, relate to my neighbors and my brethren. The last three, faith and meekness and self-control, relate to God. The value (or lack thereof) of my religious activities can only be measured through the lens of the fruit here listed.

We are called out of simple religious externalism. We are called into internal spiritualism. What is the condition of my heart? Is it being controlled and monopolized and transformed by God's spirit? Am I in love with my Lord Jesus Christ? If so, my life will naturally (maybe spiritually is a better choice here) show it. My life cannot be perfected by works of the flesh, even religious ones, but only through the transforming power of God freely given to me by grace. May I be still enough to let God do His work in and hopefully through me.

Roy's Reflections -
Learning from the Valley Experiences

Ebenezers - 2 Chronicles 34 & 35

Call me Josiah. My father was King Amon, who was 16 years old when I was born. When I was eight, my father’s servants murdered him because he did not honor the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. The people of the land slew the conspirators, and made me the king, even though I was so young. Of course, I was only a figurehead until my 16th birthday. Actually, the high priest, Hilkiah, was really making the decisions of state. Hilkiah honored and served the true God of King David, and I’ve learned much from that man of God. It was Hilkiah who taught me of our father Abraham, who, because of his faith, was given this land where I abide. He taught me of Isaac, who was willing to give himself as a sacrifice to God. He taught me of Jacob, who labored fourteen years for the woman he loved. He taught me the wisdom of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, and Samuel. Oh, how I loved the story of Samuel! He was such a wise man, who understood the importance of remembering what the Lord has done for us. That’s what the Ebenezer Rock was all about, and it was Samuel who gave us that concept. May I never forget it! Had my father understood it, he would not have been slain. King David understood the philosophy of Ebenezers. Yes, he made some huge mistakes, but he knew where to return and repent. David was a man of passion, and I share that passion.

When I was 20 years old, I decided enough was enough. Judah and Jerusalem would be purged of idol worship and false gods. We broke down the altars of Baal, we pulverized the graven images, and we cut down the high places throughout the land of Israel. Our purpose was clear: Honor and vindication for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When the purges were done, I was 26 years old. The next step was obvious: restore what was lost. The temple had been desecrated and neglected for far too long. I put Hilkiah in charge of that effort, and he assembled and oversaw our finest workmen to repair and restore the temple. As the work progressed, Hilkiah made a discovery for which he had prayed with all his heart! Under a pile of totally useless stuff, Hilkiah found a treasure beyond words and value. He found a book of the law given by Moses. Many years earlier, the book of the law was read to all the people every seven years. But then, evil kings before me, in their never-ending quest to be like all the other kingdoms around us, forsook the true God they could not see for the false gods they could see.

On the very day he found it, Hilkiah gave the precious book to Shaphan the scribe to bring to me. When Shaphan told me what he had, I was elated! I had never heard the words of God’s law. How foolishly had the evil kings before me discarded these precious words! That very moment, I asked Shaphan to read to me from the book. As Shaphan read, I heard wonderful and beautiful words of life for those who kept the word of the Lord, and I also heard the wrath which would pour on those who did not. Our fathers had not kept his word, and I tore my clothes and wept bitterly at the prospect of the wrath which could pour on my people because of the follies of our fathers.

What could we do? The answer was obvious. We must repent and do as the book said. I sent messengers throughout the land to call the people to Jerusalem. There, I personally read into their ears all the words of the book that was found in the house of the Lord. We made a covenant before the Lord to walk after him and to keep his commandments with all our hearts.

It was then that we reinstituted the passover, which had all but been forgotten. So many details, yet the pivotal point was clear: the death of the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. The people rejoiced in the passover, and it was said there had not been a passover like it since the days of Samuel the prophet. Let it be said of me: I was never interested in starting something new, only restoring what was lost. Praise God!

By his grace,

Josiah

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