Tendency toward Religious Rituals

       Within a week of my birth, I was bundled up and brought to church on Sunday mornings, and it was assumed this would be our outing every Sunday morning as long as I lived with the only exceptions being hospitalization or death.  I learned when to sit, when to stand, when to say certain words, when to kneel, when to go up for communion, and many more things that were repeated week after week, and which ingrained themselves so deep within me that I still remember almost 30 years later!

       So, fast forward to present day and I got thinking, ‘why are so many nations and people in North America turning to Islam- in other words, what is the draw to that belief system?’  First off, I would like the say the god of Islam is NOT the Christian God.  In short, Islam’s god is ‘one god’ who would not defile himself to come as a man therefore Jesus is only a man who was a prophet, and the Holy spirit was the angel Gabriel who brought their ‘divine’ book to Muhammad.  Allah cannot be known by man, is a master not a Father, and so there is no personal relationship available.

       Christians believe our God is one God (Dt. 6:4) but exists as three: Father (Dt. 32:6), Son (Jesus was God who came in the flesh Jh. 1:1,14; Php. 2:5-8), and the Holy Spirit (also God Ac. 5:3,4).  Our God has always wanted a relationship with us, imperfect, mortal men.  At some point you will have to reconcile the basic Trinity doctrine within yourself, but on the basis of who God really is and His desire for relationship, our God and Islamic god are different.

       As far as I can tell, the big draw to the Islamic faith is rituals of religion (and no struggles understanding a triune god).  The Koran is specific about when to pray, how to pray, how to wash, basically, how to do everything in your life.  Kind of like how I was brought up in the church: stand, sit, kneel, say this then that, say grace, kneel at bedtime to pray, follow these rituals.  It is easier to just do what you are told instead of constantly wondering if you are ‘doing it right’.  Having said that, one of the greatest things about Christianity is its freedom in how we express our relationship with God.

       Some Christians are quiet prayer warriors, while others enjoy praying out loud.  Some preach and evangelize with vigor, as others quietly display the love of God in their lives.  Some Christians dance before the Lord in worship whilst others stand quietly in awe.  Prayers are said sitting, standing, kneeling, in bed, on the toilet, in the shower, on a bus, at work and school, alone or with others, in a large variety of words and languages, eyes opened or closed, well, you get the picture.  Almighty God has given us great freedom, but with this can come the uncertainty of “are we ‘doing it’ right or not?”

       But Christians are not exempt from the tendency towards religious ritual.  We say grace before meals usually in specific words, go to church on Sunday, Bible study and kids club on Wednesday, do ministry on Tuesday, serve the community on Friday, fellowship on Saturday morning, etc.  Our services are in set stages (ex.): worship (1 song)/ pray/ worship (4 songs)/ announcements/ offering/ sermon/ prayer/ worship (1 song).  Even at home our ‘devotions’ are like: sing 1 song, pray for specific others 5 min./ pray for self 3 min./ read Bible 15 min./ pray for understanding and help through day/ repeat once daily.  Admit it; we have a tendency to like the routine, unthinking forms of religion.  But Christ gave us freedom.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Jh. 8:36

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Gal. 5:13

As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness (evil, wickedness, trouble), but as the servants of God. 1Pt. 2:16

       Notice the freedom Christ gave us is freedom from sin, shame, eternal damnation, but also freedom from religious rituals and laws.  This is not freedom to sin/ do wrong as the scriptures show, but we are all individuals and God’s relationship with each of us is as varied as our personalities.  So, with so much freedom, how do we keep from our tendency toward rituals and not have to over-think if we’re ‘doing it right’? 

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2Cor. 3:17

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1Cor. 10:31

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Col. 3:17

We need to do those things that glorify God, and do them in Jesus name.  Imagine if we only did the things that glorify God- how much different our lives would be.  But that is what we should strive for.  As for relationship, we are God’s children, we can call Him Abba or Father (Gal. 4:5-7) and we have not been given a spirit of bondage, but have freedom in our relationship with Him (Rom. 8).

I started life in a tendency toward religious ritual, but I am determined continue on a journey toward the freedom in Christ He wants for me.  How about you?