Faith, Religion and Politics

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Many, perhaps most, religious people believe political activism is an expression of faith in God. They are totally wrong. Political activism is an expression of their faith in man — not God.

Here is God’s definition of true faith:

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And here is the definition of religion and politics (i.e. Fake Faith):

    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are the substance of things that are seen, acted out, spoken, touched, tasted, heard, codified, managed and repeated according to rules and traditions established by an historical succession of religious leaders and politicians.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are learned by watching what other religious people do and listening to what religious people say.
    • Religion (i.e. fake faith) always involves use of the flesh (i.e. physical body, mind, emotions) and material, visible things (e.g. money, buildings, clothing, incense, candles, music, etc.) that can be seen, touched and heard, and which religious people value and praise but God detests because it is usually acted out in public.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are always governed by religious laws.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) include beliefs and activities learned from other people.

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Obviously, there are real, significant differences between true faith, politics and religion. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that some people who drop out of religion know, or at least suspect, that faith and religion are not the same. Many, perhaps most, of them believe that God exists and aspire to genuine faith. But doubts and uneasiness about these differences between faith, politics and religion cause them to drop out of religion. That is a good thing to do because it resolves the inner tensions they have about the differences. It is not good, however, if they also leave God behind because they have no idea about a righteous alternative to religion.

Most religionists entertain no thoughts of dropping out of religion. There is no little or no doubt in their minds that God wants people to practice their brand of religion.  They are convinced that faith and religion are identical. They have not considered the following differences between faith and religion:

CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE FAITH  CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGIOUS FAITH And POLITICS
Faith is something you have in your your heart Religion is what people do. 
Faith is perfectly manifest in the hearts of New Covenant disciples who hear God’s spoken voice and then act on what they hear. Religious people listen to false prophets. They may, or may not, act on what they hear.
Faith is a spiritual gift from God. Religion can be practiced by anyone.
Faith comes by hearing God’s word spoken through messiahs (i.e. New Covenant disciples who are anointed to speak for God). Judaism and Christianity evolve from literal interpretations of natural events, natural places, and natural people reported in the Bible.
Faith is the assurance of things not seen — except by God alone who knows the heart. RELIGION is a collection of activities that people do with their bodies that can be seen by anyone.
Evidence of faith exists in God’s spiritual laws written on the heart of New Covenant disciples. Evidence of religion exists in outward obedience to religious laws and political principles made and enforced by men.
Faith involves spiritual sacrifices of the heart. Religion involves physical, material sacrifices at certain places at certain times.
Faith is between man and God.  Religion and politics are public matters that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is an internal  matter of the heart which only God knows. Religion and politics are evident in external activity of the physical body (i.e. flesh) that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is free of material cost. Religion usually involves a financial cost typically called a tithe or offering. God is opposed to religious commerce.

Politics involves the sacrifice of a vote.
Faith is spiritual, like the wind that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Religion is always visible and usually happens in particular locations at set times.
Faith, being spiritual, is not predictable in terms of when, where or how it occurs. The practice of religion is predictable because it is governed by written laws or long-standing traditions.
Faith is governed by God’s law written on the heart. Religion and politics are governed by the following people:

  • Theologians who interpret the Bible and report their opinions in various kinds of writings.
  • Denominational leaders who choose the doctrines their denomination will follow and monitor denominational activities to ensure that those doctrines are followed.
  • Local religious leaders who preach the chosen doctrines and lead congregations in practices which are consistent with those doctrines.
  • Politicians
The characteristics of true spiritual faith are all internal and do not include external practices done with the physical body. Religion is always practiced using the physical body (i.e. flesh) in one way or another. In communal worship, custom predicts that worshipers will perform physical activities (e,g, stand up, sit down, sing, pray, read, dance, etc.) together at the same time.
Faith is dependent only on hearing God’s voice and does not require a human to teach it or supervise it — except for true prophets. Religion and politicss are always taught by and supervised by humans who are distinguished by titles, authority, and often by clothing, and whose position and income depends on a good personal reputation.
Faith does not have hierarchies of human authority. Religions and politics always have leaders (e.g. pastors, elected officials, apostles, Bishops, Popes, rabbis, etc.) to establish organizational policy and direct religious and political activities.
Faith is trusting God who is invisible. Religion and politics involve trusting men and women who can be seen.
Faith is practiced in the heart/spirit — not in a specific location at set times according to fixed ceremonial patterns. Religion and politics are typically practiced in a specified location on a regular schedule with more-or-less fixed ceremonial patterns.
Faith that comes from hearing God’s voice yields spiritual rewards.

Faith always brings glory to God.

The rewards of religion ad political associations are pride.
Any praise that comes to the faithful person comes directly from God. Praise that comes to religious people and politicians for their religious and political activity comes from other religious people and political activists.
Faith is a matter of the heart that only God can see. Religion and politics are always conducted by using the physical body in some way and can be observed by anyone.
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Religion is Not Faith

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Most people think that faith and religion are interchangeable concepts. Those who are willing to investigate the differences between faith and religion will learn that they are exactly opposite in meaning as seen in the following statements:

♦ Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But,
♦ Religion is the substance of things that are seen, acted out, spoken, touched, tasted, heard, codified, managed and repeated according to rules and traditions established by an historical succession of religious leaders.

What this means is that religion is fake faith. More accurately, religion is hypocrisy.

Just to make this difference perfectly clear, we will rephrase these statements as follows with links to scripture:

♦ Faith is a matter of the heart which only God knows and only God can see. And,
♦ Faith is governed by spiritual laws. But,
♦ Religion always involves use of the flesh (i.e. physical body, mind, emotions) which religious people value and praise but God detests because it is usually acted out in public. And,
♦ Religion is always governed by religious laws.

 

It is reasonable to expect that people who drop out of religion know, or at least suspect, that faith and religion are not the same. Many, perhaps most, of them believe that God exists and aspire to genuine faith. But doubts and uneasiness about these differences between faith and religion cause them to drop out of religion. That is a good thing to do because it resolves the inner tensions they have about the differences. It is not good, however, if they also leave God behind because they have no idea about a righteous alternative to religion.

Most religionists entertain no thoughts of dropping out of religion. There is no doubt in their minds that God wants people to practice their brand of religion.  They are convinced that faith and religion are identical. They have not considered the following differences between faith and religion:

CHARACTERISTICS OF SPIRITUAL FAITH  CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGION
Faith is something you have in your your heart Religion is what people do. 
Faith is perfectly manifest in the hearts of New Covenant disciples who hear God’s spoken voice and then act on what they hear. Religious people listen to false prophets. They may, or may not, act on what they hear.
Faith is a spiritual gift from God. Religion can be practiced by anyone.
Faith comes by hearing God’s word spoken through Christs (i.e. New Covenant disciples who are anointed to speak for God. Judaism and Christianity evolve from literal interpretations of natural events, natural places, and natural people reported in the Bible.
Faith is the assurance of things not seen — except by God alone who knows the heart. RELIGION is a collection of activities that people do with their bodies that can be seen by anyone.
Evidence of faith exists in God’s spiritual laws written on the heart of New Covenant disciples. Evidence of religion exists in outward obedience to religious laws made and enforced by men.
Faith involves spiritual sacrifices of the heart. Religion involves physical, material sacrifices at certain places at certain times.
Faith is between man and God.  Religion is a public matter that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is an internal  matter of the heart which only God knows. Religion is evident in external activity of the physical body (i.e. flesh) that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is free of material cost. Religion usually involves a financial cost typically called a tithe or offering. God is opposed to religious commerce.
Faith is spiritual, like the wind that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Religion is always visible and usually happens in particular locations at set times.
Faith, being spiritual, is not predictable in terms of when, where or how it occurs. The practice of religion is predictable because it is governed by written laws or long-standing traditions.
Faith is governed by God’s law written on the heart. Religion is governed by the following people:

  • Theologians who interpret the Bible and report their opinions in various kinds of writings.
  • Denominational leaders who choose the doctrines their denomination will follow and monitor denominational activities to ensure that those doctrines are followed.
  • Local religious leaders who preach the chosen doctrines and lead congregations in practices which are consistent with those doctrines.
The characteristics of true spiritual faith are all internal and do not include external practices done with the physical body. Religion is always practiced using the physical body (i.e. flesh) in one way or another. In communal worship, custom predicts that worshipers will perform physical activities (e,g, stand up, sit down, sing, pray, read, dance, etc.) together at the same time.
Faith is dependent only on hearing God’s voice and does not require a human to teach it or supervise it. Religion is always taught by and supervised by humans who are distinguished by titles, authority, and often by clothing, and whose position and income depends on a good personal reputation.
Faith does not have hierarchies of human authority. Religions always have leaders (e.g. pastors, apostles, Bishops, Popes, rabbis, etc.) to establish organizational policy and direct religious activities.
Faith is trusting God who is invisible. Religion is trusting men and women who can be seen.
Faith is practiced in the heart/spirit — not in a specific location at set times according to fixed ceremonial patterns. Religion is typically practiced in a specified location on a regular schedule with more-or-less fixed ceremonial patterns.
Faith always brings glory to God. The rewards of religion always accrue to the people who practice it.
Any praise that comes to the faithful person comes directly from God. Praise that comes to religious people for their religious activity comes from other religious people.
Faith is a matter of the heart that only God can see. Religion is always conducted by using the physical body in some way and can be observed by anyone.

God uses many words to symbolically represent the differences between  faith and religion:

Faith  Religion Scripture References
 New Covenant Old/First Covenant The entire Bible is about the differences between the two covenants and how the New Covenant replaces the Old/First Covenant.

Genesis 25:19-34; Romans 9; Hebrews 8; Hebrews 9; Hebrews 10; Hebrews 12:18-24;

2 Corinthians 3:1-13; Revelation 21:11

John 2:8; 1 John 2:17.
 Life  Death  Deuteronomy 30:15
Tree of Life Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil  Genesis 2:16-17
 Good  Evil 2 Samuel 14:17; 1 Kings 3:9; Hebrews 5:14; Deuteronomy 30:1-15
 Spirit  Flesh John 6:63; Romans 8:1-4
 Blessings  Curses  Deuteronomy 30:1-15
 Clean  Unclean  Ezekiel 44:23; Ezekiel 22:26
 Holy  Profane  Ezekiel 44:23; Ezekiel 22:26
Promised Land Land of Canaan, Egypt, Babylon
(i.e. Religion)		 The entire Bible is about the differences between and conflict between religion and the Promised Land.
Kingdom of God Kingdom of the World Revelation 11:15
Light Darkness 2 Corinthians 6:14
Righteousness Unrighteousness 2 Corinthians 6:14
Righteousness Sin Proverbs 13:6; Romans 5:19-21; Romans 6:13-21; Romans 8:10
Freedom Slavery Gal 4:22-23; Gal 4:30-31; Gal 5:1; 1 Timothy 6:1
Faith Works Romans 3:27-28; Romans 9:30-33 Galatians 2:15-16 (See this link for understanding of the law).
Abel’s Offering Cain’s Offering Genesis 4:1-7; 1-John 3:11-15
Right hand Left hand Ecclesiastes 10:2; Matthew 25:32-46
David Goliath 1 Samuel 17: 19-51
Mercy Judgment James 2:8-13
Light burden/yoke Heavy burden/yoke Matthew 11:28-30; 1 John 5:3; Isaiah 9:1-4; Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 14:24-28; Isaiah 58:6-9; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 5:5; Jeremiah 28:1-14; Jeremiah 30:8; Ezekiel 30:18; Ezekiel 34:27; Nahum 1:13; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 68:19; Isaiah 46:4; 1 Peter 5:5-7; Psalm 38; Luke 11:46; Acts 15:7-11; Matthew 23:1-9; Galatians 5:1-6
Rest (i.e. ceasing from all religious works/labors.) Works (labors) done according to religious laws. Exodus 23:12;Exodus 31:15;Exodus 35:2;Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:1-15;Psalm 46:1; Leviticus 16:29-31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Considering the many different ways God differentiates between faith and religion, it is difficult to summarize the differences between the two concepts. It can be safely said, however, that all the contrasting terms in the above table point to two covenants (Old/First and New). Therefore, we will offer this statement as a practical, working concept that helps distinguish between the two:

 

STUDY TIP: Read more about the differences between faith and religion in RELIGION. See Two Covenants Part 1 and Two Covenants Part 2 for more about covenants.

Also see THE HEART IS THE PLACE for understanding of a heart that is fully devoted to God.

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False Prophets: A Guide to Identification

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In the Bible, false prophets are identified with a variety of names:  

Since all scripture is useful for training in righteousness, we should assume that false prophets are a present reality and not a phenomenon that only existed in the past or will appear sometime in the unknown future. It is critical, therefore, to know how to identify them and how to regard them.

STUDY TIP: See this link for clues about how to identify False Prophets.

But knowing how to identify false prophets is not the only challenge. We also need to know how to identify true prophets. Then we are equipped to evaluate if we are receiving instruction about God from trees of life or trees of knowledge of good and evil.

STUDY TIP: See this link for clues about how to identify true prophets.

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Tithes and Sacrifices

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Even though the Biblical principle of tithing (i.e. giving one tenth of your produce) seems quite straightforward, how to implement the principle in a non-agrarian culture is in dispute. Thus we find that many Christians take the issue of tithing very seriously and others don’t, or find ways to work around Biblical commands to tithe in ways that work for them and seem to be reasonable, contemporary, cultural substitutions for Biblical law. And Jews put their own spin on tithing.

In general, it can be said that everyone believes that the commands are fulfilled in whole or in part by giving money to religious organizations, to charity, or both. But what a tithe is and how to satisfy God’s commands about tithing and sacrifices is still a matter on which there is not full agreement within Christianity or Judaism. Thus there are many articles, books and sermons on the topic.

The reason there is disagreement and misunderstanding about tithing and sacrifices is that people interpret scriptures literally. If they are honest with themselves, they will sooner or later discover the reality that it is impossible to fully satisfy God’s literal commands about either issue. The reason for this dilemma is that scriptures about tithing and sacrifices should be interpreted symbolically — not literally. 

Understanding of tithes will only come to people who first understand the “first the natural, and then the spiritual” principle. This principle tells us that physical tithes and sacrifices are symbolic representations of spiritual events that happen in the heart.

Anyone who tries to satisfy any literal, Biblical command to the letter of the written law will fail. Anyone who makes an honest assessment of their religious efforts will have to admit that obedience to the literal Bible is impossible. The Bible says that all scripture is able to instruct about righteousness, but all attempts to obey the literal words of the Bible will result in frustration and a lot of work. This may seem unfair and even cruel until we come to understand that God uses the literal Bible to symbolically show that what he is really concerned about is their hearts — not what they do with their flesh or their money. What they do with their flesh and their money is fake faith. The condition of the heart is what God cares about.

STUDY TIPS: See Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings and Tithes for understanding of symbolic meanings of tithes and sacrifices:

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Favoritism and Partiality

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One of the features of the New Covenant that distinguishes it from Old/First Covenant religion is the concept of unity and oneness for which Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

COMMENTARY: Jesus is the perfect human example of a New Covenant disciple. In this prayer, he highlights the New Covenant principle of unity and oneness.

Followers of Jesus should want what Jesus wants and practice what he preached. If they remain members of religious organizations, however, they reinforce disunity and practice fake faith. In doing this, they do not evidence Jesus’ kind of love. If they are not willing to give up their religious affiliations, they show that they love their religious organization more than they love Jesus. This is fake faith and hypocrisy.

The concept of unity is also confirmed in Ephesians 4:11-16:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

COMMENTARY: Here unity of faith relates to maturity and Christ-likeness. Unity of faith is contrasted with being like an immature infant who is vulnerable to following an assortment of denominational teachings offered by a variety of denominational leaders.

Every religious organization, whether at the denominational level or local church/synagogue level, has its own head or heads who create and enforce religious laws. They are more or less unified within the organization, but unity between and among organizations does not exist. They are actually at war with each other to capture an control the hearts and minds of religious people whom they want to join their respective kingdoms. Being at war with each other, they do not demonstrate mutual love for each other.

Religious organizations, both large and small, formal and informal, are elements of a highly fractured world of religion. Each religious organization advances and protects what it calls its “faith tradition,” but what it is really advancing and protecting is its own little kingdom instead of working for the good of everyone. These conflicts are discussed in Religion is the Enemy, Gods at War and Sibling Conflict.

Religion separates people socially, economically and racially. Instead of bringing people together and looking out for the interests of others, each religious organization selfishly focuses on its own members and agenda. There is no evidence of a servant’s heart for care of people outside the local organization.

If Jesus’ warnings about caring for strangers, the sick and poor are rejected, whatever religious people might otherwise do is fake faith.

An attitude of unity and oneness is a New Covenant principle. It contrasts significantly with the Old/First Covenant pattern found in the Old Testament where people are identified according to their tribal affiliations and unique tribal characteristics. These differences are graphically represent the differences between the Old/First Covenant and the New Covenant. And their significance is forcefully brought home in James 2:1-10:

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

COMMENTARY: Verse 9 says that showing partiality is sin. This idea of sin does not fit into the doctrines of either Jews or Christians which are well known for being very exclusive and tribal in their religious habits. Verse 10 says that stumbling on this one point is guilty of sinning on all points of God’s spiritual laws.

Religions go to great lengths to distinguish themselves from all other religions. That is why there are so many denominations and religious movements. In the Bible, this is called making names for themselves. In modern language, this practice is called branding.

Religious branding creates distinctions that make it easy to differentiate one religion from another. These distinctions encourage demonstrations of partiality toward members of one religion while showing less favor toward members of all other religions and toward people who have no religion at all.

This expression of partiality is tribalism which is the opposite of God’s desire that all his people would be united in one faith. Therefore, religious partiality and favoritism may rightly be characterized as sin and fake faith.

Partiality and favoritism within a religious organization help create a sense of security while effectively separating one religion from all others. This security is constructed in strongholds of thinking, and reinforced in financial support and communal worship within the religious community.

It is very clear from the history of religion that members of one religion show greater love for members of their own religion than they do toward members of other religions. This is partiality. Partiality does not allow loving your neighbor as yourself and does not look out for the interests of others. Religion is sin because it puts limits on the definition of neighbors to whom love is shown.

Regarding keeping all points of the law in verse 10, the law to which this refers is religious laws. In other words, religious people may do a good job of obeying all of the laws of their chosen religion, but still fail  to satisfy God’s spiritual laws because they do not satisfy the royal, spiritual law which says to love your neighbor as yourself. Religious people sin, therefore, because, while showing partiality toward members of their own religion, they fail on the one critical point of showing true, impartial love toward everyone — including members of other religions.

The rich oppressors in verse 6 are those who are rich in pride and self-righteousness are not necessarily materially rich. They do not take people to legal courts as we understand courts today. Rather, this terminology symbolically represents the judgments with which Pharisees constantly evaluate (i.e. judge) obedience to religious laws and coerce people who do not obey those laws to be more religious. Of course they do not consider obedience to religious laws to be something onerous or evil. They call it evangelism. In God’s view, however, it is fake faith (i.e. religion) because it can be observed. 

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Praise of Men

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Jesus did not actively seek glory for himself through praise from men. Instead of saying and doing religious things that would cause Jews to admire him, Jesus actively distinguished himself from Judaism through his episodes with the money changers in the temple, by breaking religious laws, and through his many confrontations with Pharisees. It can be said, therefore, that, instead of joining a religious movement, Jesus separated himself from all religious movements and purposely avoided identification with any of them. It can be said, therefore, that Christians who identify with a religious movement (e.g. denomination, church, teacher, etc.) do so in contrast to Jesus’ teachings and practices. They say they follow Jesus but do not do as he did. That means they practice fake faith.

Through his many confrontations with Jews, Jesus purposefully set himself apart from religion. It must be said, therefore, that people who actively identify with a particular religion, and engage in religious activities that earn praise from coreligionists in any religion, do so in stark contrast to Jesus’ habits and teachings. People who follow religious  laws religion, therefore, practice fake faith because what they do does not agree with what Jesus said or did.

Clergy and laity of all religions, including Christianity, brand themselves with clothing, jewelry and behaviors that identify their religious associations. Religious institutions, both large and small, would not survive unless they had recognizable identities and reputations which they consciously work to develop and promote. They do whatever they can do to establish and increase (i.e. market) their public images. When he broke religious laws and confronted religious authorities, Jesus showed that he was not at all concerned about his public image. Christians who say and do things that make them look good in the eyes of their coreligionists do not do what Jesus did. They practice fake faith.

Similarly, religious leaders would not be able to get jobs or attract faithful followers who will purchase their religious products or services unless they looked good or unless people said nice things about them. They need to have strong, charismatic influence on coreligionists or they will not get hired to preach, teach or direct religious rituals. Doing the right religious things (e.g. wear the right clothing and ornaments and use the right religious language, practice the right behaviors, etc.) is necessary for them to establish and maintain success in the religious world.

The need and desire to be loved and respected is contrary to what Jesus taught and practiced. Jesus expected to be hated and he predicted that his followers would be hated also and put out of religious institutions. Thus it can be said that religious people, whether clergy or laity, who are careful to develop and maintain good reputations so that coreligionists will respect them and say good things about them are false prophets — not true prophets like Jesus. They practice fake faith.

Here are more of Jesus’ teachings about praise of men:

Luke 16:15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

COMMENTARY: Religious people demonstrate their righteousness (i.e. justify) by practicing their righteousness in ways and in places that other religious people will see and hear them. Jesus contrasts this practice with God’s way of proving righteousness which is to test the heart.

What men look at and highly regard is religious behavior that they can see. Religious behavior which man esteems is detestable to God. Religious behaviors, therefore, are fake faith. They are the substance of things seen and not true faith which cannot be seen by anyone except God because only God knows the condition of the heart.

STUDY TIP: See Public Religion and Making a Name for Yourself.

Romans 2:27-29: Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. 29 He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is not from men but from God.

COMMENTARY: Those who are physically uncircumcised keep God’s spiritual laws because his  laws are written on their hearts. They are New Covenant disciples. Those who have the written code follow religious laws made by men but break God’s spiritual laws.

Real Jews are spiritual Jews — not ethnic or religious Jews. Spiritual Jews are not concerned about physical circumcision or any other physical, religious activity or symbol. Spiritual Jews understand that God is only concerned with the condition of the heart — not with the flesh (i.e. religion). Spiritual Jews do not seek praise (i.e. affirmation) from men who will reward them for their religious behaviors. Spiritual Jews are content with the knowledge that God knows their hearts. Their reward is spiritual life that comes through God’s spoken word.

Religious people who receive praise from other religious people for their faithful religious activity practice fake faith. Jesus was under no compulsion to obey Jewish religious laws. In fact, Jesus broke Jewish religious laws. That is why he was crucified. People who obey religious laws are not like Jesus. They practice fake faith.

STUDY TIP: See Circumcision and Israel, Jerusalem, Jews, Christians and Gentiles.

Prayer ***

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JESUS PRAYED ALONE IN THE SECRET PLACE
All religious gatherings involve public prayer. Jesus gave many verbal instructions that inform us about public displays of religion. See this link for his teachings about public prayer.

Jesus also taught through his own practices regarding prayer as shown in the following scriptures:

Matthew 14:23: After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

COMMENTARY: Here we see that Jesus practices what he preaches: He removes himself from public view when he prays. Christians who pray in public, therefore, practice fake faith. Jesus taught in public, but he prayed in private.

It is important to understand here that the mountain is a symbolic reference to the place where New Covenant disciples meet with God: the heart. This is the place where God writes his laws on the hearts of New Covenant disciples when he speaks to them.

Since the heart is the place where God meets with his people to speak to them, Jesus essentially retreats from the distractions of the physical world to speak to and listen to God. He can do this anytime and in any physical location. He does not need to be in a special building or place dedicated to pray.

Going to the mountain of God to pray is the essence of praying in the spirit at all times without ceasing because it happens in the heart which is always active. Elsewhere this place is referred to as the most holy place, the holy of holies and tent of meeting where  priests ministered to God and offered sacrifices. The mountain of God is also the place where God teaches his ways and his laws to New Covenant disciples.

STUDY TIP: See THE HEART IS THE PLACE  for an in depth review of what happens in the heart of man.

It is critical to understand that the act of praying in the heart does not require use of the flesh (e.g. physical voice, mental mind, hands folded, hands lifted, body swaying, eyes closed, kneeling, etc.). If God wanted or expected that people use their flesh when praying, he would violate the principle of faith being the substance of things not seen. It is not necessary for the flesh (i.e. physical body) to be employed when praying in the spirit/heart because God already knows the heart of man.

Because Jesus understood all of these spiritual principles, he applied them in his own prayer practices. Because New Covenant disciples understand these spiritual principles, they also apply them by avoiding public prayer. Old/First Covenant religionists who do not understand these things, however, continue to demonstrate fake faith while praying in public.

Mark 6:46:  After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

COMMENTARY: A literal interpretation of this scripture suggests that Jesus physically left the people with whom he was meeting and physically walked to a physical mountain where he physically prayed. The problem with this interpretation is that it is literal — not symbolic.

To understand the symbolic meaning of this verse we must recognize that this episode directly follows the feeding of the five thousand. It is only after he told his disciples to get in a boat and only after he sent the crowd away that he left for the mountain to pray. The appropriate symbolic interpretation of this story is that Jesus was in a constant state of prayer — even while he was with other people. It is possible, therefore, to be physically present with people while spiritually engaged with God. This is how the spirit of God spoke through Jesus and Paul, and it is how the spirit of God speaks through all New Covenant disciples. Speaking for God is not just a matter of studying privately before giving a verbal or written message (e.g speech, sermon, etc.). It is a seamless, ongoing, spiritual transaction of God speaking to the heart and disciples hearing God’s voice — even while engaging with others. It is a matter of true faith when we report what we hear while we hear it.

To understand scripture, we must be careful that we consider the context of Jesus’ prayer and ask why prayer was important at that particular time and ask what Jesus prayed about.

The context, of course, is the feeding of the five thousand for which we must understand the symbolism of the event which distinguishes between common manna and hidden manna.

Because Jesus was a true prophet, he spoke for God and all of his words were hidden manna. He spoke with the authority of God and all of his words were able to impart spiritual life to New Covenant disciples who have ears to hear the spiritual words in the hidden manna.

In the story of the feeding of the five thousand, however, the people who ate the loaves and fishes were Old/First Covenant religionists. Thus, all they heard were the literal words which they ate (i.e. heard with their physical ears). Not being spiritual, they were unable to hear with spiritual eyes and ears. So all they had was common manna. Nevertheless, they were satisfied with what they were able to hear.

This situation describes the condition of Jews and Christians who are satisfied with the literal words of the Bible. The literal words do have meaning and value, of course, but the spiritual words of the voice of God has much greater value.

In this story, God’s spoken voice is symbolized as the food that is left over (i.e. twelve baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish) after eating the literal words. The spiritual food is greater than the original five loaves of bread and two fish. This is God’s way of saying that the spiritual meanings of parables, symbolism and mystery hidden in the Bible are much more satisfying than the literal, written words of the Bible. The literal words feed and satisfy the flesh (i.e. mind and emotions) and may motivate the will. We see this principle in the story of the Israelites daily picking up manna in the desert. The mysteries and truths hidden in the spoken words of God are revealed to New Covenant disciples who know how to hear God’s spoken voice. They live in the seventh day (i.e. sabbath) when they rest from the work of finding common manna. They have constant access to the hidden manna that God deposits in their hearts.

STUDY TIP: See  Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 1, Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 2, and Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 3.

What we have in this story, therefore, is not a report of a physical miracle in which God multiplies the physical loaves and fishes. What we have, however, is a parable in which the life-giving power of the spoken word of God is shown to greatly exceed the limited effectiveness of the literal words of the Bible. It is yet another parable that demonstrates how the New Covenant is better than the Old/First Covenant.

Next we must ask what it was that Jesus prayed about. The answer to this question is relatively simple: His prayer was consistent with the terms of what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.

Since Jesus’ heart was in a constant state of prayer, even while he was moving about, meeting others, his heart attitude was fully consistent with the sentiments of the Lord’s prayer. Like David, he had a heart after God’s own heart, which means that he had God’s character written on his heart.

If Jesus prayed any differently, his teaching about how to pray would have been a lie. Thus everything Jesus said, did and prayed was in perfect agreement with the sentiments of the Lord’s prayer.

The lesson here for anyone who prays to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is that they should also pray in agreement with the sentiments of the Lord’s Prayer. Those who do pray in agreement with these sentiments are New Covenant disciples because they follow Jesus. Those who do not pray in agreement with these sentiments are Old/First Covenant religionists.

***Luke 6:12-13: It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:

COMMENTARY: Again it is necessary to consider this occasion for prayer in context. In this case, Jesus just finished an unpleasant encounter with angry Pharisees who wanted to harm Jesus because he had broken their religious laws about healing on the Sabbath. According to the sequence of the story it was immediately after this that he prayed and then choose his disciples.

From the commentary above, we can assume that Jesus’ prayer was consistent with the terms of the Lord’s prayer. From the fact that he then went to choose disciples we can logically assume that choosing disciples as also consistent with the terms of the Lord’s prayer. From the encounter with the Pharisees he knew that he needed disciples to help him with the work that needed to be done when dealing with the Pharisees. The lesson here for those who pray is that prayer according to the terms of the Lord’s prayer should be followed with action that results in making disciples. See Model Warriors for more about disciples.

John 6:15: So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

COMMENTARY: This verse is important on two accounts. First, we see that Jesus resisted attempts to make him king. This is hard to understand unless we first understand that Jesus always deferred to the Father and never desired any glory for himself. He never desired to be a religious leader.

This attitude is very different from the attitude of most religious people who often seek positions of religious leadership and will proudly accept a position of leadership if it is offered to them. In Biblical language, they desire to be kings. See Kings, Queens and Princes for understanding of the symbolism of kings.

The second thing we learn is that the mountain of God was Jesus place of refuge. 

Matthew 26:36: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

COMMENTARY:

Luke 5:15-16: But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

COMMENTARY: Because Jesus’ reputation was spreading, people sought him out so they could  hear the teaching (i.e. words) that would heal them from religion. But Jesus did not always welcome the attention he received. In fact, he sometimes separated himself from people by going to the secret place to pray.

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Public Religion

Fake Faith ... Posted on by

While the public display  of religion is the norm for all religions, and is accepted as the norm for Judaism and Christianity, it is not what Jesus taught. Consider the following verses:

Matthew 6:1-8 : 1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

COMMENTARY: Religions always have rules about what is right and acceptable to do and not do in order to be respected in that religion. These are, in effect, religious laws made up and enforced by religious leaders.

People who faithfully observe these religious laws maintain a good, right standing with their fellow religionists. People who break these laws will be disrespected, at least, and eventually scorned and rejected if they do not change their ways.

While religious people maintain their good standing with men, they are presumed to also be in a right standing with God because they follow the rules that are based on literal interpretations of the Bible. They are wrongly considered to be faithful and righteous with respect to God as long as they are in good standing with their fellow religionists.

The only way that religious people can make judgments about faithfulness of their coreligionists is if they observe them following the religious laws. People who desire to be included and respected in a religious community must, therefore, practice their religion in places and ways that allow others to see them being religious. If they do not practice their religion so that others can observe them, they will be judged as religious backsliders and eventually rejected by the religious community. Therefore, if they want to be accepted and respected, they must practice their righteousness (i.e. their faithfulness to observe religious laws) in places and ways that they can be seen

In this verse, Jesus could not have made it any clearer that public displays of religion are not right in God’s eyes. If they pray, sing, give tithes, quote the Bible so that others can see and respect them for doing these things, they receive rewards from men for being religious, but they do not receive a reward from God.

Religious people assume that if other people whom they consider to be Godly practice their religion in public, they also will be Godly if they do them. Furthermore, they assume that God approves of all public religious activity and that he rewards religious people who practice religion publicly. This verse clearly says that God does not approve of or reward any religious activity that can be observed by others.

Public displays of religion, therefore, are fake faith.

See PRIDE HAS IT REWARDS for more about the rewards of being religious. Also see this link for types of pride that people receive when they practice their religion in public.

2. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

COMMENTARY: These verses appear to be about giving money to poor people, but they are really about religious hypocrisy in general. This link about hypocrisy reveals that all religion is hypocrisy because all religion is acted out on a very public stage in which anyone can observe it.

The purpose of this acting is to receive praise and honor (i.e. glory) from other religious people who do the same kinds of religious activity. What religious people receive from their coreligionists feeds pride which is discussed in detail in this link.

The caution to keep faith private is expressed graphically in the statement to not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing. Confirmation that these verses are not about giving money is found in the command to give in secret. Biblical references to the secret place are to the heart which is the exclusive focus of God’s attention.

Despite the commentary above, it must be said that God is not opposed to giving money to the poor. What he is opposed to is any kind of giving done in a way that can be observed by others — especially religious people who will praise them for giving. In God’s view, any giving, whether of money, or service, that does not emerge from a pure heart is fake faith because the motive for giving is pride. What God wants is giving that focuses exclusively on the interests of others with no benefit to the giver.

5. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

COMMENTARY: The meaning of this verse comes clear only when we understand the meaning of hypocrisy as acting. Anyone who prays in public, therefore, is a hypocrite. Even those who pray to God and Jesus with all sincerity are hypocrites. Praying in public, therefore, is fake faith because the kind of prayer that God wants and  that Jesus practiced is in secret (i.e. in the heart).

See this link for understanding of what prayer really is.

6. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

COMMENTARY: The command to pray to Father God who is unseen is also a command to not pray in the presence of people who can be seen and who see you praying. Prayer that can be seen by others, therefore, is fake faith because it does not agree with Jesus’ instructions.

What God sees and rewards is what happens in the heart — not what man does with his physical body or even in his intellectual mind. This is very different from religion, of course, which rewards people who pray in public. People who pray in public are considered to be Godly, righteous and faithful, and are warmly welcomed into the religious community.

STUDY TIP: See The Heart is the Place for understanding of what God looks at when considering giving a reward or not.

It is worth noting that Jesus’ instructions are to pray to Father God. He does not say to pray to him, or the holy spirit, or to saints. God is the only one to pray to. Prayer to anyone else, living or dead, is fake faith.

7. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

COMMENTARY: Public prayer was a common feature of the religions of Egypt and Babylon. Here Jesus equates the public prayer of Jews and Christians with the religious practices of pagan religions.

In the NASB, babbling is translated as “meaningless repetitions of many words.” Therefore, all public prayer, no matter how sincerely and earnestly it may be expressed, is inconsistent with Jesus’ teachings. Repetition includes praying for an issue/need in many different ways by many people in a prayer meeting, or it can mean multiple prayers by many people over a period of time. Repetition also includes praying in tongues whether alone or with others. In God’s view, all such prayer is meaningless repetition of many words. 

There is a common belief among Jews and Christians that if they pray the same prayer many times God is more likely to hear and answer their prayer. This belief is inconsistent with Jesus’ teachings which basically say that God does not hear public prayer or repetitious prayers. The only prayer that God accepts is prayer of the heart that is consistent with the Lord’s Prayer.

See Prayer,  Approaching God, When God Does Hear Prayer, and General Conditions for Prayer, and The Lord’s Prayer for more about God’s attitude about prayer.

 8. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

COMMENTARY: This is another command that Jesus’ followers should not practice public prayer like the pagans who will pray for any issue for which they lack trust that it will be resolved well. This verse also says that God already knows what people need before people ask him to satisfy those needs.

The act of praying for specific needs indicates lack of trust that God knows what those needs are and that he will give us what we need unless we pray for them. There is an assumption in prayers for needs to be fulfilled that prayer is the incentive, or trigger, that will move God to do something. This is fake faith.

Repeated prayers for an issue or need indicate increased anxiety for a need to be fulfilled and worry that it will not be fulfilled unless we pray often and hard. This attitude effectively puts trust in the act of prayer — not in God. This attitude presumes that anyone who prays has credibility and influence with God — regardless of the condition of their hearts.

In church and synagogue meetings, religious leaders instruct congregations to pray. People who follow these instructions essentially make the religious leader an idol. They set the instructions of the religious leader to pray above God’s instructions (given through Jesus) about what to pray about and when and how to pray. Religious leaders, therefore, instruct people to participate in fake faith.

Matthew 23:1-5 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;

COMMENTARY: Christians ignore these scriptures because they do not understand that their religious leaders are teachers of the law (i.e. religious laws).

Not understanding that they are under the law when they obey religious laws taught by their religious leaders, they are proud to display their religious self-righteousness before anyone who might be watching them practice their religion. They go to church, carry their bibles, pray, give money, speak religious words, and so on. They do all their religious activities so that they can be seen doing them. This is fake faith. They receive rewards from their religious friends for doing religious activity but they receive no rewards from God who rewards people who pray in secret.

STUDY TIP: See Tebow’s Broad Phylacteries:  for more about rewards for public prayer. Also see Religious Pride,  Making a Name for Yourself, Prayer, and Praise of Men.

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Making a Name for Yourself

Fake Faith ...

From the beginning of time, religious people have employed physical identifiers such as clothing and other adornments to make a statement about their religious status. They do this because they are proud of their religious identity and want to advertise to the world that they are members of a particular religion. In doing this, they also make a statement that they are not members of any other religion.

Jews, Christians and Muslims believe that God wants people to identify with their religions. They are wrong. He does not want people to create identities for themselves through religion. He wants that their identities would be in his character. He makes this point in the Third Commandment. It can be said,therefore, that making a name for yourself as a Christian, Jew or Muslim breaks God’s law.

Despite the ebb and flow of religions, the tradition of visually identifying with a religious movement remains strong today. These pictures are a few examples of how people (both clergy and laity) of various religions have branded themselves with clothing, jewelry and behaviors (adornments):

STUDY TIP: The last in this series of pages contains a large, random collection of religious people, past and present, who are distinguished by their clothing, adornments, and postures. Most, even those found in foreign cultures, are easily recognizable because these images have been successfully branded into public consciousness after years of public exposure.

Religious institutions, both large and small, would not survive unless they had clear identities and good reputations that they consciously work to develop and promote. They do whatever they can do to establish and increase their public images (i.e. reputations). Similarly, religious leaders would not be able to get jobs or attract faithful followers who will purchase their religious products or say nice things about them. Doing the right religious things (e.g. wear the right clothing and ornaments, use the right language, practice the right behaviors, etc.) is necessary to establish and maintain success in the religious world. Religious people say and do these things so that they show to others that they are like-minded about religious beliefs and practices. When they do these things others will identify them as being members of one religion or another. In other words, clothing, speech and religious behaviors are the ways in which people brand themselves as belonging to a particular religion.

Branding of a religion with material props (e.g clothing, jewelry, buildings, etc.) and body behaviors (including speech) is a practice primarily intended to communicate personal god-likeness (i.e. spirituality) with other mortals and has little, or nothing, to do with communication with the god that the person claims to worship or represent. Branding means nothing to God but it means a lot to people who make judgements about others based on observations about external identifiers. This is very different from God’s practice of looking at the heart — not the external person.

In God’s eyes, such physical displays of pseudo spirituality are nothing more than prideful showmanship designed to gain influence and favor with certain people. They also have the negative effect of creating distance from others who do not subscribe to a particular religion. They are nothing more than remnants of ancient tribalism tendencies by which groups of people organized themselves for religious, social, economic and security purposes. These displays have no positive influence on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and do nothing to improve or enhance a believer’s relationship with him. They obstruct the goal of unity and oneness that God desires for his people.

Jews and Christians don’t see religious identity as a way of showing, and gaining, favoritism and partiality with others. But, the reality is that having and promoting a religious identity is self-serving pride. Religious identities are designed to attract people to religion and earn favor for people who desire to be known as spiritual leaders. They do not attract people to God. They actually distract people from God.

Jews, Christians, and all other religions, including those that do not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, have branded their traditions with various clothing styles and behaviors that make them distinct and recognizable. The intent behind branding is to make a statement to current and potential adherents of the particular tradition, and to the community at large, that the one who wears these items and exhibits certain behaviors is a spiritual person who is associated with that tradition and with the god of that religion.

Of course that is not what religionists will say about their clothing and behaviors. They put a spiritual spin on their reasons by claiming that what they wear are expressions of devotion to God and are vehicles for drawing close to him.

STUDY TIP: This link and video does a good job of communicating the rationale that all religions apply to explain why they wear their unique clothing and perform their rituals.

The truth is that religionists who depend on outward appearances to represent inner spirituality operate in the flesh and not in the spirit. They have been deceived by religious leaders into believing that outward, physical objects and behaviors actually connect them to God and display that connection to others. Religious leaders who teach about such things are frauds preying on ignorant people who desire a meaningful connection with the spirit world.

This article will show that the practice of branding to advertise religious status, and a religious service or product is as common in religious organizations as it is in commercial enterprises. Purveyors of all kinds of goods and services, religious and otherwise, need to develop consumers’ trust and confidence in their brand in order to stay financially viable . They all need to attract new consumers and keep their old ones or they will lose out to the competition. And when that happens, they will suffer loss of status and income. It is all about self-interest. And the key to survival is branding.

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