THE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION
Devotion 10 of 12
"If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." -- Colossians 3:1-3, NASB
RELIGION BY ROTE
Satan aggressively promotes religion by rote; i.e., supposed piety that does not require the productive involvement of our mind. I say "productive involvement" because there is a level of thought or reason that yields no eternal benefit. One such area is that of religious tradition. Here men seek to serve God without being godly in their thoughts. Religious commitment, in this case, is primarily external, excluding involvement with God Himself. This approach does not allow constituents to set their affection on things above. Rather, it actually militates against the will of God. To those embracing such folly Jesus said, "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:9). And again, "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye" (Mark 7:13).
Paul warned of the encroachments of tradition upon the soul. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col 2:8). The NIV refers to "hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (Col 2:8). "Hollow
and deceptive philosophy" borrows corrupted thoughts from others, refusing personal involvement with the things of God. There is no room for such an approach in the heavenly kingdom. If our "affection" is not set on things above, there is no possible way for us to derive benefit from them.
We have been redeemed from pointless and empty living. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation (empty way of life, NIV) received by tradition from your fathers" (1 Pet 1:18). Those who turn to Christ can come away from meaningless living. They are not "debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh" (Rom 8:12).
Enslavement to a religious system is disastrous. It forces the individual to be motivated by the preferences of another, with little or no thought on his own part. Anyone who thinks fellowship with God can be realized in that condition is deceived. At the point thought is not liberated to dwell upon the things of God, divine fellowship becomes impossible.
An emotional base
There is a form of religion that feeds upon emotion rather than upon thought. It is often embraced by people that are otherwise noted for thinking. When, however, it comes to the matter of eternal life, they choose to build upon the fluctuating foundation of emotion. Such an spiritual infrastructure is like the "sand" of Matthew 7:26-27).
A religion without emotion is no religion at all: it has not effected the entire person. One, however, that is dominated by emotion, is more beastly than godly. Our emotions are the lower part of our nature. Our capacity for contemplation and thought are of a higher order. It is a serious error to make emotion the dominate part of our religion. Profound thought does not flow from emotion, but it does produce legitimate and fervent emotion in those with productive minds.
Motivated by fear
Fear is the unavoidable child of Law. It involves unproductive thought. This is a condemning fear that leads people to the wrong conclusion about God and themselves. "And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb 2:15). Sinai provided the ultimate in motivation by fear. Even Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake," when standing on the "mount that could be touched." With boldness Paul announces, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim 1:7).
Those in Christ are not constrained by fear, but by "the love of Christ" (2 Cor 5:14). That constraint comes from a consideration of what was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. The message has been given, and we believe it: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them . . . " (2 Cor 5:18-19).
Fear involves thought, but not fellowship with God. Those with a new heart experience an association with God in their thoughts. Those dominated by fear are intimidated by God, and thus experience separation from Him. The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai provides the clearest example of this. When confronted with the awesome presence of God, the Israelites drew back in cringing fear. They even requested that God speak with them no more. "And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die" (Exo 20:19). That is the ultimate in "the spirit of fear;" withdrawal from the Source of life.