Spiritual Quicksand

13And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
Colossions 2: 13 - 17 NKJV

I really need to forward a thank you note to Wayne Jacobsen.  Once again ol' Wayne came through with some tidbits which I could expound on.  This week he contemplated why it is that we who know Christ Jesus may suddenly turn away from where it is the Spirit is leading us into our own spiritual maturity and attempt to achieve the same result on our own.  As a result, many well intentioned christians may once again find themselves stuck in that quicksand of religious obligation.  That place we find ourselves when we are convinced that we need to pray more, tithe more or attend church more often in order to achieve our own salvation.  This "earned" path to God is one of the lies perpetrated by the very one who convinces us that we can make it to heaven on our own.  That we can be "like God" {Genesis 3: 4-5}.  Indeed, it is satan himself who deludes us with his fables that we are masters of our own destiny, that God is simply pulling our strings.  Now, if I were to ask a practicing christian if they would ever answer that call of the devil and go against God they would certainly protest my observation.  However, the evidence is already there before them.  We DO NOT need to buy our own way into heaven!  It is not up to us to perform for our heavenly Fathers plasure in order that we might punch our ticket to our salvation.  This is the quicksand of religious obligation, and it has sucked many well intentioned christians into its trap.  We are told that it is by our heavenly Fathers grace ALONE that we have been saved {Ephesians 2:8-9}.  The apostle Paul goes on to point out that our salvation is but a "gift" of God.  Ok, so if our salvation is ultimately a gift given us by our heavenly Father, how is it that our performance here in this life can add or take away from that which He has already blessed us with?  This is the spiritual quicksand which so many find themselves stuck in.  I've seen it for myself in countless Sunday services and sermons.  Spiritual quicksand is not from God, but from man.  It is man who devised such qualifications it is said we need to get into heaven.  I don't mean to pass indictment on all pulpit pounders, but a good number of them continue to lead others into spiritual quicksand.

4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2: 4 - 9 NKJV

I remember a sign outside a local church which was obviously aimed at drawing people in for a lesson on spiritual quicksand.  The sign read "Have you earned your way to God?"  I almost felt like kicking that sign over, but that would not be too christ like.  Oh, and those padres who talk of being more like Jesus?  Yup, spiritual quicksand.  How is it that we who HAVE Christ Jesus in us need to be nore like Him? {Galations 2:20}  I'm not sure if it is the intention of pastors to lead others down that wrong pathway to God, but performance based salvation is a trap that many find themselves in.  I know I did.  I went to church believing that I needed to do more, pray more and tithe more in order to find favor with my heavenly Father.  Spiritual quicksand.  Like a mouse on a wheel, I found myself spinning faster and faster, trying harder and harder to gain Gods favor.  After awhile, God seemed less and less like the loving Lord which we are told that He truly is {1 John 4:8}.  Again, this is the very same lie which satan told to Eve.  I can make it on my own, I can be like God...it's all about ME!  The lie of the independent self switches our focus from God to ourselves.  The institutional church just goes along for the ride.  We don't need to step into the spiritual quicksand, we weren't meant to.  Instead, we can trust in Him who is the ONLY way to our Lord...Christ Jesus {John 14:6}.

~Scott~