Error as necessary truth?????

Superstition always breeds such sorrows, when men make themselves religious duties which God never made them, and then come short in the performance of them. Many dark souls are assaulted by the erroneous, and told that they are in a wrong way; and they must take up some error as a necessary truth, and so are cast into perplexing difficulties, and perhaps repent of the truth which they before owned. Many fearful Christians are troubled about every meal that they eat, about their clothes, their thoughts, and word, thinking or fearing that all is sinful which is lawful, and that unavoidable infirmities are heinous sins. All such as these are troubles and sorrows without cause, and therefore overmuch.

Richard Baxter

Believers, like ships, tend to pick up barnacles over time.  Many of these barnacles are little more than superstitions.

Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any physical process linking the two events [citation needed]; a false conception of causality, such as astrology, omens, witchcraft, etc, that contradicts natural science. WikiP

Leaving the debate between science and faith (things seen vs. things unseen) alone, superstition for us would be the belief that some action or thought, etc. that we hold (or reject) will CAUSE God to do (or not do) something.  If I wear a St. Christopher’s medallion, I will be safe on my journey.  If I fast, God will do what I want.  If I scrupulously attend to the disciplines of the faith, God will do (or not) good things for me.

This is superstition.  It is, quite simply, a false belief which carries within it the germ of causality.  That is, I believe that if I do X, God will have to do Y.  There’s a lot of that going around today and so there are a lot of greatly downcast believers.

I read much about “spirituality” and how to develop it.  Unfortunately, most, if not all, of these writers propose that the believer, “take up some error as a necessary truth.”  (Baxter)  Note!  “error as necessary truth.”  Baxter is being nice using the word “error”, I think, because in what I read today, it seems more like an insistence that the believer “take up heresy as a necessary truth.”

Take the infusion of Eastern ideas and techniques into the lives of believers.  These ideas and the techniques they utilize are based upon untruth – lies.  Yoga, Tai chi, Eastern meditation and Acupuncture, just to name a few, are based in unbelief.  Unless the believer is clearly aware of this [this what - - background/motivation/fact/factor/aspect], they are in danger of being teased off the right path.

We are spiritual.  Everyone is spiritual – even unbelievers.  WE, as believers are not called to be spiritual – we are called to be holy.  We cannot be any more spiritual than God made us, but we can be more holy – which is His whole point in redeeming us.  But I think it is easier to work towards a silly and useless goal, than to work towards THE goal.

Prayer does not make one more spiritual.  Prayer makes one more intimate with God, more aware of our dependence on Him.  Meditating on Scripture does not make on more spiritual.  It does make one more familiar with the Word of God and, I believe, it provides the Spirit more bricks with which to build in our lives.  Fasting does not get God to do anything.  Fasting focuses our attention on our dependence upon Him, the power of the world’s offerings and our own self-serving propensity.

None of the “duties” or practices that are touted as spiritual will ever cause God to do anything.  The disciplines we find in scripture (and there are few) are intended for our benefit and development.  One might as well say doing sit-ups or jogging for God could cause Him to do anything. 

“If” is a dangerous word.  When we phrase a statement, “If we do X, God will do Y,”  we are entering a danger zone.  Most of the “If/Then” books offered to believers are not Biblically sound and are subtly designed to meet the needs of our flesh more than the needs of our spirits.  Though happiness and contentment here are nice and certainly desirable, are they not to be counted as “dung” compared to what is ready for us with Him?

I am really sent over the edge when I read these bound sheets of toilet paper offering to help you become a “better” believer.  Let me ask you, who made you a believer?  Who “redeemed you?”  Ok, what did He mess up?  Where did He fall short?  Where are the gaps and tears in your redemption?

We are NOT called to improve upon what He and He alone has done.  We are called to simply grow in it.  For that [growth], He has given us all we need - the Word and the Spirit.  Out of the scandal of the crucifixion, the power of the resurrection and the glory of the ascension, everything that needs be done is done.  We simply have to PRACTICE submission and obedience to Him.  I use the word “practice’ because that’s what it is, practice.  We are not done yet and we won’t be done here.

Don’t get sucked into the vortex of superstitions.  Do not allow yourself to be seduced into taking up some error as a necessary truth (or practice).  Yoga is exercise not a spiritual discipline.  Acupuncture is a “quasi-medical” treatment not a spiritual exercise.  Meditating your belly-button is – well – just silly.  Martial Arts are simply martial arts not some spiritual endeavor.

The only “spiritual” thing about all this error is – you.  Be not deceived!

Paul tells us:

(1Co 6:12)  "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. ESV

and

(1Co 6:17)  But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Though he uses food and sexual immorality as examples the principle is that whatever does not glorify God is not helpful (to be profitable, advantageous, to contribute or bring together for the benefit of another).  So the question is, what has light to do with darkness – and what are the dark parts?

Spiritual = biblically based, Spirit dependent and God focused.  So whatever you do, whenever you do it, if it meets that criteria – it is “spiritual” in the context or redemption.  If it does not meet that criteria it is “spiritual” (because man are spiritual) but outside the light.