Choose – but on what basis?
We all have spiritual side but which road should we go down? It must be God’s road.
The ‘Khlysti’ were a religious sect in Russia in the second half of the nineteenth century. There were many local secret cells, called ‘arks’, throughout pre-revolutionary Russia. These were ascetic groups who thought they received God’s spirit through ecstatic rituals called ‘radenya’. At these events the groups would sing, pray and dance rhythmically whilst spinning round and performing rapid head movements. They felt that by this means they could feel the ‘spirit’s presence’, describing these meetings as ‘spiritual beer’. Towards the end of the meeting they tended to fall to the floor and then became involved in promiscuous sexual activity - what we would call orgies. Each cell had a male or female leader who was called either ‘Christ’ or ‘Mother of God’. They justified such behaviour by saying that if they didn’t sin they couldn’t repent and without repentance they could not receive forgiveness for their sin! Their motto was ‘Sin that you may obtain forgiveness’. Although these people continued to attend local Russian Orthodox churches they renounced the church’s teachings about priesthood, holy books and the veneration of saints. Originally they called themselves ‘Krystovoveri’ or ‘Christ bearers’ but, as they became outlawed by the Orthodox Church, they were given the nickname ‘Khlysti’. This name twisted the original Russian word ‘krysti’ to the similar word ‘khlysti’, which means ‘whips’ because they practised self flagellation with whips.
When Rasputin, then illiterate, visited a monastery when just 19 years old he was introduced to and became involved with a Khlysti group and subsequently he felt that he had the gifts of insight, prophecy and healing. Eventually he was introduced to the Romanov royal family and managed to persuade some of them that he had supernatural gifts. It was well known that he remained sexually promiscuous throughout his life, indeed the name Rasputin means, in Russian, ‘debauched one’. However he had great charisma and misled many people. Eventually he was murdered by other members of the Royal family.
What lessons can be learned from this tragedy? Throughout history, people have succumbed to mystical religion where they try to feel the presence of their god directly. Mysticism is popularly considered as man’s attempt to become one with God but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. The word is derived from the Greek ‘muo’, meaning "I conceal", and its derivative ‘mystikos’, meaning 'an initiate'. Followers of mystery religions belonged to private groups, and access was only gained through an initiation. Emotions tended to be heightened, and experiences obtained, by a variety of means such as drugs, rhythmic music, sensuality and authoritative, charismatic leadership. There are many examples of such mystical groups within all religions over the ages.
The ‘whirling dervishes’ are a Sufi group within Islam who, since the twelfth century, have used physically active meditation to try and reach union with God. This is sought through abandoning one's personal desires, by listening to the music, focusing on God, and spinning one's body in repetitive circles.
In Judaism there has long been a mystical stream known as the ‘Kabbalah’. These groups have combined seeking ecstatic experiences of God with extra biblical writings which have been given considerable authority.
In the 13th century people talked of a ‘unio mystica’ or ‘spiritual marriage,’ and by this they meant the ecstasy, or rapture, that could be experienced during prayer. In the 19th century, under the influence of Romanticism, this “union” was interpreted as a “religious experience,” which provided certainty about God or a transcendental reality.
It was the American psychologist William James (1842–1910) who popularised the search for mystical or religious experiences, saying that “in mystic states we both become one with the Absolute and we become aware of our oneness.” Others would prefer to say that that they are seeking to be conscious or aware of the reality and presence of God. It was also William James who popularized the term “religious experience.”
In the Bible the word ‘mystery’ is used in a very different way – it is always the previously hidden realities about Jesus Christ that must be publicly disclosed to all and is not to be equated with an experience. Biblical faith is about obedience to the revealed Christ and a future hope yet to be revealed. Paul wrote,
“I have become its (the Church’s) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages . . . the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:25
In the Bible, evidence of the presence of Christ in us, of the Holy Spirit, is a deep longing to live in obedience to Christ. The experiences of joy and peace, that the Bible keeps emphasising are the result of living as God wants. The Old Testament is clear about what God expects of his chosen people - obedience.
There is no doubt that the God who is revealed in the Bible does intervene in people’s lives through extraordinary experiences. But such are not the norm in Scripture. Today God still sometimes steps into people’s lives by giving them experiences that can only be explained as the hand of God.
Vijay Menon was brought up as a Hindu in India but came to live in London. One Tuesday lunch time he saw crowds of people entering an old church in the city for what he thought to be a lunchtime concert. He sat down in a pew and was quickly trapped by others. Then a preacher, the Rev Dick Lucas stood up to preach. For the first time Vijay heard the gospel. For the next week he had vivid dreams about the Christian message. A week later he arranged to meet up with Dick Lucas.. After this meeting Dick said that Vijay had been given an amazingly clear understanding of the gospel. Vijay then started to study the Bible with others in that church and his knowledge grew further, but he no longer had any dreams.
This is an important distinction. God can and does step into people’s lives using a wide variety of means but his goal is that we become convinced of the truth about Jesus and are then committed to living in obedience to his wishes because of who he is. All Christ’s people will eventually have a first hand experience of God’s presence when the Lord returns and calls his faithful people to live with him but before then his desire is for us to be obedient.
This is always the emphasis in the Bible as the following examples reveal. Seeking experiences of the presence of God without being willing to obey God is never encouraged
Moses
At the end of the book of Deuteronomy Moses reminds God’s people of the covenant God had instituted with them. He reminds them of all that God had done for them,
“I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 29:6
What did Moses urge God’s people to do? They had to make a decision,
“Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.” Deuteronomy 29:9
The Christian message is that Jesus is God, come in the flesh. The forgiveness he won for us on that cross enables us to know for certain that we are forgiven and are assured of eternal life. But the only evidence that we have been accepted by God is the presence of the Holy Spirit shown by a longing to live as Christ teaches. It is too easy to have a false assurance.
A lady once said,
“What I value is sacramental assurance.”
She mistakenly thought that because she regularly received the sacraments she was assured of salvation. That is not what the Bible teaches. Our assurance can only come from our love for the Lord demonstrated by the way we live with him and for him throughout the week.
Moses warned each of God’s people about ‘going their own way’ whilst remaining religious,
“When a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, ‘I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way. This will bring disaster. . . The LORD will never be willing to forgive him: his wrath and zeal will burn against that man.” Deuteronomy 29:19-20
This teaching is not vague, we can all understand it. We don’t have to travel large distances to discover what God wants of us.
“Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.” Deuteronomy 29:13-14
It is obedience to what God teaches that is vital. The Lord continues,
“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live . . .” Deuteronomy 29:15-16
They all had to make a choice, just as we do.
Joshua
When Joshua was an old man he summoned all the elders, leaders and judges of Israel to congregate with him before God at Shechem. Joshua then passed on what the Lord God wanted to say to all his people,
“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says . . .” Joshua 24:1
God then recounted all that he has done throughout the history of his people. He keeps using the word ‘I’, it is God who insists that it was he who controlled his people’s destiny. Then Joshua applies this teaching to the people before him.
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away your gods your forefathers worshipped . . . and serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14
This is very perceptive. All people tend to follow the ways of their forebears; children tend to copy what matters to their parents. Joshua reminded the people of God’s demand,
“Love the LORD you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5
This has always been God’s command to his people and remains so today. Joshua knew well that all of us are prone to deviate from the God’s path and go our own way, serving what satisfies us. He insists that people should choose the way they are going to live.
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
The response was adamant,
“We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.” Joshua 24:18
At first Joshua doubted the sincerity of this decision,
“You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.” Joshua 24:19-20
John the Baptist
The whole Bible stresses that there is no salvation without repentance. John was a true prophet who passed on the word of God (Luke 3:2). He preached ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’. He recognised that many people rely of their religious affiliation or heritage for assurance of salvation and he spoke out against this,
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath! Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ . . . The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:7-9
The proof of salvation is that continuous decision to obey. John was, at the same time, clear that salvation cannot be found in what we do but only in what the Saviour has done for us. John’s emphasis was to go on and share ‘the good news’ about Jesus to them (Luke 3:18). The apostle John repeatedly emphasised that Jesus was the focus of all the Baptist’s teaching (John 2:19-24).
Paul
When Paul wrote his epic letter to the Romans he began and ended with the choice all Christians have been led to make. At the beginning of the letter he reminds us all that the gospel is not a feeling but the truth of God revealed in Scripture about his Son Jesus Christ.
“ . . . the gospel promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son . . .” Romans 1:2-3
The response God expects is a life-changing faith, a commitment to obey,
“ . . . to the obedience that comes through faith.” Romans 1:5
At the end of this letter Paul re-emphasises these three points. He reminds them that the Christian message is about the Lord Jesus. This gospel is found, not in our minds or through experiences but in Scripture. Churches will be established as people follow what God has taught us. The effect will be an obedient people. These emphases are clearly fundamental,
“Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed through the prophetic writings by the counsel of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him . . .” Romans 16:25-26
Jesus
Jesus also emphasised that the decision to be obedient is what God wants of us. God does not want us to seek experiences but to be obedient. Jesus said repeatedly,
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” John 14:21
“If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching.” John 14:23
“He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:24
Jesus understands that people are at risk of being satisfied with experiences, even though they do not have any bearing on our relationship with God.
A friend was suffering from depression and had no feelings for God but could not get out of his mind wrong things he had done in the past. When he realised that feelings were no guide to his standing with God, which had been won by Christ, his depression lifted.
Choose
In the Bible we repeatedly read that people can only become God’s people when he has chosen them.
Jesus repeatedly stressed this,
“ . . . no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last.” John 15:16
Notice that the disciples were chosen for a job, to go into the world to bear fruit, to ‘make disciple of all nations’, to be ‘fishers of men.’
To be successful in this task, all Christians must accept this commission and choose to follow Jesus along ‘The Way’.
“If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” John 7:17
Our response to the call of God must be to choose to ‘do God’s will’, that is to follow what God teaches us in God’s word.
There are therefore many decisions we have to make about Jesus. The same William James mentioned earlier also said,
“When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.”
Today there are groups of Christians who are being seduced into chasing what they consider to be experiences of God instead of emphasising the Word of God. When Quakers began to seek the ‘inner voice’ they became introspective and began to die out. Their website says,
“Inner Listening is a form of spirituality that is practiced among adherents of most of the world's theistic faiths. Inner Listening is usually interpreted as “listening to God,” and can be facilitated by methods such as ‘Lectio Divina’ or ‘Imaginative Prayer.’”
Note there is no emphasis here on the Word of God, on Jesus or on obedience. Unfortunately there are many other groups that are being seduced away from the apostolic Christian faith in similar ways. The Khlysti were not the first or the last.
God has made us as emotional beings but if we make satisfying our feelings the priority we will inevitably drift from God. As we live in obedience to him, he thrills and excites us as we enjoy living his way and see him at work through us. We are given the peace and security of knowing that we are living as our Lord wants.
Possibly the best way to finish this article is to return to the wise words of Joshua who recognised that all people must make a choice and that choice is about who we will serve.
“ . . then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
When we choose which road to go down, we are choosing where we will be led to. Our choice is the means that determines the end. The choice is between the road that seek experiences for ourselves or the road that prioritises obedience to Christ with its secondary pleasures – these roads have very different destinations.
BVP
November 2020
