'One thing you lack.' --Mark 10:21His fatal deficiency may be described in a variety of ways. He had no conviction that he was a ruined, lost and Hell-deserving sinner, no consciousness that he was a spiritual leper in the sight of God, no realization of his utter helplessness to better his condition. Though religious, he was still in nature's darkness, and therefore, his affections were not raised above the vanities of this world. There was no love for God within him; and consequently, he was unwilling to deny himself, abandon his idols, and give God His rightful place in his life--serving, pleasing, and enjoying Him. He lacked a real and unreserved surrender of his heart to God.
Is that the case with you, dear reader?
--A. W. Pink
HT: Eddie Harper
2 comments:
Dane,
Does 'religion' as you're defining it necessarily entail a lack of rightly-ordered religious affections? Or can one be religious and still really and unreservedly surrender one's heart to God'? In other words, do you think religion and true spirituality are necessarily opposed?
I guess the underlying question is what do you mean by 'religion'?
Thanks for the comment Drew.
Pink and I are using 'religion' to describe what Jesus diagnosed of the scribes and pharisees in the Gospels. Weren't they among the most 'religious' people around? And yet didn't they lack what you call 'rightly-ordered religious affections'? (The point of confusion may be that Edwards, if that's who you're alluding to, used the word 'religion' to refer to authentic Christian experience--just the opposite of the way Pink and I are using it).
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