words to live by
by Elizabeth DeBarros
“That we shall communicate
not just what comes to mind,
but that which is in accord
with Scripture.”
-Nohemi Lugo
Assumptions can be costly.
For centuries, men have erected shrines of their own making, gargantuan masterpieces to honor a God Whom they believe gives nod to their monuments of cavernous proportions and elaborate detail.
In 1883, an idea costing muchos pesos combined with a massive land donation brought forth the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito, Ecuador to commemorate the country’s devotion to the Sacred Heart. Men and women came donating stones in exchange for having their names engraved on them. Technically “unfinished,” it’s been said that “when the Basílica is completed, the end of the world will come.”
But God is not moved by stone.
Religion, no matter what form it takes, is a wall of great heights, a seeming protection — a pseudo-spiritual alibi for the sinner. Whether the object of affection is in the artistic fenestration of a narthex, hideous array of gargoyles or the furnishing of a Gothic spire, it’s always something that represents what men think God also admires. But He does not concern Himself with temples built by human hands.
And yet, there is another set of religious lies far more common, which distort the grace of God, allowing us to persist on our own terms. A veritable spree which is actually a cover-up for wickedness.
“I can’t help it, I’m just wired this way.”
“God understands my needs.”
“Jesus wants me to be happy, right?”
Apart from its many vestments, the distinguishing marks of man-centered religion are always the same: they either focus on externals or diminish personal accountability.
But Jesus said:
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you,
That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
-Matthew 12:35-37 (KJV)
Unless we rid ourselves of the last traces of religion, we will inevitably end up following our own dictates and remain bound, building castles in the sky, impressed by what our own hands have made, unaware that God is far more particular about what it is we say and do.
Purify my lips and guard my steps, O Lord. ♦
Maybe I’m weird, but I’ve always seen architecture like this as being ugly to the point of demonic. It probably has gargoyles all over it. Anyway, I agree with you about religion and all the false piety that passes for godliness. People paying to have their names on a stone (nowadays a plaque), pastors mixing law with grace to meet their financial needs without the Holy Spirit, people confessing to a priest who tells them to do 10 hail Marys and they’re forgiven– all useless machinations of man. Man always has to add something to the grace of God, which takes away the sheer magnitude of the power of grace. Even today, I am tempted to wrestle with the guilt of sins that already have been atoned for. God help us all to simply believe the glorious gospel!
Yes, Rox, the more I understand the nature of religion and how it detracts from the Truth, I, too, see these palatial works as more monstrous than magnificent. I do not deny that some of the most moving art can be found in them (Sistine Chapel, for instance), but that is to miss the point.
When men think they can please God by dedicating monuments to the One Who requires of them something far greater than metal and stone, I fear religion is in the house.
Thanks for reading, friend, and for your comment!
-E
Your last paragraph not only nails it, but sets the nail! Far more costly than all our pretty buildings is the horde of little gods that our self-centered-ness gives continual birth to! Blessings!
Thank you for reading, Petra! And, yes, I agree with you.
As John Calvin wrote in Institutes:
“From this we may gather that man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.”
– John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion I:XI.8
Words. My how we underestimate their power to hurt or to heal. When I consider that James said “no man can tame the tongue” I am inclined to think “It’s better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to open my mouth and remove all doubt.”
E – Thank you for the reminders to guard both our actions and our lips.
Hi Diane!
The inspiration for this post was the conviction God placed upon my heart for something rash I said to someone over 5 years ago! And although the person I said it to did not think an apology was necessary, God did
Much love to you,
-E
Very well said, Elizabeth! Externals do not matter to God. It is what is in the heart of a man/woman that makes all the difference. No building is really the church…we are the church as the Spirit dwells within us. Thank you for the wonderful reminder!!!
Hi Barbara,
Yes, WE are the church! How easy it is for this to get lost on us. The concept of a spiritual kingdom was lost on the first disciples, too. I recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:6:
“I tell you that One greater than the temple is here.”
Thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you were encouraged.
-E
Amen, dear Elizabeth. I couldn’t help but think about St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and the Sistine Chapel. As we study the Reformation, it was largely to finance these projects that the false professors were selling indulgences and exploiting God’s people!
And, Your last sentence so eloquently captures it all:
“Apart from its many vestments, the distinguishing marks of man-centered religion are always the same: they either focus on externals or diminish personal accountability.”
Love what Nohemi said, too!
Love you dearly!
Thank you, Christina!
I love Nohemi’s quote, too.
For having grown up Roman Catholic, I understand how significant and powerful is the patronage to externals. I think the WOTR project has stoked a hot coal in me
Love you dearly, too!
-E
Liz, thank you for this “monumental” reminder that God asks for our heart, but we often offer subterfuge! I was reading Isaiah 40 this week: “As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple…Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing…Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak …those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.” There is no other way. Oh, to live authentically for Him, on a high mountain, shouting “Here is your God!” and not hiding behind the customs and mediation of men!
Thank you for that, Cindy! The truth is that I cannot even offer my heart apart from His grace. How I need Him, weak as I am!
Unfortunately, many people think Christians are mere swashbucklers, full of triumphalism and swagger. But the truth is that we are all bereft apart from Him. It’s only when we lean upon Him and Him alone that “He leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.” (2 Cor. 2:14)
So appreciate your comments!
As I look at the photograph and read the post, I am hearing “Come out, come out wherever you are…” Too many people are hiding, and the Lord in His mercy continues to call us out. His glorious grace far surpasses the magnitude of any building. He does not dwell in buildings, but in every heart that has humbled itself before Him. Praise His Holy Name. Let us all remember when He extended His hand and said, “Come unto Me.” Thanks for the post, Liz.
I have been thinking a lot about the issue of our accountability before God. We will make every excuse in the book, re-evaluate and re-interpret Scripture in any way we can so that we can do what we want and avoid accountability. We want the grace without the cost.
Thank you, Kim. What you said here applies on so many levels, but it all boils down to the same thing: accountability. Men mistake the grace of God for licensure, but they forget the requirements of the Lord. I so appreciate your words today!