Old Time Religion

Dene Ward

Our women's study group recently completed a study of Jesus' dealings with the Pharisees, which has been a real eye-opener. I learned more than I have in a long time and in the process scared myself to death. I came to the horrible conclusion that in the past I have been a Pharisee, and, in some ways, still have these tendencies. I see Jesus' attitude toward them and I certainly do not want him feeling that way about me.

As a child I heard over and over that the Old Covenant was "form" religion only while the New Covenant is "heart" religion. The more we studied, the more it became apparent that this is NOT so. I gave my class the following list of scriptures to be read at one sitting. I'd like to challenge you to do the same. I know that I very often skim through this website the first time, then come back later for more detailed study, so if you do not have time right now, do not go any further in this article until you do. It will take 20-30 minutes of careful reading, and you will not get the same impact if you finish this article before reading the scriptures.

Now........Tell me that the Old Covenant was form religion. As one of the astonished ladies told me, "Why, God has always wanted our hearts."

Yes, form is important. As God told Moses, "See that you make all things according to the pattern," (Ex 25:40; Heb 8:5); and Paul told the Romans, "...thanks...to God... that you became obedient...to that form of teaching..." (Rom 6:17), and to the Colossians, "...do all in the name of the Lord..." (Col 3:17). Jesus even said that the Pharisees were right to be careful about the Law: "Whatever they bid you do and observe...for these things [tithing herbs] you ought to have done..." (Matt 23:1,23). But, he went on to say, the heart was more important: "...you have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith."

Why do you think he was so angry with the scribes and Pharisees? They prided themselves on knowing and keeping the Law, but they seemed totally unaware of those scriptures listed above. Jesus quoted several of these passages to them (Matt 9:13, 13:14,15; 15:8,9). "Go learn what this means," he told them--the ultimate insult to a scribe.

What would he think of us? How many times do we mutter through a song service (or totally skip our once a month song service "because it's just singing"), daydream during prayers, make faces at the babies in front of us while the Word of God is being read and discussed, and complain about the sermon on the way home, but think we have fulfilled our obligation--which sometimes seems to be all we perceive it as--to worship? And why? Because we sat on a pew at the appointed time, in a building with the "right sign" outside, and all the right acts (form) inside? Paraphrasing Jesus: "Even the Pharisees do the same" (Matt 5:47).

Now read again what Paul said about "form" religion: "I thank God because you were obedient from the heart to that form of teaching..." And again, as Micah said, "He has showed you what is good, and what does Jehovah require of you, but to do justly, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

God has always wanted our hearts.