BONDAGE
While the children of Israel were in Egyptian bondage, they had become accustomed to their daily routine. Though they suffered at the hands of Pharaoh, and were forced to endure hard labour, they had food and shelter. After God freed them from Egypt, they spent forty years in the wilderness. God had brought them out of bondage so that He could be their God, and they would be to Him a people, but they resisted Him each step of the way. They even found fault with the food He provided for them each day. He gave them manna, but they got tired of that and wanted meat. And when He sent them quail meat, they grumbled about that too.1 For forty years they were in training, but rather than learn to trust Him as Healer and Provider and to acknowledge Him as the LORD GOD, they murmured and complained. They desired to be back in Egypt where at least they had good food and fresh vegetables to eat.
Several years ago, as I spent time in prayer, I was overwhelmed with the memory of the picture of the church as God sees her and the agony of the Father's heart. I had been lying on my bed, about to get up, when I saw words moving across what appeared to be a narrow banner. The words I saw were "THE SIN IS EGYPT." I wondered what this meant, but it wasn't until later that the Lord gave me the answer: "Bondage has a stranglehold on the present-day church." The desires of the flesh, through the knowledge of good and evil, have caused the church to remain where the "food" is more pleasing to the flesh--she has little desire for fresh Manna from Heaven.
The church is enslaved to the vain traditions handed down from generation to generation. These traditions include doctrine other than that of Christ, ritualistic "worship," programs to regulate church life, various rituals, etc. There is no desire to get out of the rut of complacency. Those who believe they are "the church" go to church week after week, sit in the same pew, talk to the same people, sing the same songs, give their tithes at the appointed time, listen to a sermon, say the proper prayers, and leave at the usual time. Unconsciously, they are in bondage. If they were to allow God to free them, would they be willing to trust Him to be all they need? Would they come to fully acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, the One Who died to free man from the flesh? Would they hungrily feed on the Manna from Heaven? Or would they murmur and complain, wanting to go back to "Egypt" with its structured "Christian" bondage?
Many in the apostate church quote Hebrews 10:25 to manipulate others into coming to church. Why? Is it the "circumcision" of which Paul spoke? Is it because faithfulness to church is seen as "faithfulness to God?" Is it because "more people in church" translates into a "smaller mortgage?" Or is it ritual because church attendance is expected? In the majority of churches the answer is "yes" to all of the above, because their inherited knowledge of good and evil has produced nothing but religious flesh.
Bondage to flesh
Much of the Western church, particularly in North America, offers the lost little more than condemnation and a plethora of rules to follow. People believe they are actually pleasing and obeying God, as they listen to grand sermons based on pretexts which are bible texts taken out of context. These man-made masterpieces of oratory appeal to the flesh and promise God's "blessing" if the people will do all the right things. This leaves the impression that if they fail to do the right thing, they will miss God. Insidiously masked behind eloquence and happy faces, these "twins"--condemnation and rules--have become the "gospel" message. If sinners respond to such a message, they may go from the bondage of flesh to the bondage of MORE flesh, which comes in the form of religiosity and churchianity with its inherent demands to measure up. In their own strength, they may try to live up to standards set by man, believing that these are God's standards.
Why has the church strayed so far from pure devotion to Jesus? Are seminaries producing ministers who never question the traditions and doctrines? Only by God's Grace will some church attendees find a real relationship with Jesus. But after that, if no one disciples them in the truth, they too may be swept into the mainstream of religion and forsake their first love.
Several years ago I met a lady whose future daughter-in-law had introduced her to Jesus. The lady put her trust in Him, experienced His unforgettable power in freeing her from a smoking habit, and went about sharing her new-found faith. She found a church where there seemed to be "lots of life" and became deeply involved, attending every meeting--eventually becoming an elder. This lady went from sharing her excitement over Jesus to the bondage of churchianity with all its legalistic practices. Although she had been freed from a smoking habit, it had taken its toll on her body. She developed lung cancer and became very weak. But in her remaining months, when she could no longer go to church, she rediscovered Jesus and once again He became everything to her. She shared with her daughter-in-law how she now understood that all Jesus wanted was a relationship, not enslavement to "serving Him." They had a joyous and tearful time as they said "good-bye" for the last time--on earth.
Pastors who lead new believers into bondage will one day stand before God. What will they say in answer to the question, "What have you done with my Son?" Jesus had something to say about those who cause new believers to turn from trust in Him: "And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea." (Mark 9:42). Although Jesus was referring to the children, I believe He sees new believers as "little children." They are babies in Christ who need nurturing to grow and mature in Him--they ought not to be turned away from Him.
In the apostate church, there are multitudes ready and willing to embrace a new believer and bring him into the fold. Then they begin the process of "circumcision" by introducing man-made laws. They seem to believe they are helping God in His work of regenerating a new Christian. Creatures of flesh are taking over the work rightfully belonging to the Holy Spirit. It is little wonder God's written word tells us that judgment will begin in the house of God.2 Peter asks the question, "If it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17b-18).
What a sobering statement Peter makes in the above verse! We the church will be judged before all others. And if we have not obeyed the Gospel of God, what will our end be? We must let go of our obsession with self and flesh, and completely surrender to the One who gave Himself for us, then take time for a one-on-one relationship of praise, devotion and worship. Otherwise, how can the corporate Body ever reach the place where God's presence will be so rich that the lost will be drawn to Jesus because He is in the church? What REALLY happens when a "stranger" enters most church buildings?
There has arisen a serious social problem not recognized by much of the church. If a person is not involved wholeheartedly in every aspect of church life, he may be seen as unfaithful, an outsider, or even an unbeliever. If that person does not attend one of the church's home groups or a cell group, he may have a difficult time being acknowledged by the tight-knit group of insiders. How many people are lost because they were rejected by the church to which they went in search of God? If He is not there, neither is love.
Men's hands
Is it possible that we are so in bondage to self that we see the power of our hands as being of value to God? The bible has plenty to say about the works of men's hands. As the definitions of both the Hebrew and Greek words show, "hand" indicates "power" or "means."3,4
One of the first references to man's new-found ability is in Genesis 3:22, as we saw in an earlier chapter. Man had become like God, knowing good and evil, so the Lord God said, "[A]nd now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever. . ." Man cannot take hold of eternal life by the power of his own doing, but that seems to be the perception among so many today.
Genesis 4:3-8 tells how God rejected Cain's offering of the works of his own hands, but He accepted Abel's offering which represented the death of flesh. So what was Cain's response? In self-righteous anger, he murdered his brother.
God has pleaded constantly with man to forsake the works of his hands and come to Him in complete surrender. We see just one example of this in Deuteronomy 4:28-31: The people were serving gods made with wood and stone, "the work of men's hands." But the Lord told the people they would find Him only if they would seek Him with all their heart and soul.
After he completed writing the books of the Law, Moses spoke to the elders of the tribes of Israel. He foretold the evil that would come upon them in the latter days because they had provoked the Lord to anger through the works of their hands.5 Jeremiah also spoke of how the people of Judah had forsaken the LORD when they burned incense to other gods and "worshiped the works of their own hands." (Jeremiah 1:16).
Gross error has invaded the church and deceived man into trusting in his own works. How many of us ignorantly idolize the works of our own hands? Idolatry is raging, and Jesus has been forsaken!
James [Greek: Jacob] said, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." (James 4:8). In the eyes of God, the works of our hands are polluted--we are sinners and must cleanse our hands and purify our hearts, becoming single-minded in our devotion to Jesus.
In Revelation 9:20, John relates how, even after the deadly plagues, many people "repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood." Has the church made idols of her gold and silver? Do Christians hold in adoration their churches of "brass, and of stone, and of wood?"
In Acts 17, Paul was speaking to the people in Athens about their worship of "AN UNKNOWN GOD." (Verse 23). He proceeded to tell them about this God who created all things--the Lord of Heaven and earth who dwells not "in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." (Acts 17:24b-25 NKJV). In verse 28 he says, "for in him we live and move, and have our being." God wants nothing and needs nothing from the hands of man. It is His will that we take care of one another--especially the fatherless and widows, as well as the strangers in need of shelter and food. It truly matters to Him how we treat one another.
The above quotes on the works of men's hands are a mere sampling of all that is in the bible, but I believe they sufficiently reveal how God sees our efforts. Even though man may be impressed by what flesh can do, it is abomination in the sight of God. He is calling forth a remnant with clean hands and pure hearts, freed from the bondage of flesh.
Personal bondage
Many walk in bondage today because of unhealed hurts and unresolved issues. Living in fear of rejection, fear of failure, or fear of offending, these wounded ones carry burdens even from childhood. To the wounded ones these fears are very real. Psychologists call them "phobias." The enemy of our souls would love to keep us in such bondage to fear that he can destroy every relationship we have--especially our relationship with God. And he will, unless we learn that in Christ Jesus we have a God Who is greater than all fear--a God Who is longing to free every seeking soul. His Spirit can free us from all strongholds if we are willing to surrender fully to His resurrection power.
Some may have suffered physical, sexual, mental, or emotional abuse, which leave scars affecting every facet of one's life. Jesus is the Answer--His presence in the Person of the Holy Spirit is waiting to fill our beings until there is room for nothing else. What freedom He gives and what joy will come as He heals and makes us whole! Once whole, we then are capable of extending forgiveness to those who have hurt us--whether or not they know they did.
1. Book of Exodus
2. 1 Peter 4:17a
3. Hebrew #3027
4. Greek #5495
5. Deuteronomy 31:29
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