The Weakness of Shallow Religion

1 SAMUEL 1:1-3

Theme: Though Elkanah’s faith appears to be strong, it is actually weak, shallow and superficial. God would have us know Him, walk with Him and worship Him with all our heart and mind in an ever growing relationship.  

ELKANAH IS MERELY A RELIGIOUS MAN.  

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: ² And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³ And this man went up out of his city ^†yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.^[1] (1Samuel 1:1-3)

Elkanah’s description as an Ephraimite appears troublesome since Samuel served as a priest, an office reserved exclusively for Levites. However, Elkanah was a direct descendant of Levi (1 Chron. 6:33–38) and was therefore qualified to function in a priestly capacity. He was a Levite by lineage but an Ephraimite by residence. One indication of how lawless were the times in which Samuel was born is his father’s bigamous marriages. ^[2]

The designation “Ephrathite” indicates his residence and location only, but he actually belongs to the priestly tribe of Levi. He and his family are Levites who had been historically devoted to the Lord and His service. Yet, Elkanah is not serving as a priest or Levite….

    1. He Appears to be Faithful in His Worship.   Vs. 3

In spite of Elkanah’s failures, he is still a deeply religious man (1Sam.1:3).

       A.  He Has Not Forsaken the Lord.  Vs. 3, “unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh”

He had not forsaken the one true God to worship the "gods" of Canaan like so many of his fellow Israelites. 

       B.  He Keeps the Annual Feasts and Sacrifices. 

Evidently, he faithfully celebrates all three special feasts outlined by the Lord in the book of Exodus (23:15-16).  "Three times in the year," God had said, “all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD” (Exo. 23:17).

Though many in Israel failed to honor God in this way—just as many Christians today fail to honor God by worshiping Him regularly and giving the first fruits of their material possessions—Elkanah was very conscientious about obeying these particular commandments.

       C.  He is Consistent and Faithful.

We read that “this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.” (1 Sam. 1:3).

    2.  He Appears to be Persistent in His Worship.  Vs. 3

1 Samuel 1:3, And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

Verse 3 emphasize Elkanah’s persistence in spite of the sinfulness and corruption of Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas. These men were notoriously wicked, but Elkanah faithfully and persistently worshiped God from his heart. He refuses to allow the sinfulness of others hinder his acts of devotion. Many weak souls will soon abandon their practice of faith because of the perceived and actual hypocrisy of so called adherents. They will work with, play with, recreate with, party with and even go into business with hypocrites, but they will NOT worship with them. Such excuses only evidence shallow commitments. Not Elkanah though.... He stayed with what he knew to be right and true even though his spiritual leaders were desperately wicked men.     

    3. He is Actually Superficial in His Worship.

Elkanah is a religious man—a faithful Jew when it came to performing the outward requirements of the law, particularly in terms of offering sacrifices to God. Remember superficial identifies his religion as surface, external, peripheral, and merely skin deep. It consisted in outward routines devoid of spiritual meaning. His faith is not really internalized; therefore, minimally impactful in his lifestyle and decisions.  Elkanah is an illustration of weak and shallow religion....

APPLICATION: It’s often easier to carry out the external requirements of Christianity yet neglect the internal and foundational requirements that give meaning to our outward forms of worship, service and commitment. Sometimes giving great amounts of money to a church or ministry is merely a substitute for giving one self and our talents or skills to the Lord. Such gifts tend to gain us recognition, special privileges, and honor before the rest of the church. It is so easy for spiritual disciplines to become routines disconnected from their God-given designs. As a result our faith stagnates at shallow routines and nearly meaningless practices. Bible reading is hit and miss...mostly miss. Prayer is relegated to emergency use only, but certainly not daily communion with God. Meditating on God's Word has been lost upon modern Christians. Tradition can displace truth as worship descends into patterns and forms long severed from their original meaning, power, and grace as God intended. It is possible to attend church and never worship while there…. It is possible to discover powerful truths through preaching and never bother to actually explore their potential in our own lives...through obedience. Yes, like Elkanah we can merely settle for a form of shallow and weak religion that vaguely resembles a vibrant faith.  

But, why? How could this development take shape when a person regularly involves themselves in religious events and activities? Really...when a person is willing to sacrifice for their faith isn't that an indication of deep and substantial devotion? Then how can Elkanah be regarded as merely superficial and shallow in his worship? Wouldn't it be more correct to say his faith is strong and deep instead of weak and shallow?

          A.  Worldliness is often the Culprit.

However, when it came to matters of the heart, Elkanah allowed the worlds system to penetrate his lifestyle. We must remember that in this moment of Israel’s history, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25), including marrying more than one woman. Elkanah’s decision to be a polygamist and to subsequently demonstrate favoritism toward Hannah definitely reflected the pagan influence that had penetrated his own life. Consequently, he suffered the consequences in terms of his family life.

          B.  External Religion without Internal Commitment is Likely the Case.

Today, many of us as Christians definitely consider ourselves religious. We may go to church regularly, we may have been baptized, and we may even substantially support the ministry financially. We're also committed to the basic tenets of Christianity: the deity of Christ, salvation by grace, the Bible is the Word of God, and that Jesus Christ is coming again.

But at the heart level there is something missing in many of our lives. We are more committed to the externals of the Christian Faith than we are to the internal aspects, such as genuine devotion, loving God, deep transformation within, empowered obedience, reflecting the fruit of the Spirit, which the apostle Paul describes as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance” (Gal. 5:22).

APPLICATION: Unfortunately, most of us live in a culture that is out of harmony with these Christian values. Consequently, we must constantly be on guard against the subtle influences of the world system, which the apostle John defines as, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16). The Word of God can help us know the true state of our hearts and motives. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Daily, the Scriptures can alerts us when we are merely going through the religious motions.

          C.  A Compensation for Guilt May also be in Play.

Frankly, I also believe many of us as Christians perform our religious duties to compensate for our failures. Guilt is the real motivation and not the Spirit of God.

                 1.  We know in our hearts we are not committed to Jesus Christ as we should be.

                 2.  We know we’re toying with sinful thoughts that dull our spiritual lives.

                 3.  We’re playing around with the sensual aspects of a worldly lifestyle.

                 4.  We’re making decisions in our businesses that are questionable, if not downright unethical.

                 5.  Our language is often not honoring to God.

                 6.  We give the appearance of being religious—in actuality, to compensate for our guilt.

APPLICATION: Sometimes we do good things for the wrong reasons. Elkanah should have been devoted to God as a priest or a Levite…. Knowing he was not what and where he ought to be motivated him to practice shallow religion instead of exploring and experiencing a life of joyful obedience to God. Yes, He made great sacrifices to compensate for his guilt, but God would rather obedience than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22-23). God desires that we worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23-24) from the heart and not merely adhering to empty religious traditions, and rituals that miss the point of adoration, praise, and heart-felt devotion (Matt. 22:36-40). If any of what I am emphasizing is true in your own life, ask God to help you practice Paul's exhortation to the Philippians: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philip. 4:8) Allow such honest inward reflections and Spirit-led self-examinations to produce godly outward expressions of true devotion from the heart. Finally, 1 John 1:9, is still in the Bible for folks just like you and me. God is a merciful and forgiving God when we specifically acknowledge our sins to Him in an attitude of genuine repentance.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Sa 1:1–3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[2] Merrill, E. H. (1985). 1 Samuel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 433). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The Kind of Judgment that Helps

MATTHEW 7:1-6

THEME:  When we reject a false righteousness, it will enable us to reject a false system of judgment also.

RELEVANCE:  The Lord wants us to exercise wise judgment regarding ourselves, other people, and the Lord himself.

INTRODUCTION: “They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.” -- William Penn

The Lord Jesus has been preaching to correct misconceptions about true righteousness and distinguishing God’s righteousness from the popular forms of Pharisaical righteousness familiar to His audience. He has shown repeatedly how the contemporary standards of right fall utterly short of God’s original intent for His Law (Matt. 5). He has also endeavored to express the weight and import of motives surrounding spiritual disciplines like giving, fasting, and prayer (Matt. 6). True righteousness requires love and commitment at the heart level.

True righteousness also supports the sound exercise of judgement (Matt. 7). An understanding of righteous standards and properly motivated godly practices encourages clear thinking discernment regarding our actions and those of others. To have a skewed perception of righteousness leads to skewed judgement. Likewise, a hypocritical standard of righteousness will influence one to judge hypocritically. Naturally, if we have no idea of God’s standard of righteousness, we would demand, “Don’t judge!” I know reading that may feel harsh...but please pause and think deeply about this.

The Pharisees were then judging and rejecting Christ finding Him entirely inadequate. He was not offering the kind of kingdom they anticipated or asking for the kind of righteousness they were exhibiting. So, they rejected Him. Jesus therefore warned them against hypocritical judging. Their false righteousness helped to encourage this false judgment. This explains why our Lord closed this important sermon with a discussion of judgment. In it He discussed an aspect of judgment called discernment. Consider the following....

LESSON:

Discernment: Judge Yourself Before You Judge Others (Matt. 7:1-6)

Discernment is keenness in seeing and understanding for the purpose of good and shrewd judgment. The eyes of our soul require a discernment whereby we can instantly read the character of others, but more importantly our own actions and motives.

The first principle of judgment is that we begin with ourselves. Jesus did not forbid us to judge others, for careful discrimination is essential in the Christian life. Christian love is not blind (Phil. 1:9–10). The person who believes all that he hears and accepts everyone who claims to be spiritual will experience confusion and great spiritual loss. But before we judge others, we must judge ourselves. Remember it is true righteousness that enables righteous judgement; this must of necessity return our focus back to ourselves. There are several reasons for this.

A.    Consider the Personal Repercussions (Matt. 7:1-2)

Here the Lord Jesus turns judgment on His 'judges' indicating the consequences of exercising unrighteous judgment.

We Shall Be Judged (7:1). The tense of the verb judged signifies a once-for-all final judgment. If we first judge ourselves, then we are preparing for that final judgment when we face God. The Pharisees “played God” as they condemned other people; but they never considered that God would one day judge them. Whether or not they acknowledged a righteous standard in this life, they will face God's righteous judgment in eternity. 

We Are Being Judged (7:2). The parallel passage in Luke 6:37–38 is helpful here. Luke 6:37-38, Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: [38] Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Not only will God judge us at the end, but people are also judging us right now; and we receive from people exactly what we give. The kind of judgment, and the measure of judgment, comes right back to us. We reap what we have sown. Fair is fair! It behooves us to shy away from a judgmental and critical spirit. Right?

We Must Not Be Judgmental (7:1-2). The word “judge” can mean evaluate or analyze. It also refers to private, judgmental attitudes that tear down others in order to build up oneself. The command “judge not” does not refer to judging in a court of law, nor is it a blanket statement against critical thinking. Believers should be discerning and make certain judgments. For example, Jesus said to expose false teachers (Matt. 7:15-23) and to admonish others in order to help them (Matt. 18:15). Paul taught that we should exercise church discipline (1Cor 5:1-5). Judgment is appropriate when confronting sin (1Cor. 5:12). (Wiersbe) Such judgments are clearly guided by the Word of God; it should not be according to a private standard. 

But as followers of Christ, we should not be critical or condemning in our attitudes toward others. A judgmental, critical spirit differs radically from love. Believers’ special position with Christ does not give us license to take God’s place as judge. Those who judge in that manner will find themselves judged likewise by God. As God will have mercy on the merciful (Matt. 5:7) and forgive those who forgive (Matt. 6:14-15), he will condemn those who condemn (Matt. 7:2b). The way we as Jesus’ followers treat others is the way God will treat us. The religious leaders taught that God judged the world by two “measures” -- mercy and justice. Each person receives what he or she measures out, either with mercy or with severity.

“Judge not, that you be not judged” (7:1) may be the most-often-misquoted text from the Bible. People frequently apply it as if it were a flat command against all moral judgment. In fact, people use it to judge what they consider a judgmental attitude on the part of another. Jesus, however, gave these words as one negative application of the Golden Rule. That is, we should not treat others as we do not want to be treated. We should seek to measure ourselves and others by the same standards.

Jesus declared it unacceptable to excuse our personal sin while holding others accountable for similar behavior. When you perceive a fault in others, your first impulse may be to confront or reject that person. But ask yourself first if your awareness of the failure mirrors your own life. Your effort to help will be in vain if the person can point out the same fault in you. Practice your own remedy before you ask others to do it. Jesus tells us to examine our motives and conduct instead of judging others. The traits that bother us in others are often the habits we dislike in ourselves. Our untamed bad habits and behaviors are the very ones that we most want to change in others. Do you find it easy to magnify others’ faults while excusing your own? If you are ready to criticize someone, check to see if you deserve the same criticism. Judge yourself first, and then lovingly forgive and help your neighbor.

B.    Consider a Personal Examination (Matt. 7:3-5)

Our Lord turns the focus on us; this is where our examination begins.

We Must See Clearly to Help Others (7:3–5). The purpose of self-judgment is to ensure we are right and to prepare us to serve others. Christians are obligated to help each other grow in grace. When we do not judge ourselves, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt those to whom we could minister. The Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good (Luke 18:9–14). But Christians should judge themselves so that we can help others look good. There is a difference!

Our Lord Jesus Illustrates This Very Point with The Eye (7:3-5). Jesus chose the symbol of the eye because this is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body. The picture of a man with a two-by-four stuck in his eye, trying to remove a speck of dust from another man’s eye, is ridiculous indeed! If we do not honestly face up to our own sins, and confess them, we blind ourselves to ourselves; and then we cannot see clearly enough to help others. The Pharisees saw the sins of other people, but they would not look at their own sins. In Matthew 6:22–23, Jesus used the illustration of the eye to teach us how to have a spiritual outlook on life. Jesus didn't point out our sinfulness, so we would simply let each other off more easily. He made it clear that a problem noticed usually requires more than one person’s response. Both speck and log must be removed. The person with the speck-sized problem may actually be in a better position to help remove the log than the other way around. This means that when you notice a problem in someone else’s life, you may have to ask that person to help you with the same problem in your own. A problem in common can be an excellent starting point for accountability.

We Must Not Pass Judgment on Others’ Motives. We should examine their actions and attitudes, but we cannot judge their motives—for only God can see their hearts. It is possible for a person to do a good work with a bad motive. It is also possible to fail in a task and yet be very sincerely motivated.

When we stand before Christ at the Judgment Seat, He will examine the secrets of the heart and reward us accordingly. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 2:16, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." He went on to say in Colossians 3:22-25, Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: [23] And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; [24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. [25] But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

We Must Be Loving and Tender When Helping Others (7:5). The image of the eye teaches us another truth: We must exercise love and tenderness when we seek to help others (Eph. 4:15). I have had extensive eye examinations, and I appreciated the tenderness of the physicians. Like eye doctors, we should minister to people we want to help with tender loving care. We can do more damage than a speck of dirt in the eye if we approach others with impatience and insensitivity.

In addition, two extremes must be avoided in this matter of spiritual self-examination. The first is the deception of a shallow examination. Sometimes we are so sure of ourselves that we fail to examine our hearts honestly and thoroughly. A quick glance into the mirror of the Word will never reveal the true situation (James 1:22–25). The second extreme is what I call a “perpetual autopsy.” Sometimes we get so wrapped up in self-examination that we become unbalanced. But we should not look only at ourselves, or we will become discouraged and defeated. We should look by faith to Jesus Christ and let Him forgive and restore us. Satan is the accuser (Rev. 12:10), and he enjoys it when we accuse and condemn ourselves! Our personal priority must be addressing ourselves first (vs. 5). After we have judged ourselves honestly before God, and have removed those things that blind us, then we can help others and properly judge their works. But if we know there are sins in our lives, and we try to help others, we are hypocrites. In fact, it is possible for ministry to be a device to cover up sin! The Pharisees were guilty of this, and Jesus denounced them for it.

C.    Consider Your Personal Perception (Matt. 7:5-6)

The Lord links personal ministry to personal judgement.

The Reason We Must Judge Relates to Our Ministry of ‘Holy Things.’ (7:6). As God’s people, we are privileged to handle the “holy things” of the Lord. He has entrusted to us the precious truths of the Word of God (2 Cor. 4:7), and we must regard them carefully. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” Certainly, the Gospel is an extraordinary treasure! Clearly a faithful priest would not throw meat from the altar to a filthy dog, and only a fool would give pearls to a pig. So, who are these “dogs” and “swine”? (Matt 7:6) They are unholy or “unclean” people who, when presented with the gospel, treat it with scorn and contempt. “That which is holy” refers to the special, consecrated food that only the priests and their families ate (Ex 29:33-34; Lev 22:10-16; Num 18:8-19). It would be unthinkable to give this sacred food to scavenger dogs. In the same way, it would also be futile to give pearls to pigs. “That which is holy” and “pearls” picture the teaching of the gospel of the kingdom (see 13:45-46 where the kingdom of heaven is compared to a pearl of great value).

Jesus explained the futility of teaching the gospel to people who do not want to listen; such people will only tear apart what we say. Pigs do not realize the value of pearls; all they know is that they cannot eat them, so they spit them out and then trample them into the mud. Contemptuous, evil people cannot grasp the value of the gospel, so they scornfully cast it away. We should not stop giving God's Word to unbelievers, but we should be wise and discerning so as not to bring scorn to God's message. When Is Evangelism Wrong? Is evangelism ever inappropriate? Sometimes our witnessing requires discretion. There are times and places when witnessing can be rude and offensive. As a result, the gospel will be ridiculed. When you witness, there will always be resistance to the message. Don’t be put off. Resistance is normal. But when your witness provokes anger, slander, or ridicule, consider another time and place. All people need to hear the gospel, but effective witnessing occurs in appropriate settings.

While it is true that we must carry the Gospel “to every creature” (Mark 16:15) …. It is also true that we must not cheapen the Gospel by a ministry that lacks discernment and appropriateness. Even Jesus refused to talk to Herod (Luke 23:9), and Paul refused to argue with people who resisted the Word (Acts 13:44–49). Often in my evangelism efforts I am looking for someone ready and willing to listen to the Gospel.

The Reason we must Exercise Judgment is to Have a Discerning Life and Ministry (7:6). It is not that we might condemn others, but that we might be able to minister to them appropriately. Notice that Jesus always dealt with individuals according to their needs and their spiritual condition. He did not have a one-size-fits-all canned presentation for everyone. Memorized speeches have a certain usefulness, but Jesus was aware of the principles of salvation and He worked these principles. He discussed the new birth with Nicodemus, but He spoke of living water to the Samaritan woman at the well. When the religious leaders tried to trap Him, He refused to answer their question (Matt. 21:23–27). It is a wise Christian who first assesses the condition of a person’s heart before sharing the precious pearls.

As Christians we must exercise discernment; for not everyone is a sheep. Some people are dogs or hogs, and some are wolves in sheep’s clothing! We are the Lord’s sheep, but this does not mean we should let people pull the wool over our eyes!