Religiously Right

Reliigiously Right is the text from my soon to be published book, The Identity in the Closet. ©

Author Darlene J. Conard

“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:2-3 KJV

Jonah threw a temper tantrum when Nineveh repented. He tried running from God, getting himself into a huge mess! “They are wicked!” He complained to God. His answer with an attitude says it all. Jonah thought he knew more than God. Something isn’t right if a Christian gets angry over a great revival! There is no compassion.

Let us not forget that we were once standing in judgment until we took that step towards repentance. Jesus said and still His word stands, …” I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:12 NIV) Since the angels are rejoicing why shouldn’t we join them?

I’ve learned a lot in my lifetime! The first thing I learned as a Christian is how not to be. My grandmother and other elders rooted in their faith were the greatest examples.

I’ve witnessed judgmental viewpoints over clothing, ballgames, and the, “Do not hang around others that don’t believe the same way,” attitude.” I started to become something that made me uncomfortable. God dealt with me through dreams and the scriptures.

This chapter is crucial as it can destroy our witness. I don’t want someone, especially a sinner, and say, “If that’s what living for God is about then I don’t want it!” I’ve been there, I get it! Legalism doesn’t belong in the church.

I read a quote that says, “The only One who could throw a stone didn’t.”

Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites for a reason.

Did you know the word hypocrite was commonly used to describe actors on a Greek stage? The word hypocrite is two Greek words combined translating it as, “an interpreter from underneath.”

I’ve encountered Christians who refuse to believe they are wrong. They can’t take corrections, but they can give it. Headstrong they continue their way.

More times than I can count I have been approached by people who are supposed to be in leadership God revealed things about me that weren’t true! One summer the Lord blessed me by making a way for me to attend a leadership conference. The night we headed home, God revealed to me, that I needed to cut this person off. It was the hardest thing! I didn’t have to question that it was from God. He said, “Darlene, you need to obey. Not everything I asked you to do is going to be easy.” That night I dreamt when I cut this person off, they were kicking, screaming, and crying because they weren’t getting their way. I wrote a letter as God instructed, made a copy of it, and sent the letter. I got a letter of apology in the mail, but then this person changed their mind saying, God told them to completely cut me off it was mean and nasty. This individual talked more than they listened. Because of this, the conversation was completely twisted! It was nothing like I said! This person has a problem believing they know everything and cannot be taught anything new! Please be cautious! I saw the warning signs but because of my carefulness not to hurt others, I got hurt. Listen to God when He warns you of this type of person!

The Bible teaches us to evaluate people’s actions. I have encountered leaders who claimed that God had revealed things about me that were not true, but they refused to accept the reality. One of my intercessors taught me to be aware of anger and judgment by referring to it as righteous anger or judgment. Sometimes, people become so enthusiastic about their thoughts and ideas that they mistake them for God’s voice. They make hasty judgments and refuse to reconsider them. I have witnessed them cutting off people simply because their ideas did not coincide. God is kind and merciful, and He does not condemn anyone.

“Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?” Ecclesiastes 7:16 KJV

At first, I didn’t understand Romans 10:2-3, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

The word zeal in this verse means in the Greek translation zḗlos (an omamopoeic term that mimics the sound of water bubbling over from heat, and perhaps derived from zéō, “to boil) – properly, burning emotion (inner feeling boiling over, “boiling from heat,” (figuratively) something very fervent (“red-hot”) as with Spirit-fueled zeal to serve the Lord. We can get ahead of the Holy Ghost. It is possible to be overly confident! Not only that, but the power of God is unlike anything this world has to offer! We are of fleshly nature. At the beginning of my baby steps, I had to enquire to the Lord about this. He replied to me, “Darlene it’s easy to get out of My Spirit and into the flesh.” I understood! We must think before we act or speak, and most of all use discernment. Jesus says, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29 KJV)

The ES Version of Galatians 5:25 is, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Keep in synchrony with His counsel. If we don’t, we will establish self-righteousness. Isaiah 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (KJV)

We also must be careful to fear self-righteousness, then we don’t do anything!

The Pharisees believed they were privileged since Abraham was their father. Abraham acknowledged God’s righteousness. (Matthew 3:9)

Salvation and righteousness are through one name alone, Jesus Christ!

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 KJV

References

#_msoanchor_1 Strong’s Greek: 5273. ὑποκριτής (hupokrités) — one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite (biblehub.com)

#_msoanchor_2 The Origin of ‘Hypocrite’ | Merriam-Webster

]Strong’s Greek: 2205. ζῆλος (zelos) — eagerness, zeal, rivalry (biblehub.com)