A LOSING FORMULA

RS =/ GW
SW =/ GW
(RS)(SW) = 1/GW

In other words:
A Religious Spirit does not accomplish God's Will.
Self-Will does not accomplish God's Will.
But a Religious Spirit combined with Self-Will will always result in the inverse of God's Will.

Can I prove my theorem? Let me illustrate it.

The Pharisees were, so they thought, thoroughly committed to God's will. But they did so with a religious spirit. Sometimes we call it legalism. Trying to do enough Good to get God's approval, they spent most of their time focused on what they would not, even could not do. As such, they missed the boat of what God was looking for: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God. As Jesus told them, they practiced the things of lesser importance and missed the weightier matters of the Law: justice and mercy.

However, once these men, outwardly dedicated to pleasing God, came into respect and power, their motives became confused. They stopped loving God when they loved the Law first, and then started loving their respect, their power, their position of influence over even the Law.

How do I know that? Acts 23, for one. Paul is brought before the high council and he speaks harshly to the high priest. Ananias the high priest orders Paul slapped for saying that he has a clear conscience, and Paul speaks out against him for his hypocrisy. Those standing near are shocked that Paul should disrespect the high priest, and Paul immediately apologizes. Paul admits it is wrong for him to have insulted the high priest because in Exodus it says "Do not speak evil of anyone who rules over you."

So far, so good, right? Paul respects the Law, so do the Pharisees. Wait a minute. Maybe they are only respecting themselves here, and actually their hearts are 180 degrees against the will of God himself.

The very next morning, a group of men come to these same Law-respecting leading priests. They have pledged themselves to a hunger strike until they kill Paul. They ask the priests to "pretend" (lie) they want to examine his case more fully, and pledge themselves to kill Paul on his way to the meeting. Unbelievably, these so-called holy men, who so much love the Law, are willing to break two of the ten commandments in order to get done what they want to do. They are in collusion to lie and to commit murder, all so that they can protect their religion.

A Religious Spirit will sap a person of spiritual vitality, and will block the will of God. Self-will, which is really Satan's will, will circumvent the will of God. But a Religious Spirit combined with Self-Will will always lead a person to the opposite of the will of God. To accomplish what seems to be a holy agenda, the (RS)(SW) will go the exact opposite direction and oppose the very work of God.

"LORD, protect me from the evil one, and lead me not into the temptation of thinking I am serving you even as I directly oppose what you are doing on earth. Let me recognize when the enemy has gotten a foothold of a religious spirit in me, and let me recognize when I am pursuing my own will rather than yours. To you be the glory both now and forever, Lord God Almighty, Father, Son and Spirit. Amen."
-ker