Most of us are fond of magic tricks. There are some incredible ones. Just yesterday I saw a video where there were two large glass(?) containters separated by maybe 60 feet on a crowded street somewhere in the world. There were five people standing in one of these containers, visible to everyone. The magician (illusionist) placed a fabric cover over both. When the covers were lifted off the containers, the five individuals had transferred from where they were to the other unit 60 feet away. Incredible trick! But, make no mistake, it was an ILLUSION!

What, exactly, is an illusion? Here's a dictionary definition:

• An erroneous perception of reality.
• An erroneous concept or belief.
• The condition of being deceived by a false perception or belief.

For our purposes here, we are interested only in the last one above:

When things seem different than they reaIly are...
When something seems right but somehow you're really not sure.

Are there "illusions" in the realm of the Spirit? You bet there are! Some are even more incredible than the trick described above. Spiritual illusion results in four forms of behavior:

1. DOGMATISM:

It is quite difficult to determine if a person's ideas have genuine credibility or not. The best approach to this is to know and be able to back up one's own perspective of things. This is especially true when it comes to Christian doctrine. On the one hand we need to be prepared to personally "own" what we determine to be "Truth." On the other, we need to be able to recognize perspectives that miss the mark.

What is the mark?

It is not what -- it is who!

Jesus is the focus of the believer. Not the church. Not the Bible. Not sound doctrine. Not spiritual gifts.

Without Him, his birth, life, death, burial and resurrection, there would be no faith. Without Him, there would be nothing at all.

We are consumed by Him, and Him alone.

Anything that is not in concert with his teaching, character, and the events that surrounded his life is to be examined carefully and critically. If it honors these qualities of our Lord, we can accept it, practice it and enjoy it eternally.

2. INTRACTABILITY:

Someone who is no longer teachable

It is not a novel or unique thing to meet people like this -- and it is no more rabid or rampant than in "religion" and "politics." People so rigid and intractable in their perspectives that it would be easier for the proverbial camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for such a person to entertain a seminal thought.

. . . has spiritually "caved in" on himself
. . . likes to think and act as though he has the answers

It is prudent to be suspicious of anybody who seems to have an answer to every spiritual problem. This person is someone who adopts a set of concepts, values or conclusions based upon his own understanding of the Bible, or external phenomena -- which makes him prejudiced against all other ideas.

These are the most insecure people in the world, unsure of themselves, afraid of being wrong, put up a phony front. If they were really sure about their beliefs, they would be more relaxed and less uptight about them.

Their mind and spirit will never grow until this hyper-rigid posture 1s broken and crushed -- by the Lord himself.

3. LEGALISM:

Dogmatism and intractability -- inevitably lead to legalism.

Legalism can also be described as false Christianity because that is essentially what it is. It uses Christian "fundamentalism", "biblical literalism" and such. It sounds Christian and looks Christian but it is emphatically not true Christianity. It is a spurious fake, an imitation Christianity, an empty, hollow, counterfeit of the real thing. It is a burdensome drag upon the spiritual life which creates a sense of bondage and guilt. It is a sickening, nauseating fraud in the eyes of others.

God describes it in the Scriptures as a stench in his nostrils. That is what legality really is. They don't call it that, but they nevertheless boast in what is in effect a legalistic spirit.

Even if their ideas are suggested to be legalistic, they deny it. This leads one to believe that such people have no idea what legalism is.

God does not boast of it. He finds it disgusting. Yet it is so widespread. -- Ray C. Stedman

Passion for rules and regulations and religious structure:

This person has minimal to moderate success with his closed-in life -- but expects others to conform perfectly to their notion of what is right.

Wants to rigidly define God -- live by the "Law" of the Old Testament or the "Law of Christ." Have no clue that they are entirely different. Focus on obedience to a belief systern as opposed to the formation that love brings.

Often enchanted with: SYSTEMS, CHARTS, SLOGANS, NEGATIVES, CAUSES, and God-word Jargon.

Almost always accompanied with anxiety and defensiveness:

NOTE:

"FOR THE WHOLE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD: LOVE!!!" -- Galatians 5:14

"I DO NOT FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD, FOR IF RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES BY THE LAW, THEN CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN." -- Galatians 2:27

"YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIBERTY" -- Galatians 5:13-15

4. APOSTASY:

Abandonment of one's religious faith, one's principles.

An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion of, or departure from, one's faith and principles.

In theology, a total abandonment of the Christian faith.

Recurrence of lack of belief due to . . .

....secularism, human philosophy, stressors of the human condition

Chuckholes in the road. That's what these things are. They exist to reveal our weaknesses, our insufficiency, our impotence. . . .

BUT:

"My grace is sufficient for you. For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9

"Now thanks be unto God who is always leading us in triumph. . ."
II Corinthians 2:14

It is a good thing to be aware of our problems, BUT IT IS NOT GOOD TO FOCUS ON THEM. We concentrate rather, on the sufficiency of Christ.

RELAX! Quit your worry, your uptightness about your stumbling. Quit trying to do the Holy Spirit's work for him -- get out of his way and let him do his thing!

"For it is God that works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." -- Philippians 2:13