Bible Studies To-Go | Spiritless Religion

"Unless our world is rightly ordered and God is rightly prioritized, we will end up worshiping and serving things besides God."  - Charles Spurgeon, English Particular Baptist preacher (1834-1892)

The ©Bible Studies To-Go series presents abridged Scripture studies that are tailored for the contemporary believer who desires to enhance their Bible learning, but is limited by a demanding daily routine. 

Our concise studies focus on themes, topics, and in some cases are even developed by questions we gather from our work with others. In-depth Bible studies can easily be obtained from other sources, if one prefers that.

Opening Prayer: "God, we are grateful to be here together. Please speak to us through your Word and help us to listen with open hearts. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Background Information: Perfunctory religion is religion without devotion, an indifferent, insincere performance of faith without genuine belief. A superficial (or shallow) faith is seen as empty, hypocritical, and ultimately worthless. 

In The Dangers of a Shallow Faith, American Christian pastor A. W. Tozer warned against spiritual lethargy, noting that "hasty and superficial communion with God" weakens a person's sense of sin.

Topic for Study: Perfunctory religion, a religion of just "going through the motions." 

God issues alerts against this throughout the Bible. In Isaiah 1:10-17 and Matthew 15:1-9 He warns against "empty ritualism." He also cautions against the danger of "dead works" in James 2:14-26 and Hebrews 6:1, as only a few examples.

Thought-Provoking Question: Take a moment and consider your own faith. Are there instances when your prayers feel more like a "habit" than a passionate, heartfelt connection?

Section One: To help shed light on this topic, our study begins with the dangers of shallow, external religiousness devoid of sincere devotion. We shall begin by examining characteristics of perfunctory religion. 

• Hollow and feigned engagement - This is "going through the motions" of religious practice. A show of religion without any genuine feeling or emotion. 
• Placing the emphasis on "external" acts, and not "inner" life - For example, public displays of piety, such as attending church while neglecting a private, personal relationship with God. One's true motives can be assessed by comparing their public and private devotion.
• Routine and rote worship - This involves repetition of prayers or rituals in a thoughtless, mechanical manner.
• Being negligent and unprincipled - These are signs of a person who is untrustworthy, irresponsible, callous, and lacking in conscience.
• Fueled by improper motives - Where the motivation of religious acts is driven by a desire for praise from others or personal benefit, taking precedence over a sincere, heartfelt intent to please God.
• Stunted spiritual development - Perfunctory faith without active engagement and consideration, can lead to spiritual indifference, and minimal communion or joy in an individual's relationship with God. 

Thought-Provoking Question: How does the world sometimes encourage or promote a perfunctory (superficial) approach to religion?

Section Two: Now that we have identified some characteristics of perfunctory religion, let's check out a few things one can put into action to surmount or overcome it.

• Pray for God to create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within you - Acknowledge your spiritual apathy and ask God to reawaken your desire for Him.
• Return to fundamentals - Practice the basics such as Bible reading and prayer, giving precedence to intimacy with God instead of simply completing a task.
• Evaluate your intent - Consistently check your heart and ask why you engage in religious activities. Are you looking for God's favor or validation, or are you earnestly motivated by love for Him?
• Reach out to others - Fostering a sense of community with other believers can help keep you connected, and can jumpstart your spiritual zeal (Hebrew 10:25).
• Intentional contemplation - Consciously and purposely "set your mind on things that are above" (Colossians 3:2), defending against "nonproblems" of the world that deaden spiritual senses.

Thought-Provoking Question: Identify one practical step you can take this week to move from a "perfunctory" faith to one that is more genuine.

Section Three: Below, I have included some examples of perfunctory religious behavior to compare with yourself. How many can you identify with?

• Making your petitions or saying prayers "automatically" or without any thought.
• Attending religious services by force of habit, compared with a desire to worship and/or connect with others.
• Telling someone "I'll pray for you" without any intention of doing so.
• Utilizing faith to judge others while ignoring your own shortcomings, which is noted in the Bible (see: Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 7:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:31). 

Thought-Provoking Question: Can you think of examples in the Bible where people's actions differed from their words?

Conclusion:

In this study we have found that it is possible to practice an insincere religion of simply "going through the motions," or a "perfunctory religion." We've defined it, seen some symptoms of it, and were given some suggestions on how to get things back on track.

Hopefully this study will help you identify what causes this, understand the threat it poses, a follow a faith that is spirited, authentic, and acceptable to God.

Check For Understanding: 

• How would you define "perfunctory religion" in your own words?
• In what ways can perfunctory religion impact an individual's personal spiritual growth?
• How might the modern emphasis on material wealth and career success contribute to perfunctory religious practice?
• Can someone be deeply religious and still have perfunctory elements to their faith? Why or why not?

I hope that this condensed study format serves to motivate and inspire you to incorporate additional activities, methods, and reflections in deepening your understanding and enjoyment of God's Word, the Bible. 

I'm excited for our next Bible study, and eagerly look forward to our next meeting!

The Lord Jesus bless you,

Danielle