Too much of everything is poisonous, even on religious matters. Your spirituality must be regulated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Zeal + Ignorance is deadly. When Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, he did it religiously, but that was wrong. Judges 11:30-39. Had it been that he studied Scripture very well, he would have known that God does not accept human sacrifices. In the Jewish sacrificial system, Jephthah could have saved his daughter by exchanging her with another sacrifice. However, ignorance preceded good judgement, and an innocent daughter ended up being sacrificed.
Jephthah’s problem is still our problem today. Numerous people are victims of overzealous religious people who their ignorance has been exhibited through their hypocrisy. Many have hated, condemned, injured and killed others in the name of God. Over zealousness of many religious people has hardened hearts of many souls that would have been won for Christ if the Holy Spirit was allowed to render their hearts and actions. One mistake we have made as Christians is that we have failed to produce healthy Christians because we have not promoted growth of all faculties of life. According to Christ our example, he simultaneously grew physically, mentally and spiritually. Luke 2:52.
My proposition is that churches must stop emphasizing growth of one or two areas than the other. Being healthy is important but that is not the whole gospel. It is an indisputable fact that we need to promote quality education, but that is not the whole gospel. Growing spirituality is the ultimately goal for every Christian, but that is not the whole gospel. No wonder today we have well educated people but not spiritual. Church pews are filled with very spiritual people but sickly due to wrong healthy habits. Finally, we have many church adherents that look very spiritual but have less knowledge in the Word of God. None of these groups is better than the other. They all have fallen short of the true nature of a balanced Christian. Let me rest my case by saying, the whole gospel culminates in Jesus who through the aid of the Holy Spirit, helps us to be connected to the Father.
HOPE TO LIVE BY 