It’s a popular new credo in the world today, ‘I’m spiritual but not religious’. Whereas religion is seen as old fashion and conformist, spirituality is seen as individualistic and hip. A person defines their beliefs by themselves and not by what some group lays down. The motto comes from the idea that people don’t want to view themselves as vapid in terms of moral thinking and merely physically minded yet don’t want to be hindered by adopting a preset set of convictions.
Yet it doesn't seem to be working out well for people. A study in The Journal of Nervous Disease by Jeffrey Vittengl found that those that define themselves this way may not be happy about it. The risk of depression was over a third greater than for those saw themselves as spiritual but not religious[i]. While religion has been shown over the years to have significant positive effects on people’s mental well-being, this study showed that just being spiritual didn’t have the same results.
Yet before this terminology, James spoke about a similar phenomenon. In James 2:14 we read, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” James ‘faith without works’ is akin to ‘spirituality without religion’, an idea that one can have the trappings of faith without having to do much with it. Yet James is clear that kind of faith is no faith at all.
But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
James 2:18-20
Faith that doesn’t act is dead. A spiritual mindset not practiced is meaningless. No wonder people are depressed! It sad however many man-made religions are moving to a mindset that seeks to follow the same path. As more groups divorce the intertwining of faith and behavior, making religion seem only about what one feels rather than what one does, it leads people to the same self-destructive destination.
Years ago Solomon came to the same understanding: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Listen to God when it comes to spiritual matters, listen and act. Life is meaningless without God’s direction. You have to know the answer but also get the solution. It matters not just what we believe but it how we live it out!
[i] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychiatry-the-people/201804/spiritual-not-religious-is-associated-depression
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