In the verses which we have noted above, we have begun with Romans and ended with Hebrews. This means we have covered almost the entire section of the Epistles. In all these letters we will see how much Christ is versus religion.
In the letter to the Romans we have selected two verses, one in chapter 2 and one in chapter 7. In chapter 2 we read that what we need is nothing outwardly religious, but something inwardly in spirit. "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter..." (v. 29). In other words, this verse tells us clearly that we should be in spirit, not just in the letter of the written Scriptures. This word is written by the Apostle Paul. Suppose there were not such a word in the Bible and I should say that you must be in the spirit and not care so much for the letter of the written Scriptures. I believe you would stone me to death. Hallelujah, Paul the Apostle took the lead. This is not my teaching; this is my quotation. I am just a little follower; the Apostle Paul is my protection. If you would stone anyone, you must stone him first. I do have scriptural ground to say that what we need is something in the spirit, not anything merely in the letter according to the written Scriptures. Who can argue? Please do not misunderstand me: I am not saying, nor have I ever said, that we should not care for the Scriptures. I am saying that we must have something in the spirit, not merely according to the letter of the written Scriptures. What we need is the living Christ, not merely the black and white letters of the written code. This is the principle of Christ versus religion.
We have seen that the very Christ whom we enjoy today is the life-giving Spirit indwelling our spirit, and that He, the life-giving Spirit, is made one with our spirit. "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (I Cor. 6:17). When we say that we need to be "in spirit," we mean in this wonderful, mingled spirit. In this spirit we have the Lord Jesus as the life-giving Spirit. Anything that is in spirit is Christ. Merely to be in the letter of the written Scriptures is to be religious. Those who are such do not care for Christ; they only care for the written code. We have seen in the four Gospels the living Christ standing before those religious people. But they only cared for the letter of their Scriptures. In John chapter 7, in Christ's very presence, they asked, "What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scriptures said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem" (vv. 41-42). On one hand they held their Bible, and on the other hand they were in the presence of the living Christ. They cared for their Bible, but not for the living Christ. Do you think the situation of today's Christianity is any different?
More than forty years ago I was with a group of Christians who spent much time with the Bible. I have never seen any like them who were so familiar with the letter of the Word. One among them was even called "the living concordance." At a certain time some among us began to have some living experience of Christ. We heard the Lord speaking within our spirit. When the news reached the leading one of that group, an old brother with extensive knowledge of the Bible, he was exceedingly surprised. He asked, "How could this be? God's Word from Genesis to Revelation has been absolutely completed. If you would hear anything from God, you must study the Word. After completing the Bible, God never speaks to people any more." This was their concept. For anyone to hear a living word of God apart from studying the Bible was in their eyes as heresy. I was somewhat troubled by the attitude of such a leading and elderly brother. But something within strengthened me to such an extent that I not only testified, but proclaimed that it is absolutely proper for the Lord to speak to people today in the spirit. This kind of situation exposes the state of Christianity. They care for their Bible, but they do not care for Christ. They care for the doctrine concerning Christ, but they do not care for the living, instant Christ Himself.
Romans 7:6 says, "But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter." Now we know what the word "letter" here refers to—it is the written Bible. Today we must serve the living Lord with newness in the spirit, not according to the oldness of the written Bible. I can say this boldly, because I am a little follower of this most bold one, the Apostle Paul. Now we serve not according to the oldness of the written code, the written Bible, but according to the newness of the spirit. Why? Because in the spirit is Christ, while in the written code is religion. This is Christ versus religion.
What is it to be religious? To be religious is simply to be sound, scriptural, and fundamental, yet without the presence of Christ. If we lack His presence, regardless of how scriptural we are, we are simply religious. Paul in these two verses of Romans laid a solid foundation for Christ versus religion. Today our service, our work, and even our life must be altogether in the spirit, not merely according to the letters of the written Bible. I know that when I say this I run a risk. I will be charged with the heresy of turning people away from the Bible. But I simply refer you to these two passages of Scripture, Romans 2:29 and Romans 7:6. Everyone must admit that the word "letter" in these passages refers to the written Scriptures. There can be no argument. Christ is versus religion; Christ is versus the written code. We may have the right quotation from the written code, yet miss Christ, just as the Pharisees and scribes in ancient times. We must be alert not to pay that much attention to the written code. If we do, it is altogether possible and extremely probable that we will miss Christ. The only way of safety is to behold "with unveiled face the glory of the Lord" (II Cor. 3:18).