The Sin of a Religion of Convenience
I Kings 12:25-33
The passage before us describes the act which is so often described in Scripture as the "sins of Jereboam." It is referred to more than twenty times in the Word of God.
I Kings 15:30 "Because of the sins of Jereboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel to sin." I Kings 15:34 states that Baasha "walked in the way of Jereboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin." I Kings 16:31 says of Ahab "and it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jereboam." II Kings 13:2 states that King Jehoahaz "followed the sins of Jereboam." II Kings 3:3 states that King Jehoram "cleaved unto the sins of Jereboam." II Kings 15:8 states that Zachariah "departed not from the sins of Jereboam."
Jereboam’s influence cast its dark shadow across fifteen reigns of the kings in Scripture. His destructive influence was felt for more than two and a half centuries. It was the prime cause of the captivity of the ten tribes of Israel.
Jereboam became the founder and the ringleader in the religion of convience.
I. Conception of the religion of convenience
Verse 26 "in the heart"
Kingdom of Israel had been divided after the of Solomon. Two tribes followed Rehoboam and ten tribes followed Jereboam. Jereboam concludes in his heart that if the people of Israel continued to go to Jerusalem to worship they would return to following Rehoboam. If they journey up to Jerusalem three times a year as in times past, sentiment would sweep them off their feet and their loyalty might turn from him to Rehoboam..
To prevent this, he devised a means to give them a religion of convenience.... a religion that did not demand much from them. "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem," he told the people. Therefore he devised of his own heart a substitute. It was probably Jereboam’s boast not that he was instituting a new religion or setting up a rival Deity, but that he was worshipping the one true God in a more rational and convenient way.
The heart of man is desperately wicked, and out of it there can never come a system of worship that meets the claims a thrice holy God and the needs of the soul. The inventions of the unrenewed heart are sure to be in opposition to the revelation of the mind of God. Any religion founded on any other book than they Bible is a false religion or cult. Any religion that exalts another book up to the status of the Bible is a false religion or cult.
It was foolish when we consider the promise of God that he had been given (see 11:38). What he did was born out of distrust of the promise of God. How often are the many things we do born out of a heart of distrust on the promises of God? Jereboam was going to trust his own skill and shrewdness rather than God’s promise.
II. Characteristics of the religion of convenience
Traits, features of a religion of convenience.
A. Way of comfort (28)
Does not want to put the people out. It was a religion of ease. It will not require much of you. It will not cost you anything! David on one occasion said, "I will not offer burnt-offerings without cost."
People are prone to laxity and when someone offers to legitimize it in the name of religion, many people find such a deal irrestible. The ancient version of "It is too much for you" is the words "but it will increase attendance."
However, Jesus never offered comfort or convenience when it came to following Him. See Luke 9:57-62. Jesus informs the scribe that following Christ was not a life of ease and comfort. Jesus was born in a stable, cradled in a manger, owed shelter to faithful friends, and was going to be buried in a borrowed grave. To follow Christ was not going to be a pleasure-journey. It was not going to be without difficulty and trials. Jesus never promised a and easy pathway. When the storms of life come, his disciples would often have no refuge but in the promises of God.
The second man Jesus asked him to follow him but the man asked for permission to go bury his . Throughout the East it was the recognized duty of the first-born to be responsible for the burial of the father. Probably the old man was not even sick, but the age-old custom provided a ready excuse whereby the con could avoid a direct refusal of Christ’s invitation, He was playing for time, feeling that when his father did die, Jesus would be far away. Had his parent been , the son would hardly have been spending time listening to an itinerant preacher; he would have been spending time attending to the funeral arrangements. The truth is this man was unwilling to respond immediately to the call of Christ. Notice his words, "Suffer ME first." This is the way of comfort and convenience. The truth is, it must Be CHRIST first! It will never be conveinienent to serve Christ
Jereboam recognizes that people are prone to laxity, and so when he offers to legitimize it in the name of religion, the people dins such a deal irresistible. Jereboam’s religion was of selfish expediency and not of sacrifice. He wanted to accommodate the people.
B. Way of compromise
Mimic the true religion...had an appearance of being right.
1. Compromise as to the where
Dan - north
Bethel - south
Save the tedious journey to Jerusalem. Jereboam retained the idea of a fixed locality for worship; he simply changed the locality for the sake of convenience.
Worship at home instead of the House of God
2. Compromise as to the when
Jereboam copied the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles and not the Day of Atonement. Chose this feast day to copy because if was a day that celebrated harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles was to be held on the 7th month the 15 day. This was a feast that was most joyous and did not involve the fasting and solemn reflection that the other feast demanded. This feast was more fun than the other feast
He retained the day of the month, the 15th, for the sake of the weak who took offense at his innovations.
3. Compromise as to the whom
He kept the priesthood with but one vital change. They were not chosen from the sons of Levi. There was no regard for purity or inward holiness.
"like unto" -beware of imitations. Far too many have a "form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."
4. Compromise as to the what
Set up images...now these calves were not made to be worshipped, any more than the cherubim of Solomon’s temple. Nor do we read that they received worship. "The people went to worship before the one." Jereboam only intended that they be a help / aid to their devotion. The desire of the mind is to walk by sight and not by faith. He was appealing to the physical senses of man. Religion that is built on physical entertainment is not of God. There is far too much emphasis on the physical in our worship instead of the spiritual.
III. The consequences of a religion of convenience (30)
Absolute obedience to God’s will and Word, whatever perils may seem to attend it, is the only true worship. Wherever devotion to God is mingled with convenience, the mixture ruins devotion. Obedience is better than sacrifice. When the guiding principles becomes man’s opinion and not God, that religion will sink to the depths of perverseness (I Kings 16:30-32).
This religion of convenice was the destruction of Jereboam family (I Kings 13:33). Lose your children if your religion is but a matter of convencine.
Is your devotion to God a matter of convenience or conviction? Your children will know. They are fully aware of what means the most to you. They are aware of what you will change your plans for. They know that you only serve God when you have nothing else you want to do! What you do or allow in moderation, your children will do in excess.
Conclusion:
How would you classify your devotion to God? Is it a matter of conveince or conviction?
