Scripture Reading : Isaiah 58
Theme : Pure and Tainted Religious Actions
Tainted Religious Action (1-5)
The sinful, religious Jews thought God is pleased just by their outward religious actions. They thought they can just fast outwardly in order to bribe God, while inwardly they are still full of hatred, lust and jealousy. God hates and rejects such hypocritical actions.
Pure Religious Action (6-14).
Fasting is supposed to be an outward religious action that seeks to complement or support inner religious conviction of humility before God that translates into love towards God and people (v. 14). Love for God translates into love for others through concrete action, especially through helping the helpless and oppressed. Religious actions, such as fasting, are supposed to be motivated first and foremost by a delight in the righteous and gracious character of God. It is prompted by a desire to seek restoration with God. It is not driven by a desire to manipulate God. We manipulate God when we try to get God to do something for us, while we do not care about being under His Lordship.
Praying the Scripture
Tainted religious actions plague fallen, sinful human nature. Even after we have put our faith in Jesus and put ourselves under His Lordship, our remaining sinful nature continues to tempt us to perform religious activities in order to bribe God. We ought to do religious actions because we are prompted by our delight in God’s glorious salvation and character. Jesus warned His disciples of tainted almsgiving, praying, and fasting in Matthew 6:1-18. Pray that God will guard your heart from tainted religious actions. Pray God will open your heart to delight Him every day so that your religious actions are motivated by your love for Him and the desire to imitate His glorious character (Eph. 5:1; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18). Pray that you are complete, satisfied, and full under the loving Lordship of God (Ps. 73:25; Col. 2:10).
经文：以赛亚书58
主题：纯正与玷污的宗教行为
纯正的宗教行为（1-5）。
罪恶又笃信宗教的犹太人以为神会悦纳他们外在所行的宗教行为。他们以为只要禁食就能贿赂神，而内心仍充满仇恨、私欲和妒忌。神痛恨并拒绝这些假冒为善的行为。
纯正的宗教行为（6-14）。
禁食本是反映一人内心在神面前谦卑的外在宗教行为，其效应是爱神与爱人（14节）。爱神的人即会借着爱他人的具体行动展现出来，尤其帮助无助与受欺压的。像禁食的宗教行为当首先是因喜悦于神公义与恩慈的性情被激发而行。这样的心渴望与神和好，而不是想利用神。当我们尝试以某些行为叫神为我们做事时，我们就是在利用神了，不顾忌祂是我们的主。
用经文祷告
被玷污的宗教行为环绕着堕落、罪恶的人性。即便我们信靠了耶稣，顺服在祂的权柄下，我们剩余的罪性仍继续引诱我们行外在的宗教活动贿赂神。我们当行宗教仪式，可动机是因喜悦于神荣耀的救恩和性情而行。耶稣在马太福音6:1-18便告诫了门徒有关玷污的奉献、祷告和禁食。祷告神会敞开你的心，每日喜悦于祂，叫你的宗教行为是因为爱神，并渴望效法祂荣耀的性情（弗5:1；罗8:29；林后3:18）。祷告你在慈爱之主的权柄下是满足、完全的。
