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SearchSpiritual Conviction is True ReligionSpiritual Conviction is True Religion
One of the great lessons of this sojourn at Caesarea had to do with the origin of religious
traditions, with the grave danger of allowing a sense of sacredness to become attached to nonsacred things, common ideas, or everyday events. From one conference they emerged with the
teaching that true religion was man's heartfelt loyalty to his highest and truest convictions.
Jesus warned his believers that, if their religious longings were only material, increasing
knowledge of nature would, by progressive displacement of the supposed supernatural origin of
things, ultimately deprive them of their faith in God. But that, if their religion were spiritual,
never could the progress of physical science disturb their faith in eternal realities and divine
values.
They learned that, when religion is wholly spiritual in motive, it makes all life more worth while,
filling it with high purposes, dignifying it with transcendent values, inspiring it with superb
motives, all the while comforting the human soul with a sublime and sustaining hope. True
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religion is designed to lessen the strain of existence; it releases faith and courage for daily living
and unselfish serving. Faith promotes spiritual vitality and righteous fruitfulness.
Jesus repeatedly taught his apostles that no civilization could long survive the loss of the best in
its religion. And he never grew weary of pointing out to the twelve the great danger of accepting
religious symbols and ceremonies in the place of religious experience. His whole earth life was
consistently devoted to the mission of thawing out the frozen forms of religion into the liquid
liberties of enlightened sonship.