Superstition and Ritualism

Before we close out Unit 5, there is one more important topic I want to address. The topics of the laying on of hands, blessings, and cursings can sometimes become mixed in with superstition and ritualism.

Superstition is an irrational belief that comes from our desire to explain or control what we don’t understand. It’s like a child hiding under the covers, believing they are safe from monsters, or carrying a lucky charm, thinking it will bring good fortune—comforting, but ultimately powerless.

When we try to explain the unknown with magic and mysticism, we leave wisdom behind. We become slaves to our own imagination and, in doing so, rebel against God by placing our faith in rituals and falsehood instead of in Him.

Superstition Is Idolatry

Superstition is the way of the heathen. These customs and beliefs are built on falsehoods. Paul ultimately tells us that superstition is actually a form of idolatry—it takes physical things and actions and assigns spiritual power to them.

In reality, all power comes from God. If He did not grant that lucky charm any power (and He didn’t), then by believing in it, you are unknowingly claiming that it is greater than God. You are pretending it has power of its own, apart from Him.

From Superstition to Ritual

These superstitions often lead to rituals. For example, a person who walks under a ladder might walk backward through it again to “undo” the supposed harm their mistake would bring upon them. That’s a ritual—a physical act performed with the belief that it can influence unseen spiritual forces.

But again, that’s not the case.

This passage reminds us that God “dwelleth not in temples made with hands” and is not “worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing.” Paul is teaching a lesson in spiritual reality: that which is spiritual is not controlled or changed by that which is physical.

No charm, ritual, or repeated phrase has power in the unseen realm. The Creator of heaven and earth cannot be manipulated by human effort or appeased by symbolic acts. True connection with God does not come through superstition or ritual, but through faith, obedience, and relationship with Him.

Paul emphasizes that “in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” God is not an object to be handled or discovered by physical means. He is Spirit, unaffected by the material world. When people trust in the work of their own hands—a charm, an idol, or a ritual—they exchange the living God for lifeless symbols.

Rituals Have No Power

Sadly, superstitions and rituals of this kind have been taught in the church as well.

The laying on of hands is often spoken of as a physical point of contact through which the Holy Ghost can move, being transferred from one person to the next. If you read the study on that, you know this is a false doctrine. It mixes physical rituals with spiritual realities.

As with all superstitions, it attempts to understand or control the spiritual through physical means. When people received the Holy Ghost as the apostles laid their hands on them, some assumed that the power came from the touch itself—that the hand controlled the transfer of the Spirit. Simon even tried to buy this power for himself (Acts 8:18–20).

This reveals a lack of understanding and a desire to control what is spiritual by physical means.

Spiritual Battles Require Spiritual Weapons

The Bible is clear that we do not fight spiritual battles with physical rituals or objects.

The true weapons for spiritual battles are truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. None of these are physical items, and none involve physical rituals.

Idols and Rituals Are Nothing

Paul isn’t just talking about food. He is demonstrating a principle that applies broadly: idols and symbols are nothing, rituals are vain, and the only thing we have to fear is God. This principle applies in many areas.

A cross necklace does not protect a person from evil spirits. A statue of a false god has no real power to bless or curse. Holy water is ineffective. Pouring oil on someone has no intrinsic power. Burning incense does not scare away the devil. Chanting prayers is vain. Even water baptism is just a symbol of what occurs in the spirit, not the cause of it.

There are so many superstitions in the church that it would be impossible to list them all. But they all have one thing in common: they assign spiritual power to physical things. This is what Paul warned us against.

We must understand that it is our spirit that interacts with the spiritual realm. It is what is in our hearts that makes the difference. It is not the physical that matters, but the spirit behind our thoughts and actions.

Have you heard that the Bible tells us not to drink alcohol or eat unhealthy things? Or that Christians must worship on Saturday instead of Sunday? Perhaps you’ve heard claims that Christians should not celebrate Christmas.

Paul tells us that while these practices may have some benefits to our bodies or make us feel more spiritual, they are only shadows—they are symbolic.

The rituals in the Old Testament—animal sacrifices, anointing with oil, and even the temple itself—were all symbols of what was to come in the spiritual realm. Notice Paul says “there is a remembrance made.” These physical rituals were reminders of the spiritual reality. They were not interactions with the spiritual realm itself. This principle still applies to symbolic practices in churches today: ceremonies, rituals, and traditions in the physical realm are only shadows of spiritual truths.

The Heart Is What Matters

Notice that Jesus is referring to several commandments. He teaches that it isn’t just the physical act that matters; it is the heart behind it.

This can be hard for some to grasp. They may think it excuses sin, but in reality, it places the focus on heart transformation, rather than mere external compliance. You cannot break a commandment in action without also breaking it in your heart.

Not All Men Have This Knowledge

Since people often spend little time walking in the Spirit, it makes sense that many see things in a carnal way.

They see an idol and fear eating something that may have been offered to it, fearing the idol itself. A modern example is being afraid of doing the stretches of yoga for fear of the spiritual emphasis others place on it. As if the physical stretches themselves invite demons.

Some see in the Law that God said to make the Sabbath day holy and think that means going to church on Saturday rather than Sunday. The point is that there are all kind of outward actions that people think have spiritual power. These are all carnal-minded perspectives.

So how do we handle it when someone is weak in the faith? How do we handle it when they are carnal-minded and cannot comprehend the real meaning of things?

Paul tells us to receive the weak — not to argue with them or belittle their limited understanding. The one who is strong in faith should not despise the weak, and the one who is weak should not judge the strong. Both belong to God, and it is God who upholds them.

You may be asking yourself how we determine what is doubtful or absolute. It’s a natural question. But is it the right question?

What Is Not Of Faith Is Sin

The right question is: what makes something clean or unclean, sin or not sin?

Again, Paul isn’t just talking about food. The context extends even into observance of the Sabbath day laws. Paul is letting us know that the real question isn’t what is or isn’t sin; the real issue is what is in the heart.

To the weak in faith, everything is unclean and sin. To the strong in faith, nothing is unclean or sin.

I know that is a bold statement, and at first it may seem to excuse sin. But it does not.

In many places in Scripture, we are told to “crucify the flesh.” This means we are not to let sin rule over us. When Paul says “no man dieth to himself,” he is letting us know that we don’t crucify the flesh for our own sake; we do it to please the Lord.

The person who sees everything as unclean and sinful crucifies their flesh.

But the person who doesn’t see things as unclean or sinful understands they are already crucified with Christ.

What we see here is that the strong in faith understands that rules, rituals, symbols, and even obedience to the law are not about outward observance but about the heart. That’s why they don’t use grace as an excuse to sin. The law is written on their hearts, not as a rule, but as who they are.

You don’t have to tell a righteous person to do what is right. They would do it with or without the law.

When Disputes Arise

The goal isn’t to prove who’s right, but to build one another up in love.

When disagreements arise over disputable matters—like food, drink, or special days—the stronger in faith should always consider the conscience of the weaker. Even though nothing is impure in itself, something becomes evil for the one who acts against their own conscience.

This means the stronger believer must not pressure the weaker one to exercise freedoms they cannot yet handle in faith. If the weaker believer believes something is sinful and does it anyway, they are condemned in their own conscience—not because the act is inherently sinful, but because they did it without faith.

Paul’s point is this: don’t use your freedom in a way that harms someone else’s faith. True spiritual maturity knows when to lay down liberty for the sake of love.

The strong should teach the weaker but not expect them to grasp it immediately.

Paul gives instructions for the weak in faith as well: they are not to judge the stronger in faith. But realistically, the strong cannot expect the weak to know how to do this immediately; it is something they will learn over time.

Ultimately, Paul places the responsibility on the strong. He tells us to accept the weak, teaching and guiding with gentle consideration for their abilities.

In short, true faith focuses on the heart, not on rituals or superstitions. God alone holds power over the spiritual, and our actions matter only as they flow from faith and love. Paul reminds us to respect those weaker in faith, avoiding judgment or unnecessary disputes, and to use our freedom to build others up rather than cause them to stumble. Spiritual maturity is measured not by outward observance, but by living in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

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