making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ
Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB
They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE
Religious tradition makes God's Word of no effect. It replaces truth with tradition. It is man's attempt to interact with God on its own terms. Jesus never came to start a new religion. He came to reveal a relationship with the Father that is based on His Goodness, Jesus' Finished Work, and our simple trust in this loving God.
We have been examining the anatomy of religion. We have seen that religion is powerless. It is powerless to transform lives, to minister in the supernatural, and relegates God and His Word as a relic to admire.
Religion is Faithless. It trusts in works and performance. It believes Faith can't change situations or circumstances. Religion is knowledgeless. It is ignorant of the Cross, Jesus' Goodness, and who God is. Religion says God sent the storm to judge a city, then in the next breath says let's take up a collection to help the city. Religion is inconsistent in its thinking.
The next mark of religion is loveless. Religion is cold, callous, unfeeling, and is not marked by compassion. Look again at John 9. We can clearly see loveless religion in operation.
Religion didn't rejoice that the man was made whole. They were indignant that the rules weren't followed. They even rebuked and condemned this man for attributing his healing to God. They finally kicked him out of the Synagogue.
The most beautiful aspect of this account in John's Gospel is that when religion kicked this man out, Jesus was right there to greet him. Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is the demonstration of the Love of God.
Religion has a form of Godliness, but in operation, it can be quite unloving and uncompassionate. Take divorce, for instance. Religion takes a quote from Jesus and misapplies passages from Paul, forming a rigid traditional rule that adultery is the ONLY acceptable reason for divorce.
I have seen religion tell women who are in violent relationships where a man is beating them that this is not grounds for divorce. It is not hyperbole to proclaim that religion has blood on its hands. Telling women God hates divorce, so stay and get beaten up. I tell you, tradition is cold, callous, loveless, dead religion. Preserving their rules is all they focus on.
Look how the Holy Spirit, through Paul, defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient and kind, not self-seeking. Love is not coveting the possessions, the position, the preeminence of others. Love has been shed abroad in our hearts. We love because we rest in Christ's Love for us. Love is long suffering, love is preferring others, love is not self-promotion, love is compassionate.
This Love transforms our lives. It transforms our thinking. It transforms our relationships. It transforms how we live. God first loved us; this is His Grace in action.
Again, religion is about rules and less about relationships. What loveless religion misses is that Paul declared walking in love is holiness.
11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NKJV
Loveless religion focuses on keeping outward rules. It focuses on the "R-rated" sins. Yet it seemingly ignores the inward flaws that Jesus called out when He walked among us. The religious-minded don't cuss or drink, but they gossip, they backbite, they group up in cliques. Some even harbor bitterness, envy, and unforgiveness.
These are the things God's Love delivers us from. Love received supplies us to love others. Love received is Love flowing through us to others.
God's Love is unconditional and unchanging. His Love reaches into the darkest places, shining Redemption's light. His Love compels compassion, kindness, and giving. There is no greater blessing than to be a help to someone in need. It's because of His Grace and mercy that we receive this amazing Love.
Religion talks about holiness. Love walks it out. Religion talks about God. Love reveals Him. Religion can’t heal a broken heart, set a captive free, or make the sinner whole. Only Jesus can do that. Love did what religion never could — it went to the Cross.
This is what the world needs to see — not more religion, but Jesus in all His beauty, compassion, and power.
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