The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Relationshipless

 

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

 Religion is a man-made attempt to reach God. Religious tradition is humanity's attempt to approach God on its own terms. Religion creates carvings of stone, temples, and altars as a means to connect with God. Religious tradition relies on experience, what has been passed down from others, and their own understanding to explain who God is and what He is like.

 In examining the anatomy of religion and tradition, we have seen that religion is powerless. Religion cannot transform lives. Religious tradition explains away the supernatural, and thus they walk without the power from on High. Religion is Faithless. It can't access the power of God, and doesn't even believe it is possible. It is rooted in much unbelief.

 Faithless religion also relies on works and performance, attempting to earn what was freely given. Religion is knowledgeless. Religion is ignorant of the Cross, the Finished Work, and who God is. They walk in inconsistencies and place blame on God for tragedy and tribulation. 

 Religion is also loveless and Graceless. They put their rules and principles and traditions above compassion and believe they must be kept, or God won't hear your prayer. Religion is about works and performance; religion says do, and Jesus says done.

The Missing Element: Ritual Without Relationship

And at the core of all of this—beneath the powerless rituals, beneath the works and the rules—lies the most tragic mark of dead religion: it has form without fellowship. It has rituals without relationship. It goes through motions but never connects with the Majesty on High, our Lord Jesus. 

Religion can quote verses, recite prayers, and observe ceremonies, yet never encounter the heart of God. It replaces intimacy with instructions, fellowship with formulas, and the living Christ with cold creeds. Religion can sing about Jesus while never knowing Him, serve in His name while remaining strangers to His grace. It turns Christianity into a schedule, a system, a ceremony—anything but a Savior.

 Lastly, the worst manifestation of religion is that it has no actual relationship with God. We have seen these marks or this anatomy of religious tradition in John 9. We see how the religious leaders claim to know God and speak for Him, and yet they deny the works of God performed and demonstrated right before them. 

 They completely rejected God in the flesh, God Almighty manifest before them. Jesus said they were blind. They had no relationship with God. They presumed they were following God, and yet they were in opposition to Him and His works.

 One powerful illustration of this mark of religion, which Jesus gave us in Matthew 7, is often misunderstood and misapplied, perfectly demonstrating relationshipless religion. Many attempt to use these passages to promote eternal insecurity and a performance-based faith. Jesus was actually giving us a glimpse of dead religion that has no relationship with God

 In this passage, Jesus tells us what the fruit He is referring to. He is speaking of the teachings of leaders, not merely a warning about performance or behavior. In context, He is referring to the teachings of men. 

 This gives us the key to understanding what He refers to when He tells some to depart from Him. He said to these religious people who claim to do great works for God, I never knew you. He was not teaching the loss of salvation. He said I never knew you, not I once knew you, but now I don't know you. This is key to understanding in seeing what Jesus was revealing.

 Jesus showed us that religion can exist apart from God and without a relationship with Him. In religion, people can attend meetings, be a part of gatherings, and join temples and other religious fellowships, and not have received eternal life, not trusted in Jesus, and not received the new birth.

 Modern Culture: A New Religion With the Same Old Problem

And today, religion has simply changed clothes.
Culture has baptized its own beliefs and called them righteousness.
Sin has been renamed “authenticity,” rebellion has been renamed “identity,” and compromise has been renamed “compassion.” Modern culture preaches a gospel of self, of feelings, of universal acceptance—yet none of it is Jesus. Good is called evil, and evil is called good, and because the language sounds spiritual, people think it is holy. But any gospel that removes the Cross, the Blood, repentance (change of mind), and the new birth is not the Gospel—it is just another form of relationshipless religion.

People can gather and claim the name of God, of Jesus, and promote what current culture calls justice and righteousness, and be completely lost. People can come together for whatever “cause” or current “thing” the world determines is good or bad, but this doesn’t mean they are following God. Men can gain a following and proclaim universal salvation and inclusion, but this isn’t the Gospel.

The Gospel is about trusting in Jesus’ Finished Work, nothing else. The Gospel is about the Grace of God pledged through Jesus, demonstrated by His sacrifice at Calvary. The Gospel is the realization and acknowledgment that, apart from Christ, we are lost and in need of a Savior.

In Summation

Religion is a man-made system that offers no help, no hope, and no happiness. Religion is powerless, Faithless, knowledgeless, loveless, Graceless, and is not the way to find a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Religion is man’s attempt to work toward God. The Gospel is God’s work reaching toward man. Religion takes, Grace gives, and God never takes away. Christianity isn't religion. Christianity is God reaching out to man, with the price paid in full, offering hope, help, healing, and life eternal. 

 Looking back to Matthew 7, Jesus spoke that only those who do the will of the Father will be known of God. What is His will? To simply believe in Jesus the Son, trusting that His work was enough! This is Christianity and the Gospel; it is not lifeless religion. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Graceless

 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

 The Gospel is the Good News pledged by Jesus in His victorious, overcoming, and triumphant Finished Work. The Gospel, the Faith, has always been a simple, loving message of the Father's great Love for man. When they fell, He had a plan to restore, redeem, and rescue man from this sinful fallen state. 

 Jesus, God Almighty in the flesh, took upon Himself the sentence, the punishment, the sin of all humanity, and paid the price. He presented this once for all sacrifice to the Father, and the Father, being pleased once for all time, declared all who simply believe, Righteous, accepted, approved, and completely forgiven! 

 This is the Christian Faith. This is the simplicity in Christ. Now, mankind muddies the waters by wanting to add their own contributions. They add intellect, human reasoning, emotions, skepticism, and their own efforts, works, and deeds. This is the anatomy of religious tradition. 

 We have been examining the anatomy of man-made religious tradition. Religion is powerless. It can't transform lives, nor can it manifest the power of the Spirit. Religion is Faithless; it staggers at the promises of God in unbelief and substitutes Faith with works. Religious tradition is knowledgeless; it is ignorant of God's Goodness and gives rise to inconsistencies in its thinking. Religious tradition is loveless. It focuses on rules, not compassion or relationships.

 As we continue this look at religion, let's examine the next mark of religious tradition. Religion is Graceless. Religion focuses on our works and performance, placing our achievements at the center of it all. It isn't Jesus' work that brings the anointing, that prepares for successful ministry; no, it is our work that accomplishes this. 

 Looking again at our illustration of religion in John 9, we see Graceless religion in action. What really stands out in this event are these words of the religious;

28 Then they insulted him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. As for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” John 9:28-29 MEV

 This is the essence of religion. They follow after the Law more than Jesus. They focus on their work to earn what only God provided freely. Legalism or trying to deserve what God provides only causes frustration. Why? The Law is contrary to Grace and Faith. 

 Now the Law is good and holy and just, but it can't make us good or holy or just. The Law is only a mirror exposing our flaws and shortcomings. Its purpose is to simply show us the need for a Savior.

 You see, Moses gave us rules to live by, but Jesus the Anointed offered us gifts of grace and truth. John 1:17 VOICE

For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 AMPC

The Gospel is the Good News of Grace. We are not provided for by our efforts, or our sinlessness, or even our giving alone. We are saved, blessed, healed, and provided for by Grace through Faith! It's His Grace, not our works. 

 When we rely on our own performance or goodness, we will quickly come to the end of ourselves. We will lose momentum and "burn out." We will feel a heavy burden and sense that the Christian life is too hard, and we will want to give up.

 God didn't design us to live this way. God designed a relationship, not a religion, but a relationship rooted in Jesus' work alone. The New Covenant was cut between the Father and the Son, and when we believe, we are active participants in this Covenant. 

 Focus not on sins, shortcomings, failures, and flaws. Focus on the Finished Work. When we get our eyes on Jesus, we take our eyes off ourselves. Putting our focus on Jesus puts Him back in the center of it all. Then, as we focus on Him, we can allow Him to mature us.

 Come celebrate Jesus and not a dead, wearisome religion. Rejoice in all Jesus has done for us. With such amazing good news, we can't contain it and we will desire to share it with others. 

 Religion is Graceless, but Jesus is Graceful. Grace is the Gospel. Grace is the Good News. Jesus is the person of Grace. Embrace the Grace, and relinquish religion, and joy unspeakable will be the result in our lives. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Loveless

 

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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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Knowledgeless

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

 God's Goodness is revealed in Jesus Christ. God becoming a man and taking man's place, providing Redemption to whosoever will believe, is the Gospel, the Good News God wants heralded. The message is clear, transparent, and simple. Man, on the other hand, has sometimes added input. Thus, religious tradition was born.

 We have been examining the anatomy of religion and tradition. We have seen that religion in essence is man trying to come to God on their own terms. We have seen that religion is powerless and Faithless. Religious tradition brings no joy, no hope, and doesn't cause Faith to come. We have seen these marks illustrated In John 9.

 The next mark of Religion we want to examine is knowledgeless. Religion is ignorant of so much of God's Word and God Himself and the work of Jesus on our behalf. God doesn't want His children ignorant of Him or His works. 

 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6a MEV

Therefore My people go into captivity because they have no knowledge Isaiah 5:13a MEV 

 Religion lacks knowledge of God's Word and His Goodness and all that His Finished Work provided. Now I can hear the objections. Some in religious circles can literally quote the Bible verbatim. How is that ignorance? That is a very good question.

 Allow me to illustrate this to answer this question. I can quote the United States Constitution verbatim. However, if I don't really understand what is being said I wouldn't be able to take full advantage of what rights the Constitution guaranteed. 

 So it is with the things of God. Religion lacks knowledge, that is full understanding of the Word, and this gives rise to the many inconsistencies of traditional religion. Let's begin unwrapping the areas of ignorance of the religious minded.

 Religion is ignorant of who the enemy is. The enemy, satan, (no I will not capitalize his "name", Jesus defeated Him!), doesn't even exist to some religious Christians. He is merely an allegory of evil, or worse some fairy tale figure. Therefore all that happens is automatically attributed to God.

 The enemy is the tempter. He is the one accusing and condemning. We as believers must take these thoughts captive in light of the Finished Work of Christ. We are accepted and approved in Christ. We are in perfect right standing with God. Reject condemnation and accusation.

 Religion paints satan as some lackey who God uses to "perfect" the saints. Some say God uses satan to put hard times on believers to build them up. This is nonsense. The enemy is a spiritual rebel who is defeated and he is not working for God.

 Religion is ignorant of God's character. They believe God ordains or causes Sickness and disease to come upon His children. They believe God sends plagues, pestilence, and pandemics to perfect or punish whichever is needed most.

 Religion sees God as the sovereign ruler of all the universe, which He is, but they see this as God controlling all aspects of life. Therefore, the car wrecks, the earthquakes, the heartaches are His handiwork. They are sent for some mysterious purpose that we will finally understand when we get to Heaven, this is traditional nonsense.

 God is a Good Father. Jesus perfectly demonstrated the Father's will and ways when He walked the earth. Jesus brought life, healed bodies, raised the dead to life and brought miraculous provision. He was Good and went about doing Good. He demonstrated mercy, love, kindness, accepting the weak, the broken, and lost. He offered redemption and forgiveness to all who came. He is always Good!

 Religion is ignorant of the New Covenant and Finished Work. Religion still sees the Church as under portions of the Old Covenant Law. Religion sees the Cross as a partially completed work. 

 Religion says Jesus paid it all, but expects you to make up for it when you fail. Religion still sees God sending wrath and judgment on cities, lands and nations as punishment for their sins. Religion says it is paid in full but keeps believers in guilt and shame through preaching how God is displeased and disappointed continually at His Church.

 Jesus is enough. When He said it was Finished He meant it. He didn't say still more for you to do. He didn't say I started this now you complete it. He who began the good work in you is Faithful to complete it. 

 Religion is ignorant of God's Word, His nature, who the enemy is, the Cross and His Grace. They may quote whole portions of Scripture but they don't have the light of those Scriptures. The Holy Spirit said in Psalms, in His light we see light. Religion clouds and covers the light, producing confusion and inconsistencies in the Faith.

 Religion says God makes you sick, or afflicts you with disease, to teach you, to mold your character, or for some other mysterious purpose. They say things like God had to put you flat on your back so you can look up. 

 Yet, after the diagnosis, they encourage you to go the hospital, to seek medical treatment, to seek relief from the disorder. See the inconsistency there? 

 Religion says God makes you sick to teach you but then tells you to go to the doctor to get better. This means you would be removing what God put on you to teach you. Isn't that contrary to what God "wanted?"

 Religion says God remembers your sins no more, but when you do sin, He is withholding fellowship with you. They say He remembers your sins no more, but won't answer your prayers because you sinned. Which is it? He remembers your sins and holds them against you, or He doesn't remember them? 

 Religion is knowledgeless. It doesn't have the light of the Word. It just knows what the Bible states, but they don't have the understanding of the living Word. Religion serves the great I Was not the great I AM. 

 Where has religion left you feeling lost or confused in your Christian life? Have you experienced the inconsistencies religion promotes? 

 When you study God's Word, pray for your understanding to see His Light, and to open your understanding of the Word. When you hear the Word taught, check the Word for yourself to determine how true it is. This is how you learn, grow, and gain the knowledge of God and reject religious tradition. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Faithless

 

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

 What is religion? What is the religious tradition of men? Religion is man coming to God upon His own terms. It's human philospohy, emotional reasoning, and the system of ritual and human effort. 

 Religion builds its trust and hope in man's experience instead of what God actually said in His Word. Religion has a form and fashion or appearance of Godliness, but it is powerless. Religion doesn't transform; it just goes through ritual to satisfy rules and expectations.

 We are examining these marks of the religious man. Remember that no man is our enemy. The enemy is a system of wrong believing created by the spirit of error and not the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. 

 The first mark of the religious-minded Man is powerless. Religion is powerless to save and transform. Religion is powerless to transform and renew. Jesus is powerful, and He is the victorious reigning King!

 The next mark of the religious-minded man is Faithless. Faithless religion substitutes faith with performance.  It replaces trust in God’s grace with confidence in man’s effort. It boasts more in human achievement than in Christ’s finished work.

  Faithless religion believes salvation is by grace, but living victoriously is by works. Once one receives Jesus, religion shifts the focus from Christ’s sufficiency to man’s striving. It begins to measure righteousness by behavior instead of believing.

  In John 9, we see a vivid image of faithless religion. The religious leaders were "investigating" the healing miracle of the blind man. Instead of rejoicing at the Goodness of God in healing, they hardened themselves. They chose to reject this miracle, clinging instead to their traditions. 

Faithless religion always hardens itself against the work of Grace. Jesus perfectly purchased Redemption through the Finished Work. It's a completed work. Yet faithless religion downplays this, favoring performance and achievement over Grace.

 Faithless religion also doesn't take God at His Word. Faithless religion acts like God's Word is not true. Faithless religion believes God's Word intellectually but not practically.

 Faithless religion talks about God, but doesn't draw near to Him. Faithless religion talks about God but doesn't trust Him. Faithless religion talks about God but lacks the expectancy that He will do what He said He would. 

 Faithless religion prays but doesn't trust that God will respond. Faithless religion prays intellectually, asking for God to provide, but doesn't believe that He actually will. Faithless religion claims there is power in prayer, but doesn't believe Faith can actually change situations and circumstances. 

 Faith takes God at His Word. Faith isn't the currency of Heaven. Jesus' shed blood and perfect work of Redemption, and the Finished Work of Grace, is what procured and purchased our salvation, provision, blessing, wholeness, deliverance, healing, Righteousness, and eternal security. Faith is the means by which we receive these things that Grace procured and provided. 

  Faith sees God's promises, provision, and plentious Redemption in the unseen realm. Faith sees the unseen and doesn't focus on the seen. Faith believes. Faith takes God at His Word, Faith acts like His Word is true, and is fully persuaded. Faith speaks. Faith is in agreement with what God said. Faith receives. Faith receives what Grace freely purchased and provided.

 Faithless religion doesn't see. Faithless religion looks at the seen, being ignorant of the unseen. Faithless religion doesn't believe. It doesn't take God at His Word, not being persuaded of what God said. Faithless religion doesn't agree with God. It disagrees with what God said about the circumstance or situation.

 In summation, Faith is the hand by which we reach out and receive all God has for us. Faith isn't about striving or earning. Faith is about resting and freely receiving. Grace says it is done, just receive it. Faithless religion says perform to be found acceptable. Grace says Faith in Jesus is what made you accepted and approved. 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: What is Religion?

 

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

 If you have followed this site for any length of time, you have seen how much religious traditions are challenged. Often, the articles written have the purpose of allaying these man-made traditions. With this in mind, it seemed good to do an actual study on what religion and tradition really are. What the traits or marks of religious mindedness actually are.

  What we must also be mindful of is who are enemy actually is. Our enemy is not with flesh and blood. No man is our enemy. That is, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but with the enemy, the spirit of error. Now, men may count themselves as our enemy, but that doesn't mean we have to count them as our enemies.

 Jesus said they will know us by our love for one another. That love is referring to how we, as the Body of Christ, love each other. We need not fight each other, but love each other and come together under the banner of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our one goal is to tell a crying, dying world that there is hope, and it is found in receiving Jesus as Savior and receiving the gift of eternal life. 

 Let's begin understanding what the traits or marks of religious-mindedness are by looking at the words of Jesus and Paul the Apostle. Jesus said religious tradition makes the Word of God of no effect. Other translations render this as making void God's Word or nullifying it. 

 Grasp what Jesus is actually declaring. The religious tradition of men makes the Word of God void, nullified, and of no effect. He is saying religious tradition makes the Word of God powerless in the life of one entangled in the religious traditions of men. 

 Paul also gives us notice about the dangers of religious tradition. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, breathed a warning about philosophies and practices rooted in the religious traditions of men. They spoil or defraud us from a genuine Faith and a sincere relationship with the Father.

 Lighting candles, holding religious artifacts, or religious items, like beads, shawls, or head coverings, don't make us more spiritual. They don't make us more approved. Observing certain days over others, practicing rituals, clanging bells, or chimes, or shaving your head bald, does not make you better accepted by God our Father. 

 The Holy Spirit also said through Paul that religion has a form of Godliness but completely denies its power. Religious traditions deny the power of God to save the worst of us. Religion denies the power of God to transform hearts and lives, and instead relies on rigid rules, restrictions, and regulations to bring about behavior modification. 

Religion denies the power of God to change situations and circumstances. Religion says God used to intervene in the lives of His people during "Bible days". He doesn't do that now, though. He, in fact, creates circumstances to mold us and better us through painful suffering. 

 Religion is man's attempt to reach God. Religion is man-centered; it's a system based on following rules that they make for you to appear pious. Religion is a man-made philosophy that keeps God in boxes designed by men. Religion forms and fashions and serves a god that they can understand emotionally and intellectually. 

 In this series, we will examine the marks of the religious man. In John 9, we see the perfect illustration of all these marks of the religious-minded. We want to detect religion and show the way out.

 The Gospel is the Good News. The Gospel is the power of God. It is life and wholeness to all those who believe. The Gospel brings new life, power from on High, and a life of victory on this side of Heaven. Religion is powerless, rooted in men's strength and fleeting and fading. The Gospel frees where religion binds, stay with us as we examine these marks of religious mindedness. 

 What are your experiences with religious tradition? Do you think it is good to challenge the traditions of men? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Why Declaring the Word works: Grace through Faith

 

Because of what they say a person can fill their stomach. What their words produce can satisfy them. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love to talk will eat the fruit of their words. Proverbs 18:20-21 NIRV 

 What a powerful force our words are. Words are seeds. We can plant seeds of hope, healing, and wholeness. We can plant these seeds in the soil of our own heart or in the lives of our loved ones and those around us.

 What words are you sowing? Are you planting seeds of love, peace, and positive affirmation? Or are you planting seeds of misery, hopelessness, strife, and unbelief? This is why it is vital to continue examining the power of words. 

 Declaring the Word works. Speaking in agreement with God will change your life forever. The more you grow in Faith, in Grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus, your words will agree with God and not with your present circumstances or situation. 

 Why does confessing or saying the same thing as God work? We have seen that first it causes Faith to come. Secondly, it renews the mind to think God's thoughts. Thirdly, it reprograms the heart, helping to focus on the unseen rather than the seen. It also keeps the promise of God before us, keeping Faith in focus and not the problem.

 The fifth reason why confessing God's Word works is that it puts the Law of Faith into motion. When you declare God's Word, Faith is being released. There is a miracle in your mouth; all you have to do is speak it out! 

So [it shall be] that he who invokes a blessing on himself in the land shall do so by saying, May the God of truth and fidelity [the Amen] bless me; and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth and faithfulness to His promises [the Amen], because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hidden from My eyes.  Isaiah 65:16 AMPC

 Look at this powerful prophecy from Isaiah. This is foreshadowing the Redemptive work of Jesus. You invoke the blessing by releasing your words. Grace has already provided it; it belongs to us through Christ.  

 Grace provided it, but Faith takes it. Grace made it all available, but you partake of it by receiving what was purchased and procured by Jesus' Finished Work. How do you receive it? By declaring His Word, agreeing with what He made available. It is not just acknowledging it but agreeing with God that it is yours and you have it now.

 Casually acknowledging the Righteousness of all believers in Christ is not laying hold of it and claiming it for yourself. You receive of the gift of Righteousness by declaring "I am the Righteousness of God in Christ."

 Faith's confession agrees with the reality that Grace made in Jesus' Finished Work of Redemption. Faith's confession creates that reality in your own personal life. Declaring the Word of God sets the Law of Faith in motion for what concerns you.

 What is the Law of Faith? 

 Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. Romans 3:27 Mounce.

 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says Mark 11:23 WEB

 The Law of Faith is no different than the law of gravity. The Law of Faith says that what you believe with the heart and declare with your mouth will come to pass. Faith is not just about speaking the Word, but it is a part of it. Faith is released when we speak in agreement with His Word and what Redemption provided.

  Look again at the Gospel of Mark, where the woman with the issue of blood declared her healing, putting the Law of Faith in motion. She declared continually that when she touched His garment, she would be healed.

  She kept speaking it, and put the Law of Faith in motion. She reached out and touched Jesus' garment and received her healing. When Jesus sensed the healing anointing released, He sought her out and declared that her Faith made her whole.

 Your Faith can make you whole, too. The Law of Faith is about believing and speaking. Notice in Mark 11 that Jesus mentioned believing once and saying three times. He was showing that Faith is released by speaking. He showed us the power and importance of words.

 So what are you saying? Are you agreeing with the Finished Work or religious traditions? Redemption or present circumstances? The Law of Faith is not about works or earning or striving. It is not based on works. It is not about performance. It is about Grace through Faith.

 When you declare God’s Word, you’re not striving, begging, or trying to earn. You’re simply agreeing with what Grace has already finished. The Law of Faith is voice-activated—believe in your heart, speak with your mouth, and watch His promises manifest in your life. Healing, provision, peace, and victory are not distant dreams; they are present realities waiting to be received. So lift your voice, declare His Word, and set the Law of Faith in motion—because what Jesus has done is already yours today.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Father of Lights Vol II: the Good Shepherd

 

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

  God our Father is Good. Christians generally believe and accept this as truth. They will proclaim, 'Yes, God is good,' yet when crises or disasters occur, they usually lay the blame on God as the cause, the one who ordains or orchestrates it. 

 They believe God is God, so He must control everything. If He controls everything, that means He causes disaster for some mysterious purposes, yet rest assured, it's for our best. When we remove hyper sovereignty as an attribute of God, we can better see God's role in crisis, disaster, dysfunction, and turmoil. 

 God is God! He is the supreme ruler of the universe. He does have it all under control. God’s control is not robotic or coercive. He doesn’t program evil or disaster. Disasters and famines are the result of a fallen creation, not God killing people. Crime, violence, dysfunctional, and abusive families are not God's handiwork. Again, in a fallen world, sinful mankind acts out that sin, causing harm and hurt to others.    

  Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects His flock. He provides for His flock. He preserves His flock. Look at the Father through the lens of Jesus, and you will see God's Goodness at all times, laying the blame for bad things that happen on the right source.  The source being the enemy satan, fractured and fallen creation, and the choices and actions of sinful man. 

 Knowing this, we can rest in His Goodness. If we know He isn't the one ordaining harm or horrendous events, we can trust Him with our whole lives. We can trust our Good Shepard to protect us and provide for us. He is merciful and compassionate. He isn't withholding deliverance, healing, or provision. He heals and protects and provides because He loves us.

 Another aspect we should place our full trust in is that the Good Shepherd preserves the sheep. Many believe our salvation is rooted in our ability to remain sin-free and steadfast, never wavering. Our trust is in our efforts and performance. 

 The Good Shepherd preserves His flock. When we first trusted in Him alone, He sealed us with His Spirit until the day of Redemption. So many believe the security of their salvation is based on their grip on God. The Good News is that the security of our salvation is based on His grip on us! 

 This is Good News, this is the best news! Jesus is preserving us and will never relax or loosen His hold upon us. 

  27 My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. 28 I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. 29 My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. John 10:27-29 VOICE

   God has us in the palm of His hands, and nothing will ever change that. His Grace grip has firmly secured and preserved us for all time and eternity. There is nothing that removes us from this Graceful grasp. 

    Jesus the Good Shepherd protects, provides for, and preserves His sheep. God is the author of salvation. Jesus is the beginning and developer of our Faith. What He started, He finishes. He who began the good work in you will be Faithful to complete it. 

   God is Good and only does good. He is not the author of disaster or death. He gives life eternal and is not the author of evil or calamity. In every storm, in every need, in every moment of doubt—we can look to Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and know we are protected, provided for, and preserved forever. He is always Good.

Image by AstralEmber from Pixabay

Receiving Grace:The One Resume Heaven Accepts

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT

And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. But if it is by works, then is it no longer by grace; otherwise work would no longer be work. Romans 11:6 MEV

 The Gospel isn’t a to-do list. It’s an announcement: Jesus did it all. That’s Grace. Jesus, God Almighty in the flesh, came to the earth to reveal the Father, and to bring us to an end of ourselves by unveiling the full weight of the Law. This work of Christ leads us to fully receive this Grace.

 Grace must be realized—seen in Jesus’ finished work—and then received as a free gift. We, as mere men, often struggle to receive a free gift. We want to contribute, to play a part, to aid, assist, and add to the work.

 In the natural realm, merit has its place, and ability is necessary for success. What may sound contrary to what I have just said is that this is also true in the spiritual realm. The difference is that only one has the ability and merit in the spiritual realm. That is God Almighty.

 Look at the angels. They are in the spiritual realm and have great abilities, and yet they are imperfect; one-third of them followed lucifer into rebellion. Bringing the spiritual into the natural through the Law also confirmed man's inabilities. They couldn't keep the Law. 

 Christ shows us that He is the only one who kept the Law perfectly. Jesus then took upon Himself the sins and judgment for all the world. He endured all the punishment of sin and the agony associated with the Cross. He descended into Hell, taking all the judgment, and stripped satan of the keys of death and hell, and triumphed over him and arose victoriously three days later. 

 Jesus completed the Work. He performed perfectly. His ability is greater than all. He merits all the goodness, blessings, and benefits of God. What about us? This is where the lines get blurred. 

 We then attempt to attain these blessings and benefits by our own performance and behavior. Our efforts and abilities are incapable of receiving the goodness and gifts of God. 

 Our abilities, our efforts, and our behavior are, in essence, our resume submitted for the open position of the saved, the Righteous, the set apart. The heavenly HR looks at our resume and sums it up, and it always falls short of the top applicant, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 Merit, performance, ability, and behavior? All are vitally important in both the natural and spiritual realms. The Good News is this: Jesus has met the Righteous requirements and has the position. He now has acquired the full benefits and freely offers all to share in them. All we have to do is believe it and receive it.

 Let Grace bring you to an end to yourself. Realize your efforts and behavior will never be adequate to warrant or merit the Goodness and favor of God. Only One's merit was worthy. So place your trust in the One alone. 

 So many will reject this. They will fight back that our behavior is vital and positively or negatively affects our standing with the Father. The issue with this is we are now saying we are Righteous by Faith plus our works or goodness. This is contrary to the Gospel Paul preached.

 Behavior matters — for growth, maturity, and walking in love. But our identity and standing with God? That’s built on Christ alone. Identity first. Fruit follows. 

So let go of striving.
Stop trying to earn what can only be received.
Lay down your spiritual résumé — and pick up Christ’s.

Grace has already done the work.
The cross was enough.

You are loved, accepted, and blessed — not because you qualified, but because Jesus did.

Just receive it.

That’s the Gospel.