"A Matter Of Religion?"

The easiest thing to be is religious! It takes little commitment and love to be religious. I was watching a program the other night in which a young lady was participating. She said she was doing this for the Lord to His praise and glory. The announcer responded by poking a little fun at her for being a "Jesus lover." The lady was proud and laughed at the comments made about her religious beliefs.

As the event started in which she was participating, she met an obstacle that was very trying and suddenly, out of her mouth came a string of profanity. They had to bleep it on camera and after the event you can imagine what the announcer had to say about her religious stance. No wonder the world doesn't take the Lord seriously.

It is easy to be religious but religion will not save anyone. Jesus didn't come to establish religion but gain the heart of a person. Religion can look good and seem to have God involved but it can be empty and pretending. Just look at the Pharisees. Jesus called them "whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they a full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Jesus continues "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matt. 23:27-28) That's what religion does to people. It makes little impact on the heart but makes one look good in the sight of others.

Jesus wants the heart. The Roman brethren were known for their being slaves of sin but became obedient from the heart to the teaching to which they were committed. (Rom. 6:17) It was the heart involved and responding, not just a form of religion. The brethren at Colossae were known by others because their faith in the Lord Jesus was known by the way they lived and were committed to His will, reaching and striving with the truth (Col. 1:3-12). The young church at Thessalonica was influencing others around them because of their hearts turning away from idolatry, putting their faith in the truth turning them to serving God (I Thes. 1:6-10). Their lives reflected their faith! It wasn't talk or show.

Today there is more religion but it seems in the process, more ignorance of God's word. God's word is getting pushed out of our assemblies and replaced by moving events surrounding us. The word of the Lord is just used as a reference rather than a life directing word from God that taken into the heart will change your being. It was religion that ultimately destroyed the Jew's and in their religion, they killed the Son of God. Jesus knew what He was speaking when He taught: "Many are called but few are chosen."