"Religious or Saved?"

  The easiest road to walk is the religious road. Being religious is not the same as being saved and spiritual minded. The religious have been around. They were around when Jesus walked this earth but religion was not what Jesus brought. He brought God, grace and truth (John 1:17-18). Through this Jesus set up His church, those called out to Himself. Jesus didn't set up denominations or even non-denominations. Jesus established the truth about God and His purpose and that's how He brought about the saved, the church.

  Paul found the religious in the regions all over the world he traveled. When Paul came to Athens, they were a people who did nothing more than sit around telling or hearing of something new (Acts 17:21). Sounds like what a lot of people look for today. Paul found them very religious: "So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, 'Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.'" (Acts 17:22) Religious, very religious but lost!

  It is completely different to be spiritual and saved. It is a different world than being religious. Being spiritual and saved does not try to convince others they are walking with the Lord. There is no running around "Praise the Lord!" in every item daily. The saved and spiritual walk with Jesus humbly and always seeking His ways for their paths. When did you ever read Jesus walk about among the people "Praise the Lord!" when something happened? There was no show but a simple trust to do the will of His Father. He praised God in His prayers but never a show before everyone to see.

  What's the point of all this? We need to be a people seeking, not talking. We need to be a people submitting, not showing. It was Jesus who showed from the beginning of His ministry that just because people did things in His name didn't make them part of Him but only those who did the Father's will (Matt. 7:21). Jesus taught there were two roads with two end results. One led to life while the other led to death (Matt. 7:14-15). The easiest road is the religious road. Let's be a people that seek and live. Change comes from a new birth and that comes from Jesus. The new birth brings new life and new life brings a spiritual mind that has sober thinking and self control at its base. New life seeks truth!