Lose Your Religion
We have often heard that people should avoid any discussion on politics and religion. These two areas tend to drive wedges between loved ones, acquaintances, and people in general. The divisive nature of each finds grounding in the human-made components of each. Especially within the church, we see that the traditions of religion often drift to lead people away from God’s true calling upon one’s life.
God addresses this issue in the Bible. To the children of Israel in Amos 5:21 the Lord declared that he despised their religious feast because of the feast’s hypocrisy. Later in Matthew 15 and Mark 7, Jesus addresses the Pharisees and calls out their traditions of religious activity due to the leading astray of the traditions. Jesus marks that the religious rituals are keeping people from obedience to the Lord.
Now we come to the twenty-first century, and we must deal with a critical question, “What religious traditions are driving us?” Tradition creates a masquerade ball in which people find themselves attempting to live up to the standards of history, man’s ideology, and the expectations of others. As a result, we tend to put on a religious mask in which to appropriately meet the traditional expectations. However, this does nothing but create a hindrance from living for the Lord obediently.
The mask of religion leaves us fearful, burdened, and tired. Out of fear we attempt to mark every box of religious activity. Out of religious activity we are often left overwhelmed by always seeking to check another box, and as a result, we are left tired, frustrated, and often distant. With this said, let me be clear, religion in and of itself is not wrong and traditions in and of themselves are not sinful, but when each trumps God’s Word and God’s leading then he or she becomes sinful idolatry.
Jesus calling out the Pharisees concerning their religion points to the only solution “Lose your religion and live in a relationship.” Let me be very clear. The Bible is clear that believers are to gather together as a local body of believers as the church. To neglect to be part of the local church is sinful according to Hebrews 10:25. However, the church must desire to live as the extension of the Kingdom of God and not for herself in tradition.
May each of us evaluate our lives and ask several probing questions. First, what religious traditions are we chasing that are keeping us from living entirely for the Lord? Second, what religious masks are we wearing to please the traditions of man instead of pleasing the Lord? Third, are we experiencing religious burdens and fatigue because we concern ourselves with satisfying the traditions and expectations of man more than God?
If any of these describe your life let me invite you to lose your religion and live in an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Find how to live this life according to the desires and ways of the Lord by committing to the truth found in the Bible. Seek the leading of the Lord in prayer. Gather with the local church to seek the Lord together, to worship Him together, and to be a family. If your religion is keeping you from a relationship with Jesus, then lose your religion and enter into a relationship with Jesus. If your relationship with Jesus is being hindered by religion, then lose the religious traditions and seek Christ alone through His Word, in prayer, and in the gathering of the saints.
