I hate the word religious. All it makes me think of is rules, regulations, sacraments and weird people.
I don’t believe God wants us to be religious people either.
So many people associate religion with keeping a set of rules and checking off a list of things they have to do.
But having a rule-keeping mentality can actually promote sin. There is so much pressure in religion to be perfect, to be a certain way and follow a specific set of rules or sacraments. It causes you to live in fear, especially if you break the rules.
I think God is simply asking us to be a people full of faith. People who believe the Bible and does what it says do it because they want to, not because they have to.
The Old Testament shows us all the rules and laws we were supposed to follow. It was hard to keep them all. There were so many contingencies, laws and consequences.
Why did God do that?
Because He needed to show that we all needed one person to break all of that and be the answer to all those laws and rules. One person to accept the punishment for all sins that ever could or would be committed. All those laws showed just how much we needed a Savior and that we could never be perfect. Laws that were expected but could never be completely fulfilled on our own. It could only be someone perfect and spotless, and their blood would be the ultimate sacrifice for the whole world’s sin.
Jesus.
The whole reason Jesus died was so we didn’t have to uphold such a harsh set of impossible religious standards and so that we didn’t have to pay the heavy price and punishment for sin. Jesus came to fulfill the law.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
Jesus fulfilled the law. Jesus saved us.
We need to stop being religious and live a life of faith. Nobody wants to constantly be thinking of rules and laws they need to obey. We just need to live.
Jesus died so we could have life and life more abundantly. We must get out of the “law” mindset.
When you have a relationship with Jesus, you want to do what’s right not because you have to do what’s right. It is a life of freedom.
When we mess up, we ask forgiveness and Jesus freely forgives us because he already paid the price for your sin. We don’t use it as an excuse to sin, but we know that when we do mess up, that God is there to pick up the pieces and put us back together.
I challenge you to get out of the religious mindset. Stop feeling so much pressure to be a “good Christian” or be perfect all the time. It’s all about faith and having a relationship with Jesus. The one who makes real living possible.
So are you religious?
Response Questions
1. Do you feel a pressure to appear or be religious in any way? Why?
2. How can you stop being religious and work on your relationship with Jesus instead?
Pray with me!
Father God, forgive me for sometimes having a religious mindset. Thank you for sending Jesus to fulfill the law because I never could do it. Help me to do the right thing because I want to and because I love you, not because I have to. Thank you for forgiving me even when I don’t deserve it. Help me to live the life you want me to live. Thank you for your love for me.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
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