A brief study on Religion

Religion is termed by Webster’s Dictionary as belief in and worship of God or gods. A specific system of belief or worship, etc., built around a code of ethics, a philosophy of life, etc.

Religious is termed by the same dictionary as 1-devout; pious, 2-of or concerned with religion, 3-conscientiously exact; scrupulous.

While Christianity is often termed a religion by unbelievers or carnal people, it is better defined as a relationship. A true Christian is not one simply because he says he is, or because he attends a Christian church, or is part of a Christian denomination, or because he sings in a choir, or gives money to the church, or because he is an ordained elder, minister, or denominational leader.

A true Christian or true Christianity may be defined as an intimate, personal, obedient, love relationship with the Jesus Christ of the Bible, which is a result of understanding God’s Word through the work of the Holy Spirit. This results from an acknowledgement of sin, then true repentance toward God, humbling and denying oneself, becoming childlike toward God, His Word and correction, and through childlike-faith placing one’s trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and their only hope of salvation. The result of this is the new birth.

The world is full of religious people. These are often "good people," likable folks, devoted to their various beliefs or causes. Yet when they die they will perish to hell, except they repent and turn to the Jesus of the Bible.

The Pope is very religious and probably a very nice person. Some people in the Catholic church are very religious, and many of them are very nice. Some of those that attend Christian churches are also very religious, and many of these are wonderful people. Even those involved in cults can often be nice people. Some may even give lots of money to good, worthy causes or charities; yet if they do not repent and turn to the Jesus Christ of the Bible, they will perish to hell. Some like to believe there are no absolutes. God’s Word is absolute, and these words from the Bible are absolute. It is written: Lk 13:3-I TELL YOU, NAY: BUT, EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH. Jn 3:3-JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Mt 18:3-AND SAID, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPT YE BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Jn 14:6-JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.

Religion indeed does not save anyone. Only Jesus can save; and Jesus can only save us if we come to Him—His way.

The Scriptures give us many illustrations of the Pharisees, scribes, Herodians, lawyers, and others who were very religious, yet Jesus told them clearly that they would perish.

The Bible tells of a rich ruler or merchant that was so religious he kept God’s commandments from his youth, yet Jesus told him it was not enough. It is written: Lk 18:17-25-VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A LITTLE CHILD SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER THEREIN. AND A CERTAIN RULER ASKED HIM, SAYING, GOOD MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, WHY CALLEST THOU ME GOOD? NONE IS GOOD, SAVE ONE, THAT IS, GOD. THOU KNOWEST THE COMMANDMENTS, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT KILL, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER. AND HE SAID, ALL THESE HAVE I KEPT FROM MY YOUTH UP. NOW WHEN JESUS HEARD THESE THINGS, HE SAID UNTO HIM, YET LACKEST THOU ONE THING: SELL ALL THAT THOU HAST, AND DISTRIBUTE UNTO THE POOR, AND THOU SHALT HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN: AND COME, FOLLOW ME. AND WHEN HE HEARD THIS, HE WAS VERY SORROWFUL: FOR HE WAS VERY RICH. AND WHEN JESUS SAW THAT HE WAS VERY SORROWFUL, HE SAID, HOW HARDLY SHALL THEY THAT HAVE RICHES ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD! FOR IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH A NEEDLE'S EYE, THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Mt 6:24-NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE, AND LOVE THE OTHER; OR ELSE HE WILL HOLD TO THE ONE, AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YE CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON (or money).

Acts 17:22-PAUL THEN STOOD UP IN THE MEETING OF THE AREOPAGUS AND SAID: "MEN OF ATHENS! I SEE THAT IN EVERY WAY YOU ARE VERY RELIGIOUS-NIV. These men were religious, but not saved.

Acts 25:19-INSTEAD, THEY HAD SOME POINTS OF DISPUTE WITH HIM ABOUT THEIR OWN RELIGION AND ABOUT A DEAD MAN NAMED JESUS WHO PAUL CLAIMED WAS ALIVE. These also were religious, but they were not saved.

Acts 26:5-WHICH KNEW ME FROM THE BEGINNING (or for a long time), IF THEY WOULD TESTIFY, THAT AFTER THE MOST STRAITEST (or strictest) SECT OF OUR RELIGION I LIVED (as) A PHARISEE. Paul (or Saul) was originally very religious, but he was not saved when he lived as a Pharisee.

Amos 5:21-"I HATE, I DESPISE YOUR RELIGIOUS FEASTS; I CANNOT STAND YOUR ASSEMBLIES"-NIV. These kept religious feasts, but they were not saved.

Amos 8:10-I WILL TURN YOUR RELIGIOUS FEASTS INTO MOURNING AND ALL YOUR SINGING INTO WEEPING. I WILL MAKE ALL OF YOU WEAR SACKCLOTH AND SHAVE YOUR HEADS. I WILL MAKE THAT TIME LIKE MOURNING FOR AN ONLY SON AND THE END OF IT LIKE A BITTER DAY-NIV. Again, we have religious people, but they were not saved.

Gal 1:13,14-FOR YE HAVE HEARD OF MY CONVERSATION IN TIME PAST IN THE JEWS' RELIGION, HOW THAT BEYOND MEASURE I PERSECUTED THE CHURCH OF GOD, AND WASTED IT. AND PROFITED IN THE JEWS' RELIGION ABOVE MANY MY EQUALS IN MINE OWN NATION, BEING MORE EXCEEDINGLY ZEALOUS OF THE TRADITIONS OF MY FATHERS. Paul (or Saul) was very religious before he met Jesus, but he was not saved until he received Jesus.

Heb 10:11-DAY AFTER DAY EVERY PRIEST STANDS AND PERFORMS HIS RELIGIOUS DUTIES; AGAIN AND AGAIN HE OFFERS THE SAME SACRIFICES, WHICH CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SINS. Again, we see that religion does not save.

Ja 1:26-IF ANY MAN AMONG YOU SEEM (or considers himself) TO BE RELIGIOUS, AND BRIDLETH NOT (or does not keep a tight rein on) HIS TONGUE, BUT DECEIVETH HIS OWN HEART (or deceives himself), THIS MAN'S RELIGION IS VAIN (or worthless). Here we note a person can be religious, but his religion can be in vain or worthless. Next pure religion is defined. Ja 1:27-PURE RELIGION AND UNDEFILED (or faultless) BEFORE GOD (OUR) FATHER IS THIS, TO VISIT (or look after) THE FATHERLESS (or orphans) AND WIDOWS IN THEIR AFFLICTION (or distress), AND TO KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD (or keep oneself from being polluted by the world-NIV). Any religion to which Jesus is not the foundation is worthless.

Acts 13:43-NOW WHEN THE CONGREGATION WAS BROKEN UP (or dismissed), MANY OF THE JEWS AND RELIGIOUS PROSELYTES (or devout converts) FOLLOWED PAUL AND BARNABAS: WHO, SPEAKING TO THEM, PERSUADED THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.

Col 2:16-THEREFORE DO NOT LET ANYONE JUDGE YOU BY WHAT YOU EAT OR DRINK, OR WITH REGARD TO A RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL, A NEW MOON CELEBRATION OR A SABBATH DAY-NIV.

1 Tim 5:4-BUT IF A WIDOW HAS CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN, THESE SHOULD LEARN FIRST OF ALL TO PUT THEIR RELIGION INTO PRACTICE BY CARING FOR THEIR OWN FAMILY AND SO REPAYING THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, FOR THIS IS PLEASING TO GOD.

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