7 Ways Religion Can Keep You From Jesus
7 Ways Religion Can Keep You From Jesus
Luke 5:33–6:11 records the first major encounter between Jesus and the religious leaders. Jesus gives two different parables as to why neither he nor his disciples keep the letter of the law. The parable of new cloth not fitting the old garment and new wine bursting old wineskins shows the need to do away with religious rituals. However, Jesus notes in the final verse of chapter 5 that religion is often held onto because people gravitate toward what they are familiar with.
While believers today are under the new covenant, we can still fall into the same trap as the religious leaders and value religion and its rituals over a relationship with Jesus. When valuing religious rules is prominent, grace toward people often diminishes. Furthermore, pressing into rituals or rules to follow Christ, whether explicitly or implicitly, leads us to add to the gospel. The gospel plus anything is no longer the gospel.
Therefore, we must be aware of the dangers that lead us to value religion over a relationship with Jesus. This task can be difficult at times because the purpose of our actions began as an intention to worship. However, what is meant to bring worship to God can easily become a burdensome religious ritual. The following are 7 ways in which religion could be keeping you from Jesus.
- Church attendance without heart engagement.
You pat yourself on the back for going to church every week and checking off the religious box of church attendance. However, you never actually consider your need to repent, surrender, or hear from God. Your time in the service is spent thinking about lunch, the upcoming sports game, or the notifications that have come across your phone since the service started.
- Service replaces surrender.
You stay busy teaching, greeting, volunteering wherever you can, but avoid obedience. Your activity has replaced your intimacy with God. You regularly lead a Bible study group, but the only time you spend in Scripture is to prepare to teach, never for your own spiritual growth.
- Giving has replaced faithfulness.
You feel spiritually secure because you give financially. Giving has become a transaction instead of an act of worship. You give to show your status in the church, yet ignore God in your everyday life.
- Tradition is more important than transformation.
Your preferences for worship style, clothing, and much more have become more important than the gospel and seeing lives changed. It is more important to protect the traditions of the church than pursue the presence of God. You see singing in worship as a time to cross your arms and stare down the worship leader to signify your displeasure rather than to meet and commune with the holy God who made you.
- Prayers become a performance.
You rarely practice a private prayer life, but publicly insist on being the leader of any prayer. You have practiced the religious jargon with no relationship and use spiritual language with a heart that is far from God. Your prayers have become a tool for you to sound spiritual rather than for you to seek God.
- Bible knowledge without obedience.
You have mastered being a hearer of the word, but there is no effort to be a doer also. When asked, you will gladly quote every New Testament verse on forgiveness, all the while holding a grudge against those whom you believe have wronged you.
- Prideful morality has replaced humility.
Being a “good Christian” is your badge of honor. You want to do good, but only so others will take notice. You take any chance you can to thank God that you aren’t like “those people.” Your outward morality has replaced a humble dependence on Christ.
The good news is that Jesus did not come to burden us with religion but to bring us into a living relationship with Himself. When we recognize that our rituals have replaced our relationship, the invitation of Christ is still the same: come to Him, receive His grace, and be made new. The gospel frees us from empty religion and restores us to joyful communion with God.
