1-13-20<\/p>\n
Religion is one of the poisons in contemporary life.<\/p>\n
Sometimes \u2013 a lot of times \u2013 we have trouble because we really don\u2019t care to avoid trouble. Counter-intuitive? It is a human tendency, emotional inertia; unreasonable fear of change. When it comes to matters of the spirit, too many Christians get stuck in Neutral.<\/p>\n
Yet life goes on. Every Sunday \u2013 or every Christmas and Easter \u2013 there will be church, and we will see the same old friends. It is easy for weeks to turn into months and months turn into years this way. A sort of spiritual comfort zone, without getting serious about faith.<\/p>\n
We know, or ought to know or remember, that God hates this condition. When we sense that we have needs, maybe even empty holes in our spiritual hearts, how often do we turn to God? To ask Him to open our eyes, to shake some sense in to us? Or how often do we complain, or sigh and move on, or moan about bad luck, or \u201csuffer in silence\u201d?<\/p>\n
This is no mystery or great revelation. In the book of James we are told, plainly, that we \u201chave not because we ask not.\u201d God\u2019s plan\u2026 sitting there, gathering dust in our lives?<\/p>\n
You desire but do not have, so you kill.\u00a0You covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive,\u00a0because you ask with wrong motives,\u00a0that you may spend what you get on your pleasures<\/em> (James 4:2-3).<\/p>\n Are we surprised that God has figured us out? Why do we act surprised that He has given us many solutions, many answers\u2026 when and if we realize that He does?<\/p>\n Am I making an argument for religion \u2013 that we are not religious enough? No, my opening line here, and the lines since, identify religion<\/em> as a problem. Let us understand that religion \u2013 any and all religions \u2013 are human constructs. As inventions of humankind, religions are systems. Religions are what we invent and even innovate or evolve, for various reasons.<\/p>\n At the best, religions are attempts to worship and systematize beliefs and behaviors. At the other end \u2013 there always is the other extreme \u2013 religions are man-made counterfeits, salves for the conscience, efforts to be exclusive and exclusionary.<\/p>\n To address the criticisms of the professional skeptics through the centuries, religions have committed many sins and even atrocities. In the case of those who follow Christ, it is religion \u2013 which Christianity is not<\/em> \u2013 that has offended, not Christ nor His teachings.<\/p>\n People have corrupted Christianity, and still do. But Christ never preached hate nor prejudice nor offense. Those who do malign things in His name are the transgressors.<\/p>\n To reduce to bumper-strip dimensions: Christianity is not about religion, but a relationship.<\/p>\n Added to the acknowledgment that Christ is the sole means to eternal life; the only One who offers salvation; belief in Whom dispels other systems of faith and effective works, we have the Son of the Living God who died and rose again, as no other \u201cgod\u201d has claimed.<\/p>\n It is the Person of Jesus, not the rites and rituals and customs and rules and saints and holidays and popes and evangelists and rabbis and priests and relics and temples and cathedrals that get you one inch closer to God. Those are things of religion<\/em>.<\/p>\n Do I say we should quit our local churches or family traditions? No, but work to see they are pure\u2026 and that your faith is pure, and focused.<\/p>\n I leave you with one more thought: Who sent Jesus to the cross, who demanded of Pilate that He be put to death? Not cheats, thieves, whores, and adulterers to whom He ministered.<\/p>\n It was the religious people.<\/p>\n + + +<\/p>\n