The Problem with Religion

​Did you know that God is offended by meaningless, false-hearted chanting? 

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Meditation
Jeremiah 7:3-8--This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Correct your ways and your deeds, and I will allow you to live in this place. Do not trust deceitful words, chanting: This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. Instead, if you really change your ways and your actions, if you act justly toward one another, if you no longer oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow and no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods, bringing harm on yourselves, I will allow you to live in this place, the land I gave to your ancestors long ago and forever.  But look, you keep trusting in deceitful words that cannot help.
 
The problem with religion is when as a set of beliefs or practices it accomplishes nothing and in truth is harmful because the heart is missing.  Bruce Cavey wrote in The End of Religion, “Religion uses rules to force our steps, guilt to keep us in line, and rituals to remind us of our failure to live up to those rules.  In doing this, religion adds more weight to those who are already burdened with life’s hardships.”
The Lord said: Because these people approach Me with their mouths to honor Me with lip-service—yet their hearts are far from Me, and their worship consists of man-made rules learned by rote—therefore I will again confound these people with wonder after wonder. The wisdom of their wise men will vanish, and the understanding of the perceptive will be hidden. (Isaiah 29:13-14)
Jesus labeled the Pharisees hypocrites because, “They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men” (Matthew 15:9). This is why people are turned off by religion—it is not soul food, it is a guilt-inducing practice that strangles the life from joy.

God made us to love and to be loved by us. “You must follow the Lord your God and fear Him. You must keep His commands and listen to His voice; you must worship Him and remain faithful to Him” Deuteronomy 13:4).“Above all, fear the Lord and worship Him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things He has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24). “But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him” (John 4:23).
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Jesus did not teach religion. He modeled on earth what a fabulous relationship with God is. It bears the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). Therefore, the drawback with religion is resolved by an authentic, loving relationship.

Inspiration
The word “religion” comes from the Latin “religare” meaning “to bind.”—Steven M. Southwick & Dennis S. Charney in Resilience
 
©2022 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)