Religion

Religion. It’s almost become a vulgar word in our culture. So many are throwing aside “religion” for relationship. They claim that Christ’s love and freedom are too great to be stuffed inside a narrow set of rules and regulations. They use the words religion and legalism interchangeably and with emotional statements and pleas, they seem to know what they are talking about.

I believe, however, that it might be a dangerous mission to toss religion out the window.

I’m not talking about legalism. I’m not talking about adding rules to God’s word. I understand the dangers of this. I mean Eve was the first one to add rules to God’s word and to say that He said things that He did not, and we all know how that turned out. But sometimes I wonder if Eve was trying to do the right thing, but in the wrong way. Instead of saying, “God said we cannot touch the tree”, what if she had said, “God said not to eat the fruit on the tree, and I don’t even want to touch that fruit because I don’t want to put myself in a place that it would be easy to disobey and take that first bite?”

Perhaps her story would have ended differently if she had created boundaries in her life with an attitude that said I want to please God, instead of an attitude that was focused on what she could or couldn’t do.

Legalism – adding rules to God’s word – is dangerous. It can cause bitterness towards God and others, but religion is not the equivalent of legalism.

According to James, the evidence of true religion is the way we speak, the way we treat people, and the way strive to remain holy in an unholy world. It’s evidenced by holiness in our words, holiness in our service and love to others, and holiness in our hearts.

That’s going to look like different boundaries in different people’s lives. Something may not be wrong according to God’s word, but if it’s a boundary that keeps them from crossing lines that are clearly stated in God’s word, then it’s real religion. If they’re choosing to separate themselves from things they know would cause temptation, it’s real religion. If their personal convictions are based on what God spoke to them, and not about people pleasing, it’s real religion. If their words and actions demonstrate love and holiness, then it’s real religion and it glorifies God.

If we’re not careful, we’ll allow those who make holiness and separation from the world about pride to scare us away from the reality that holiness is a byproduct of true religion, and that it glorifies God. And at the end of the day, I want my heart to be less concerned on what I might be missing out on, and more concerned about who I can be helping and speaking truth with love to, because that is just as important of a byproduct of true religion as what I’m wearing or where I’m going.