GOD, CHRIST, AND RELIGION

LUKE 12:37-38

In the last few weeks we have discussed, to the surprise of some, that God approves and in some cases commands, capital punishment and war. On the flip side of the coin many would no doubt be surprised that God is against some things they think He would be for. Religion is one of those things. Outside of the Bible-based, Bible-following "Old Time Religion" God is against religion. He is against them because they are the invention of sinful men, women, and demons. They may try to counterfeit the real, they may use similar sounding words, they may even have pieces of truth intermixed with their error but God despises them all the more. Why?

I. RELIGION DOESN'T CHANGE HEARTS [LK. 11:39-40]

"The heart of the probelm is the problem of the heart."- Lester Roloff

A person may change their actions without his heart being changed [Mt. 23:1-13]

Religion emphasizes doing rather than being [Phil. 3:4-9]

Even a sincere religious person needs a heart changed by God [Jn. 3:3, 16]

II. RELIGION MAKES MUCH OF LITTLE AND LITTLE OF MUCH [LK 11:42, MT. 23:23]

III. RELIGION OFFERS THE APPROVAL OF MEN RATHER THAN GOD [LK. 11:43, MT. 23:5, ACTS 5:29, GAL. 1:6-10]

IV. RELIGION MAKES HYPOCRITES OF ITS ADHERENTS [LK. 11:44]

"Jesus knew what we often forget: what looks good may have a heart of evil." -Unknown

V. RELIGION MAKES A HARD LIFE HARDER [LK. 11:45-46]

"Because religion cannot change a heart, it tries to control people with laws and expectations that are not even kept by the religionists who interpret and apply the rules." -Unknown

VI. RELIGION MAKES IT EASY TO DECEIVE OURSELVES [LK. 11:47-49, GAL. 6:3, I JN. 1:8]

VII. RELIGION HIDES THE TRUE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE, THE WORD OF GOD [LK. 11:52, MK. 7:6-8a, 13, MT. 23:15]

"Rather than leading people to God, religionists shift the focus to themselves and their own rules." They "trust the belief and action of their religion to do what only Christ can do." -Unknown

IN CONTRAST, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST-

-CHANGES HEARTS [II COR. 5:17]

-EMPHASIZES THE GREAT NEED [MT. 16:26]

-OFFERS THE APPROVAL OF GOD NOT MEN [EPH. 1:6]

-MAKES SAINTS OF ALL BELIEVERS [I COR.. 1:2]

-MAKES A HARD LIFE NEW [JN. 10:10, PH. 4:13, 19]

-MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO DECEIVE OURSELVES [JAMES 1:22-27]

-REVEALS THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE [JN. 5:39, 8:32, 14:17]

-LEADS THE RIGHT WAY [PR. 3:5-6]