Religion is what I will describe as the opium of the masses. While growing up, I was made to go to every church service as my parents are devoted to going to church, they were both Sunday school teachers at that time. Those days I knew there was a God but there was no intimate relationship with him. This knowing for me was something abstract, I felt it was something I was obligated to do so that I can be termed “good”. I was just merely involved in religious activities. I did many things not because there was the understanding but because I just imitated what was being taught.
I knew there was still an empty gap that this religion was yet to feel. I always wondered why God didn’t answer our prayers of our enemies to die as we always had to pray such prayers. There were so many questions in my mind about a lot of things that were just left unanswered.
Many young people are faced with this reality and very few have found their true identity in Christ. Many people are still void of what they practice and that is why they are being tossed left and right with various religious doctrines. Religion says dress up the outside, a makeup of something that is not real. Religion put you in bondage but Christ sets you free.
Jesus came to abolish religion. Religion is made manifest in the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery(John 8: 1-11). The Pharisee and all those who wanted to cast the stone symbolizes the religious leaders. Jesus did not condone the act however he corrected from the place of love.
People only know that you are Christian by how much of church and fellowship you attend but yet our lifestyle does not showcase Christ. Everybody comes to church acting like all is well with them but yet battle with secret sins that if they voice out about they would be judged and condemned. Yet knowing Jesus, you should boast in your weakness because his grace is sufficient for you and you know he will come through in your weakest stage. The church is meant to be a hospital for broken people and not a place full of good people. If you still practice religion, then you don’t know Jesus because Jesus resented religion.
I quote this spoken words artist in his word:
“Christianity is the work of God while religion is a man-made invention. One is the cure while the other is the infection. Religion says do, Jesus says done. Religion says slave, Jesus says son. Religion puts you in bondage but Jesus sets you free. Religion is man searching for God while Christianity is God searching for man….”
Break free from religious activities and seek God. Christ is love. If you claim to know Christ then be the Christ that people can see. Don’t condemn but love. The world will be a better place if all we do stems out of love for our brethren.
And if you do not know Christ, I tell you that you are missing a whole lot because he is the best thing that can happen to a man. Salvation is free and accessible to all. (Romans 9; 10-11).
That is soo true, God bless you for addressing this issue.