“A friend of mine posted a picture the other day of a church on a cliff. The people were walking in through the front door and falling out through the bottom into a dark pit representing the abyss, or hell. The caption said, “The difference between a relationship with Jesus Christ and a religion.” It also said, “that you could go to church your whole life and still draw no closer to God, or understand who God was, and what being a Christian is truly about.” The world in my opinion, mistakes religion with true Christianity and disciples of Jesus Christ. Like anything else; I believe we lump all people groups by the actions of a few, and the world especially loves to do that when it comes to Christians and those who follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. For many religions claim to know Jesus, but yet do everything opposite of what He taught and stood for, or who the real Jesus is and looked like.
Jesus had just finished healing a man who couldn’t walk for Thirty Eight years as recorded by John 5:
“One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath,” (CSB)
When the Pharisees saw him carrying his mat or pallet as it states in the NASB, on the Sabbath they focused more on that act than his actual healing. When they found out that Jesus had commanded him to take up his mat, they again questioned Him and argued the point about doing anything on the Sabbath. Jesus went on to tell them that they searched the Scriptures and yet did not understand or realized that He was the fulfillment of the Scriptures. He said that He would not accuse them in front of God but that Moses would, because they claimed to be followers of Moses, yet did not understand the Scriptures and how to interpret them correctly.
Even before Jesus came, and since He ascended too many pastors, priests , evangelists, whether on TV or going from town to town have changed the word of God to fill their pockets, to fit their desires, or to fulfill their wants, rather than to preach the message of Christ. Religion is man-made that serves the purpose of the person who started it, and we see how everyone of them have different denominations, or sects, or set of rules, because they break away from the original one that started it.
Hebrews 13 reminds us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus does not change, God‘s word does not change. What changes is the heart of man to seek their own will, their own pleasure, in their own way of being content in their sin, lifestyle, or gathering.
“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (CSB)
So my question is, are you in a religion that is leading you to the abyss and dark pit, or are you following the Light of the world and walking with Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world?”
