Luke 11:37–54 — Beware of the darkness of religion

This topic is not only for non christians, nor is it specifically aimed towards a christian audience. This is for everyone who walks the earth. Beware of the darkness of religion.

What is Religion?

• Religion, in a simple sense, is a set of rules that are unwritten in the bible. All religions are man based preferences on how to get close to God (or A God); in which you’d have to be around the religion long enough to know the unwritten religious rules. When applying these sets of rules or rituals to your life, you become morally superior.

This is what your average person thinks ‘getting close to God’ is all about. This is not a new age practice; Religion goes back centuries before our time and including our time today.

Sadly, most of society’s thoughts when trying to find our path to God and having a relationship with him are, “what are the rules? A.K.A How do I become morally superior? How will my needs be met when entering which religion? Will I have a pleasing outcome with this religion? How can I benefit from this?”

What does religion do?

The problem is that religion offers you a pathway to God, bypassing the relationship with Jesus. It teaches that you can earn a place in heaven and favor in front of God by doing certain things that would be pleasing to him! The Devil’s platter of choice is what I call it.

• Understanding these 2 choices will help you understand the dangers of religion and the love of a relationship with our creator.

God’s way or My way.

This is the first choice we make. God’s way or my way? Sounds pretty simple of a question right? You’r mistaken.

Most of our reactions to hearing this question is “Of course I choose God’s way! I can’t disown my God!” And this is where our words do not reflect our actions and we tend to turn around and go our own way, hoping God understands our decision. It doesn’t work like that. You see, down God’s way, there’s another choice you have to choose. This choice many people do not like to talk about and kind of push it in the back of their minds as if their life literally does not depend on it. That is the choice between religion or having a relationship. Continue God’s way by developing a relationship with Jesus Christ. Or take the path of religion by following these rules to hopefully gain a place with him through practices and practices. Self righteousness.

Now out of both of these choices, religion is the easiest! Most religions relate to your wants, maybe even some of your needs, it allows you to feel superior in following a set of rules, it also fills that void we all have into worshiping something! The thing is, a relationship is the only one that gives you light before your time comes with God and also after. Endure you’r suffering now and leave it all behind when it is your time to be with the Father. Yet also endure a life of hope, love, giving, servanthood, etc now along with after you pass on. One is a temporary reward and one is an eternal reward.

The way of religion results in 4 dark consequences.

1. In religion preferences are elevated to the level of biblical authority. 11:37–38. Jesus was an equal opportunity savior. This verse was pointed to religious self-righteous people who invited Jesus for dinner. (11:38) Jesus ‘apparently’ embarrassed himself in front of these leaders because he did not partake in the religious rituals of washing your hand before consuming your meal. The leader of the feast gets offended because JESUS didn’t do a religious ritual, one that they believed themselves to be morally superior because of this. You see? Completely missing the point that Jesus is our savior, they are more worried about a ritual that was not performed by the Messiah himself!

All over the world you can find these rituals . Religion usually has religious preferences but they aren’t found in the Bible, it just allows you to look down on other people, and gives you an opportunity to boast about. Preferences are not supposed to be elevated to the level of the Bible. Biblical authority.

• Following religion to get you closer to God that is based off of mans’ preference versus a relationship that is based off of the Bible. Which sounds truly reasonable to you?

2. Another problem with religion is that the external is highlighted and the internal is forgotten. People tend to care more about how you are on the outside and your image but they don’t care what you are on the inside. (11:39). The thing is, what you are on the outside doesn’t even matter, God made the inside and the outside. The inside is what reflects on the outside; this is what God looks at, this is who you are. 

Religious people are obsessed with recognition and reputation. How you view your relationship with God is based on how others view you and how others celebrate you. Obsessed with titles. Titles in the church (minister-to serve, Deacon-servant, Shepherd- pastor; back in the day the title Shepard was looked at as the lowest people in society.) Jesus says these are important people in the church. Nowadays people want these terms as titles; yet the work behind them really demonstrates servanthood, but we elevate them to something they are not; superior. We are all corrupt and some just don’t know it. Mankind is corrupt and sinners from birth, we don’t make ourselves clean from good works, society doesn’t mold it; we don’t even know all of the sins we commit that are offending God and compromising our morality. The solution to this is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus sees the inside and he wants you to focus on the inside not the outside. It’s not about behavioral modification, it’s about the heart, knowing you.

3. A third problem with religion is how hypocrisy is tolerated. ‘You can sin just don’t let anyone know about it. You can be messed up inside but don’t speak it out loud!’ (11:45)

All religious groups are different yet are equally corrupt.

4. Do you think the 10 commandments are the only laws that God wanted/wants us to follow? Can you even follow all of the 10 perfectly yet alone the true number of laws throughout the entire bible- 613? For those who think you can abide by the 10 commandments, your forgetting the other 603. My point is YOU CAN’T DO IT! You can not please God with your good works enough to earn your way into heaven. Even on your best days, you’ve sinned, you just don’t know it.

In religion, it is so much easier and to not be confronted about your struggles. So you tend to hide it behind words that make people see you for who you are not. They relate to you and don’t talk about your issues. It’s so much safer but down this path is only darkness .

The key to knowledge and knowing God is belief, simple faith.

To understand who you are is by believing who he is. Simple faith in Christ. The goal of your life is not to gain, its to give to give Glory to God.

In conclusion, Christians. You can not fall in love with bible studies, christian music, friends, instagram posts, having a verse in your bio, boasting that you’r a christian, more than you know and love your God. We can fall into a trap of this, beware. Do not get caught up in the saying “I am Christian” more than what your heart reflects. The term ‘Christian” is taken very lightly today, so we have to be aware of that.

Relationship over religion!❤️