What does the bible say about religion?

[Angee Licaa]

Religion, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “the belief and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship”. The Bible mentions religion in several places. Recalling his time as a Pharisee, Paul recounted how he belonged to “the strictest sect of our religion” (Acts 26:5). Festus calls Judaism a "religion" in Acts 25:19. fruits of the spirit wall art

God defines true religion in this way: “The religion which our Father accepts as pure and blameless is the religion of God: the care of orphans and widows in need. distressed and kept himself unpolluted by the world” (James 1:27). In other words, the system of worshiping God is not a matter of observing rituals and ceremonies; rather, it involves practical help to those who need and live a pure life, free from the sins of the world.

One type of religion includes "religion that depends more on the traditions of man and on the elemental spiritual forces of this world than on Christ" (Colossians 2:8). This type of religion is based on false gods and worldly philosophy. Throughout history, different religions have venerated idols and honored the creature above the Creator. The craftsman took the wood and “chipped it, planed it, and carved it into a human figure. He gave it human beauty and placed it in a small temple” (Isaiah 44:13, NLT). Seeing the work of his own hands, "he bowed down and worshiped" (verse 17). Idol worshipers and all followers of false religion are disappointed: “Delusion is deceitful; he cannot save himself” (verse 20). Jesus and lion canvas

Another type of religion relies on tradition, ritual, and law-keeping to gain favor with God. The scribes and Pharisees of the Bible are examples of this form of religion. Jesus said, “They love to walk around in soft robes and to be respectfully greeted in the markets and have the most important seats in the synagogues and places of honor in the world. parties. They devour widows' homes and, for a show, perform lengthy prayers. These will be punished most severely” (Luke 20:46–47). Their religion is extroverted and heavily influenced by their traditions. Instead of assisting widows as James 1:27 commanded, the Pharisees robbed them. Like beautiful tombs, they only appear clean and pure on the outside, but on the inside, they are corrupt (Matthew 23:27).

Much of what we consider to be religion — church on Sundays, prayer, candles, and so on. — are human traditions that give the appearance of devotion but ultimately have little to do with the soul of the participant. In fact, in 2 Timothy 3:1–5, we are warned that people can have "a form of godliness" for which no religious activity makes any meaningful difference. in their lives. Despite external rituals, they are still life-loving, emotionless, uncontrollable, and unrepentant. The instruction in the bible is, "It has nothing to do with such people." Jesus described certain believers in Matthew 7:21–22, but His final words to them were, “I never knew you. Stay away from me, rogues! ” (verse 23).

As James 1:27 says, true religion in God's eyes makes a difference in who we are and what we do. It is a religion based on relationship: Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience is proof of love. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19 ), and love leads us to act; it was the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10). This relationship with religion is not based on what we do for God; it is based on what He has done for us. We trust not in our own performance but in a Person—Jesus Christ.

The word religion is used in many contexts, but there is a difference between false religion and true religion. Similarly, there is a difference between religion to see religion and religion to cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ.

Source: gotquestions.org