A Study In Contrasts

There are two sides to many issues in Scripture. This is true of the subject of religion. To keep a balanced view, it’s important for us to live with the tension of two seemingly contradictory ideas.

Religion Is Important
The Bible is full of religious practices that either (1) point us to God or (2) provide a channel for expressing our relationship to God. Both Old and New Testaments are full of religious law, principle, belief, and ritual. If we think of religion as action or conduct indicating belief in, reverence for, and a desire to please God, then it is clear that this religion provides:

* a pattern of doctrine and belief (Titus 2:1)
* shared experience (Acts 2:37-47; Hebrews 10:25)
* outward show of inner faith (1 John 3:17-18)

Religion Is Worthless
It is worthless if we depend on any external actions to make us right with God. Whether before salvation or after, no amount of religious knowledge or action can save us. Knowledge or action can only give us a way of expressing our personal faith in Christ. In that sense we must avoid:

* attempts to earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10)
* any thought of perfecting ourselves (Galatians 3:1-3)
* anything that displaces Christ (Colossians 2:6-8)

Religion is dangerous, not because it is bad but because it is often good enough to turn our trust away from Christ. Our tendency is to reject confidence in what Christ can do and replace it with something that we can do for ourselves.

We conclude our study tomorrow with the test of our religion…