Romans 8:14-17, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. NKJV
What honor and love God has bestowed upon us... that we should be called the children of God! This tells us that God is big into relationship, and not religion. To take this point even further, let us look at the principle that God set in motion in the first book (Genesis) of the Bible, the principle of seed-time and harvest. A farmer that is looking for a harvest of corn doesn't go out and scatter acorns in his field and hope for corn. Matthew tells us in the genealogy of Jesus that Adam was also God's son. After Adam fell into sin, and brought sin upon the entire human race, God sent, you guessed it, His Only begotten Son into the earth. To put it in farmer's terminology, God sowed a Son, that He might be the firstborn of many brethren.
One day Jesus was teaching, and some religious leaders came to Him and addressed the infraction of his disciples not washing their hands while eating. They told Jesus that His disciples were breaking the traditions of the elders. Jesus asked them why they, through their traditions made the Word of God of no effect. Jesus proceeded to tell those, who said they worshiped God, that they drew near God with their lips, but that their hearts were far from Him; therefore, their worship of God was in vain. (Ref. Matthew 15)
God isn't into vain religion, or men's traditions, but desires us, as His children, to love Him with our whole hearts. God desires His children to honor His Word by obeying it daily. Jesus continued that honor of God's Word by telling His disciples and us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. To God, it isn't about being religious, but it is about having and maintaining a healthy and holy relationship through obedient faith.
Religion creeps in when people desire to go to God, or worship God another way than what He has already ordained. Once again, Jesus builds on this in the gospel of John when He told His disciples that He was the way, the truth, and the life... no one goes to the Father but by Him. In Isaiah 14:14, Lucifer is recorded as saying, "I will be like the Most High" before he fell from heaven. So when God created man and placed them in the Garden of Eden, Satan came to Eve as a serpent and offered her religion over relationship.
Genesis 3:2-5, And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." NKJV
Did you notice what Satan said to Eve in order to deceive her? He promised her that if she would dishonor God's Word and obey his lie, she would be like God. Doesn't that sound like man's religion to you? Going outside of God's will, and finding another way, through sin, and against His will, to be like God. Don't you find it interesting that she was already a child of God created in His image, but she sought a way to 'become' like God? Satan is most effective against people before they discover their identity in Christ. We were created in Adam, and ordained to be children of God, but Satan interrupted God's plan. Now we have an opportunity to be reconciled back to God in Christ... to become a child again. If you'll remember the story of the prodigal son, he no longer felt worthy to be called a son; after all, he had gone against his father. Look at the response of the father. Instead of rehearsing all of the son's wrong decisions and bad behavior, he welcomed him back into his arms and treated him as a son.
God doesn't take pleasure in sacrifices, offerings, and burnt offerings, but His delight is in a broken and contrite heart and spirit. He is looking for children who will love Him, and honor His Word in their hearts. Are you honoring God's Word in your life? True worship can quickly turn into vain religion the moment we turn from God's Word and seek another way to please God in our own strength.
Being a true worshiper of God is the most rewarding experience for a believer on this side of heaven. Through our obedience and love for the Word of God, we can become one with God (not like Him as Satan offered). May the power of God's Word and Holy Spirit fill your heart to overflowing today as you seek to put Him first in every area of your life.
In His service,
Pastor Asa
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