Keep It Real

John 17: 3, And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJV

Can you name a religion that allows you the honor of becoming a child of the Most High God? Why is Christianity so different than religion? It is different because it's not a religion at all, but rather it is predicated on our relationship with Jesus Christ and His heavenly Father. In fact, Christianity is defined as being "in Christ." A Christian becomes a child of God through the Spirit of Christ which dwells in all that believe in Him as God's only Son.

Christ is in us; we are in Him, and He is in God the Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have been granted reconciliation with God through His shed blood on the cross. Even the word reconciliation is a relationship term that describes the very reason for Jesus coming to earth and redeeming man back to a right relationship with our heavenly Father.

There is so much more than I could write to prove further the point that Christianity isn't a religion that was conceived in the mind of fallen man. The Bible is very clear when it comes to revealing who originated and initiated our relationship with our Creator and Father. In the book of the Revelation, we're told that Jesus was the Lamb, who was slain before the foundation of the world. Therefore, we can conclude that man had nothing at all to do with the fact that God set out to form a relationship with man and not a "religion". 

Religion is man's vain attempt to reach God or become like God without knowing Him through Christ. Even though we have established that Christians are indeed the children of God, and He is our heavenly Father, it is very possible to make Christianity into just another religion simply by going through the motions without your heart being engaged in the process.

Matthew 15: 8 - 9, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" NKJV

Christianity or a relationship with the Father begins in our hearts as His children. If we should love the world more than Him, allow something or someone else to come before our relationship with Him, or become invested in anything besides the Lord and His kingdom, then according to Jesus, our worship of Him will be in vain. This is why Jesus instructs us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these earthly things will be added. Vain worship in the words of Jesus is the definition of religion. We must keep our heart engaged in an active pursuit of God through intimacy. Be very careful to guard your heart so that you don't slip from intimacy over into performance based religion.

The scripture from Matthew 15 also reminds me of another one from the Psalms where David, the King of Israel, is repenting for his sins. In this psalm, we can see that true repentance and reconciliation begin with a humble and contrite heart. David had allowed himself to sink to a place in his heart where pleasure had taken the place of intimacy with the Lord. As a consequence of David's misplaced priorities, Satan was allowed to seduce this mighty king into committing adultery and murder. Through David's sin, we can see the importance of diligently keeping our heart from lusts, lest we fall from grace and enter sin ourselves.

Psalms 51: 15 - 17, O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart --These, O God, You will not despise. NKJV

David began his prayer of repentance asking the Lord to open his lips so that he could praise Him. It is God and His grace that gives us the ability to repent of sins that we have committed. David goes on to describe what God requires of any of His children that have fallen from intimacy and given themselves to the power of sin. We must get our hearts right before the Lord if we truly desire to be reconciled back to a correct relationship with God. God doesn't accept sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, He does accept a humble and broken heart. Religion requires sacrifices and paying of penance through acts of our own strength and not of Christ. 

Today, I want to encourage you to maintain a healthy fellowship with your heavenly Father. Only in His presence will you find the strength that is required to live a holy life before Him. Anything else will be in vain.

Keeping It Real,
Pastor Asa