The month of November is not only bringing in colder weather and beanies, but I'm doing a challenge. It's only twice a week, mostly because I'm lazy. Feel free to comment, and if you want to join in on the challenge, you're welcome to.
I've realized that I'm quite terrible at this Hello November Challenge thing.
Well, better late than never, I'd say.
"I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let Justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:21-24).I don't like the word religion. It portrays the idea of doing all these good deeds. It portrays a sense of false righteousness.
It reminds me of the Pharisees and teachers of the law in the bible.
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vein; their teachings are merely human rules," (Matthew 15:8-9).They put on a façade, wearing their holy garments and praying for all to see. But they're relationship with God All Mighty? It's non-existent. This is what Jesus has to say about these "religious" people:
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness," (Matthew 23:27-28).Christianity is not a religion, it's far from it. And as much as it upsets me that some will turn it into a religion, it doesn't change the fact that it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
It's knowing that I am sinful, but trusting Jesus Christ and accepting His forgiveness of those sins. It isn't doing good works to be seen by men and to be righteous, but it's working hard at following in Jesus' footsteps and knowing that I am made righteous only through Jesus Christ.
This Christianity thing? It's a relationship that Jesus allowed us to have with Him. His love changed everything when He was on that cross.
So let these religious acts be put away already. Let us stop complicating things because God doesn't care about you're "good deeds". It means nothing. He wants Justice. And you know what? It can't be obtained on our own. It's what Jesus paid for on the cross.
