Religious Waste of Time

Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 5:1-2, Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.

Here we find the Ark of the Covenant, which should be in the Tabernacle, in the midst of a pagan house of worship. Israel failed to see that they were using the Ark as a good luck charm and the consequences were devastating for them as a nation. Their worship of God was no different than the way the pagans worshipped their false gods. Christianity today, in many respects, is no different than other religions or even the world in the way we worship God. We create rituals in our lives and live legalistically and completely miss the mark in having a true personal relationship with God in Christ Jesus. Just as God was not interested in Israel’s “religion” and superstitions, God is not interested in our rituals and religious behavior. The closer we get to the Lord’s return, the more “religious” people will get. The Apostle Paul said it this way in 2 Timothy 3:1-7, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” The result of Israel’s vain religion landed the Ark in a place it did not belong, just like our “religion” often lands us right where we do not belong, co-mingled with the world and looking like any other religion. Our relationship with the Lord should look very different from the religions of the world. The way we worship God should stand apart from the way the rest of the world worships their gods. If we are doing all we can to maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord, even in exercising our liberties in Christ we will not look like the world. Galatians 5:13 warns, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” God desires intimacy with us. We sell ourselves short when we turn that intimacy into a ritualistic relationship. He wants us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). God wants our worship of Him to go beyond the walls of the local church building. Rather than living like the devil all week and then gathering together with our hands that are dirty with sin and hearts that are far from Him, we must be actively and purposely walking with the Lord every day of our lives. Galatians 5:16-18 tells us, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Those who do not know Jesus, the religious people, are deceived in thinking that their works will win them favor with God. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly contradicts that mindset, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” If this is true, which it is, why do we, the children of God, put on the hypocritical facades, and think that God will honor this “religious waste of time”? Let us not waste our time trying to please God with our superficial behavior that does nothing more than makes us feel more spiritual and look like hypocrites to everyone else. Instead, let us live in a way that is truly pleasing to the Lord, and the only way to truly please Him is recorded for us in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” That means that the way we treat others and the things we do must be done with the motivation that we are doing it, not because we are looking to find favor by our actions, but because our actions reflect our gratitude and dedication to Him for the undeserved salvation He has given us in Christ Jesus. This kind of attitude is not only pleasing to the Lord, but also brings Him honor. Let us stop and ask ourselves, do we have a true intimate relationship with the Lord or are we wasting our time with empty religious behavior?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).