Binding of Religion

I took a quick look at the paper this morning and read of a Tuesday night college student gathering called "Unite!" They meet at Fountaingate Fellowship with the purpose of worshipping and loving on Jesus. Students from the three universities here in town, as well as some not in Abilene.

Of course, they come from various denominations. But the UNITE in Jesus Christ. I think that we adults can learn so much from the unity-mindset of these young people.

This morning I read a story in Luke that was such a contrast to this Unite! event. Jesus told a story of the farmer who planted a vineyard, put a tenant farmer in charge and went away.

"At grape-picking time, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed."

You know the story. Over and over this farmer sent other farmers. Same result. Then he sent his son, whom they murdered. "When the teachers of religious law and the leading priests heard this story, they wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was pointing at them—that they were the farmers in the story."

I sat there in the quiet of that morning, pondering why these religious leaders rejected Jesus. Why would someone turn away from the One who was obviously the Son of God, and proved it over and over through His miracles?

In a few moments, this word came to mind: RELIGION. The devil has a way of using religion to keep us away from Christ and the fullness of life He offers to us.

Religion comes in various packages:

* Becoming "experts" in the Bible but missing the point that Scripture is meant to point us to a living relationship with a living Christ

* Being more loyal to a denomination than to Jesus. A story that popped in my mind while getting ready for work this morning was an experience at a Wednesday night meeting at a church I attended 30 years ago. One gentleman was pointing to his Bible and with sweat bursting from his forehead, he was passionately describing his convictions about how wrong instrumental music was.

* Being so adamant about being in the "right church" and having the "correct doctrine," and yet one's life is so full of contradictions and sin. A dear brother in Christ I know who has been through many battles as an elder and leader of a ministry once told me that he's observed that legalistic preachers often have sexual problems.

* Having a judgmental attitude towards others and angry about their sin and inconsistent lifestyle, and yet not recognizing one's own sin. Oops. That's been me. It's so easy to see the flaws and sins of others, but when I encounter the holiness of God and how I fall so short of His glory, I see that it's only by His grace that I am saved and safe in His arms.

I hate religion. I hate the devil for how he uses religious convictions, traditions and rituals in such insidious ways to block us from the simplicity and freedom-giving power of the gospel.

What I've tended to do over the years is to just get mad when I encounter a person who is bound by religion. And if I'm not careful, I'll feel rather smug that I've been freed from the bondage of religion. But I pray that I'll repent of this spiritual pride and recognize my own tendency to let my convictions and practices to at times keep me from Jesus. Rather than just getting mad at "churchianity" and at those locked into legalism, I want to instead pray for them. Fervently pray for them. And love them. And let them see in me that Christ truly does set us free -- free from our sin, selfishness and yes, from religion. And in that freedom, we can then unite with all believers who share that common bond in Jesus.

Jim