Do you regularly go to the place of worship associated with your religion?
Do you meticulously follow the rules and rituals associated with your religion?
Do you regularly read and/or memorise text from your holy book(s)?
Do you rest in the confidence that if you do the above, you’re alright with the god(s) in your religion?
If this is you, could it be possible that you have been deceived?
At this stage, I will admit that the very question I’m asking you, could be directed at me.
My response is the point of this post.
I go to Church regularly.
I pray regularly.
I read my Bible regularly.
I’m involved in Christian outreach (missions).
I give 10% of my earnings to the Church and more.
I take communion.
On paper, I am a “Christian” and some would say, a good one!
The problem is that thus far, all I’ve mentioned are things I do, prescribed by the Christian religion and of those who follow it.
If you’re wondering what’s wrong with being this kind of a Christian, the answer would be nothing, so long as your mind and heart is undergoing a massive transformation into the likeness of Jesus, even as you are outwardly doing all of the things I mentioned above!
This is what Jesus Christ is after!
Jesus doesn’t want a bunch of people who follow the rules but doesn’t daily submit their mind and heart to Him.
In Romans 12:2, it is written:
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And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
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If we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will become more like Jesus and less like our old corrupt self.
Titus 3:3-7 summarises this well.
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For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Saviour and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (NASB)
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (KJV)
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In the Bible, God makes it clear how He looks at people and more importantly, what He looks at.
When Samuel was sent to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as the next king of Israel, he began to judge them based on their outward appearance. He went from the oldest to the youngest and didn’t anoint David (the youngest) until God said the following in 1 Samuel 16:7 –
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But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (NASB)
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (KJV)
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If our heart isn’t where it’s meant to be, God will reject us.
Our heart can only be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell in us when we receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord.
I pray that you will stop relying on rules and rituals and allow Christ to save you and the Holy Spirit to transform you, so that you will be acceptable to God.
God bless you.
S
Thank Sri 🙂