Have you ever heard someone say "God isn't into religion"? This statement has become popular in many churches today, especially in more informal settings. But is religion itself really the problem? The truth is that religion should flow naturally from our relationship with God - it's the practices we engage in because of our relationship with Him, not to earn His favor.
What's the Difference Between Religion and Relationship?
Religion without relationship is empty ritual. When we try to earn God's favor through religious practices without knowing Him personally, we miss the point entirely. You can attend church regularly, recite prayers daily, and know all the right Christian phrases, but that doesn't mean you know God.
The problem isn't religion itself - it's when we think religion will lead to a relationship with God, rather than flowing from it. Many people can recite "Our Father, which art in heaven..." and then curse someone out moments later. They know prayers, but they don't know God.
How Does Transformation Begin?
Birth Through the Word
Our journey with God begins with birth through His Word. James 1:17-18 tells us: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth."
This new birth happens when we hear and believe God's Word - that He loves us and sent Jesus to die for our sins. When we trust Christ as our Savior, we experience this spiritual rebirth. Jesus Himself prayed not only for His disciples but "for those who believe in me through their word" (John 17:20).
The Word of God has incredible power. First Peter 1:23 explains that we are "born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." This seed of God's Word, when planted in our hearts, produces new life.
How Do We Continue to Change?
Growth Through the Word
After experiencing new birth, we need to continue growing through God's Word. James 1:19-25 instructs us to "humbly receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Many Christians try to do good works without allowing God's Word to work in their hearts first. They might have Bible knowledge and speak "Christianese" fluently, but if the Word isn't transforming them from within, they're just deceiving themselves.
James compares this to someone who looks at themselves in a mirror and immediately forgets what they look like. In contrast, the person who "looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it" will be blessed in what they do.
The Word of God gives us freedom - not the freedom to do whatever we want, but freedom from the slavery of sin. When we spend time in God's Word, it changes us from the inside out, enabling us to live the abundant life Jesus promised.
What Does Mature Faith Look Like?
Maturity Through the Word
As we continue to grow through God's Word, we develop spiritual maturity. James 1:26-27 describes what true religion looks like: "If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
Mature faith is characterized by:
Self-control (particularly of our speech)
Compassion for the vulnerable (caring for those who cannot care for themselves)
Personal holiness (remaining unstained by the world)
This kind of religion flows naturally from a genuine relationship with God. It combines good deeds with holiness - love and purity working together. This isn't about maintaining a religious appearance but about being transformed by God's Word so that our actions reflect His character.
Life Application
The key to transformation is spending time with God through His Word. When we neglect this, we try to produce spiritual fruit without being connected to the source. As Jesus said in John 15:5, "Apart from me you can do nothing."
Here's a practical challenge: Commit to reading one chapter of the Bible each day. Start with the Gospel of Mark - it's just 16 chapters. Take 15 minutes daily to read, highlight, and reflect on God's Word. This simple practice, done consistently, will change who you are from the inside out.
Ask yourself these questions:
Am I trying to do good works without spending time with God?
Do I know about God, or do I truly know Him personally?
What spiritual disciplines can I implement to deepen my relationship with God?
Is my religion flowing from my relationship with God, or am I just going through religious motions?
Remember, you're not free because you can say or do whatever you want. True freedom comes when God's Word transforms you so completely that you no longer desire the things that once enslaved you. This is the pure religion that flows from a genuine relationship with God.