This is the revelation shaping my life today:
For you were included in the death of Christ and have died with him to the religious system and powers of this world. Don’t retreat back to being bullied by the standards and opinions of religion-for example, their strict requirements, “You can’t associate with that person!” or, “Don’t eat that!” or, “You can’t touch that!”. These are the doctrines of men and corrupt customs that are worthless to help you spiritually. For though they may appear to possess the promise of wisdom in their submission to God through the deprivation of their physical bodies, it is actually nothing more than empty rules rooted in religious rituals!
Observation
Religion is dead. Jesus dealt religion its final blow, we are all now free from all the rule following and standards of religion that demanded our attention or else. The “you can’t” of religion is replaced with the freedom that comes in Jesus. You can do anything and still be right with God for your right relationship with God is based on what Jesus has done for you and nothing you do to deserve or earn it. So don’t go back to rule following, come out and smell the new life of freedom, see how vast it is, be overwhelmed by its beauty, it all flows from the righteousness that comes with being included in the death of Christ.
Religion is of the world and it is empty and of no value. Our behaviour is now in response to the love and presence of God, not the standards and opinions of mans religious standards. What was worthless is replaced with that of the greatest worth – freedom, intimacy and power of the presence of God. Rules hold out carrot and sticks, they punish and promote self madeness, they manipulate me into shame or pride. There is nothing but destruction in religion. It’s dead, so kill it!
Application
I will never be bullied by man made religion into behaving to meet their man made standards. It is a thief of intimacy and I will not serve it’s empty rules. I will stretch out in the bigness of freedom and realise that what I do is not the basis of who I am in Christ. My relationship with God will not be manipulated. Instead I will find intimate, pleasurable, supernatural engagement, where I am always welcome, always called son, always invited.
Response
Thank you for the gift to all humanity of the freedom from the torture of a life of religious observance. Thank you that the rightness to enter your presence is the invitation that is now available to anyone who would come. The finger pointing of religion is over, I am so blessed to be over that in my life. I will never be shaped by the finger of religion pointed at me, and I will cut off my finger if it points religiously at the life of others. I will embrace the wide open spaces of rightness based in you. I am free to totally and always enjoy you! I am a blessed man.
Meditation
Spend some time in meditation. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways religiosity is holding you back from enjoying being right with God through nothing but your inclusion in what Jesus has done.
JOURNEY DEEPER