“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” Acts 17:24
In keeping with the title of this blog. I feel it’s time to expound on the idea of religion being a “Snare and a racket”
Those words of J.F. Rutherford former president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, were aimed at the churches of “Christendom”, in an effort to distance his (Rutherford's) religion from the rest, and to stand out as the one and only “truth”. What he was neglecting to recognize at the time was that he was the leader of yet another religion. Not much had changed. Different rules and doctrines, but still a religion, none the less. And yes, it did become “a snare and a racket” just like the ones that preceded him. It was a noble plan I suppose, it just didn’t work. Not only that, it has never worked.
People are turned off at the sound of one thumbing their nose at religion, but when you think about it. Didn’t Jesus dislike religion himself? Had he not, I’m sure he would have succeeded in taking a prominent place in Religious history. Well, he did, not as the leader of a religion though, but as the Lord who started a whole new way of life called Christianity. It wasn’t a religion, it didn’t have a big building. But it shaped the way for Gods people to live in coming generations. People have been trying to complicate things ever since.
You see, religion is all about following rules and legalistic requirements. Do this, do that, do…, do…, do…, more…more..more. To quote the words of a minister I like to listen to once in a while online: “Religion is summed up by the word “Do” and real Christianity is summed up in the word “Done”. Meaning that the main work that needed doing was done on the cross.
It’s not that all Churches are bad. They're not. There are some who are simply a group that meet in a building or home for worship and Bible study. I myself hope to find such a group here in my community in the future. But religion, as far as following a certain set of man made rules and requirements. Those days are over for me.
As Christians there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. (Eph.:2:8-10) The works we do after placing faith in Christ, and his “doing” are the results that faith. And in the end a product of him. Let all honor and praise go to the “Lord of heaven and earth”
