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Christianity vs False Religion

Rev Graham Schultz

was speaking with a young man who was figuring out ‘what team’ he was in. By team he meant church denomination. I was encouraged by his willingness, yet he had found some odd and wrong teachings from bad sources on YouTube. So I said, “let me encourage you to see that church history is messy, and go straight to the source of when church started. Have you read any of the gospels in the Bible for yourself?” Sadly, he didn’t trust that this could be helpful. He replied. “I am more interested in what tradition aligns with me.” The conversation landed with him valuing kinds of church traditions more than why they were created. There is nothing new under the sun, and separating church traditions from the heart of their purpose is age old.

Go back to the start of Mark and read from chapter 1 to 3. You will notice ‘immediately’ (a favourite word of Mark) Jesus is confronted by religious leaders. Pharisees, Scribes, teachers of the Law and Herodians (Hellenistic Jews) are all confronted by Jesus and his followers through chapter 2 as  they  broke  Jewish  laws.  By  chapter 3:6 they are plotting ways to kill Jesus because of this and according to their law he was blaspheming. This conflict is addressed in chapter 7:1-22, if you are not familiar with this I suggest you take a moment to read it.  

Jesus confronts false religion for one simple reason, it directs a person to trust in themselves and not God. In 7:1-22, Pharisees and teachers of the Law confront Jesus and his followers for not observing ‘traditions’. Yet Jesus turns this against his accusers by showing they use tradition to nullify the word of God. Verse 8 is key. “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Religion from Jesus’ perspective is to bring a person’s heart in humble obedience and trust to God. Jesus continues to teach that tradition is to help apply God’s word to sin which is sourced in our heart. Essentially, religion or tradition which is not addressing our greatest evil, and barrier to God (our sinful hearts), is going to lead us in one of two directions; we either pridefully try to climb to God in our own strength, or in fear are cast out as unclean by the traditions we cannot keep (v14-21).

So what hope is there if what comes out of our very core, is where our greatest evil is? Jesus is our hope. Jesus knew this, which is why he went to the cross.

Christianity is grounded in the work of Christ, and is the opposite of false religion. Jesus went to the cross, ‘to give his life as a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:45) The good news he demonstrated and taught, is that he offers his life in substitution of our own, as he dies on the cross in sacrifice for the debt our sinful hearts have before God. Jesus' death becomes our death to sin. Jesus atones for our sin then shows us the power of the cross to open the way to God in his resurrection. False religion puts trust in what a person does. The Gospel Christianity proclaims trusts in the work Jesus has done.

I wanted my friend to see what Jesus has done and what a Christian who trusts in the work of Christ looks like. Through what Jesus has done the Christian lives free, in joyful thanks for the grace and assurance they have. Fear of being an outsider is removed by God’s grace. Pride in being an insider is destroyed by God’s grace. In joyful submission they offer their hearts, wills, emotions, and all of their life in obedience to God, in joyful worship. Jesus is not against religion or tradition, just bad ones that do not fulfil their purpose. Now, as followers of Christ, we make sure that our religion, our whole selves, our gathering habits as a church, are to make clear the good news of Christ, applying what he has done to our hearts in trust and joyful obedience.

Jesus confronts false religion for one simple reason, it directs a person to trust in themselves and not God!
Rev Graham Schultz