Freedom From Religion???

     I was watching television last night and an ad came on after the State of the Union address from President Biden.  A man came on speaking out for freedom from religion.  He said he was in a group formed by atheists and agnostics.  At first I felt a bite of offensiveness.  My mind was reeling.  After a few gut wrenching seconds I realized I had at one time in my life, also sought freedom from “religion”!  I had been in a church that demanded rule adherence or you’d be on the outs with God.  Heaven was like a carrot being dangled on a stick with conditions and consequences, some terribly harsh, especially if you truly desired a relationship with God.  

 

     About 10 years ago I began a Bible study that offered a “meet and follow Jesus” philosophy.  I had found home and I had found it totally in learning and applying scripture to my life.  Since then I’ve become a Bible following believer.  I don’t look for truth anywhere but in the Bible.  My past experiences with religion are just that, past experiences.  Seeds were planted from those past experiences and through my Lord, prayer and biblical knowledge I have come to worship the One true God. I can get behind the idea of freedom from religion.  But how about I define what that looks like;  Freedom from religion that takes the focus off scriptural truth, the gospel message or the connections from the Old Testament into the New (better) Testament. Unfortunately, there are many church’s that are into themselves.  Jesus taught us how to respond to the world and the world’s ideas through scripture.  He never lost focus on the Father or His mission.  He was NOT religious or self involved.  He also ONLY promoted the Father and then revealed His purpose to His disciples.   He told those that followed Him that they were in the world, but not of the world.  

 

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:16‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/1jn.2.16.NASB1995

 

“Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The gospel message?… Jesus was crucified for our sins, being a perfect, unblemished sacrifice before God, suffered, died and was buried.  On the third day He arose from the dead (resurrection) and appeared to many, 500 at one time (witnesses).  All of this is according to scripture.  He then ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God.  He is now our High Priest, our Mediator, seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high!

 

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬