help Save Them From Religion

By Pastor William R. Cunningham
For August 27, 2006

Romans 10:1-4 (NKJV) -- {1} Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. {2} For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. {3} For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. {4} For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Introduction

There are many churches in the United States and each church may have their own way of doing things. Jesus Christ taught us that a false prophet can be identified by their fruit (See Matthew 7:15-20). Likewise, a church that follows the truth, namely Christ, can be seen by what it produces, namely the beliefs of its members.

It is amazing how so many proclaimed Christians believe everything but the truth. Supposed born again believers believe that it is OK to have sex outside of marriage, take things that don’t belong to you, and in general that certain sins are not really sins. It is amazing how so many churches have their traditions, services, and programs, but do not promote the gospel of Jesus Christ to say nothing of Jesus himself.

Men and women have established their own religions so that they could live the way that they want. So called preachers and pastors have developed their own doctrine instead of just preaching the truth. We now have various conferences that people go to in order to get pumped up about a particular topic. We have so called Christian music that does everything but promote the true worship of God (perhaps Christian music isn’t supposed to do that, but rather is indeed just another form of entertainment geared towards the Christian religious community).

For example I just read an article in Christianity Today that was most disturbing. It dealt with how Calvinism (Reformed Theology) is on the rise and becoming increasingly popular. Though I don’t agree with the views of Reformed Theology; that is not what really upset me. What really upset me is how we have come so far away from what really matters. Does it really matter if God chose you unconditionally or if you are able to choose or reject God’s grace? All that really matters is at the end of the day you believe the gospel. We will probably never know how it really works internally, but what really matters is whether you believe in Jesus Christ.

Why is their an increase in Calvinism? Why is there an increase in any religion? John Calvin was a man like any other man overall. He had certain beliefs and he promoted those beliefs with zeal. However, what difference does that make overall? What I mean is what does it matter if you believe in election or free will? What difference does it make if you classify yourself as an Arminian or a Calvinist? What matters is that Jesus Christ and your faith in Him.

We have come so far from the truth that we are dancing around things that really don’t matter. People have come up with all kinds of doctrines and principles and have deceived many into following them. They say that they are following God, that they love God, and that they are doing God’s will when in fact they are talking about another god, namely their god.

This sermon will highlight the serving of God in ignorance, which leads to serving another god. We are going to discuss the presentation of the truth in a world that has made up its own religion and its own god.

Zeal in Ignorance

Romans 10:1-2 (NKJV) -- {1} Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. {2} For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Paul’s desire was that the nation of Israel would be saved. They rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah of God. They, for the most part are still waiting for their Messiah though there are many Jewish people who have accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah and have put their faith in Him for salvation. We also note that even during Paul’s time that there were many Jews who accepted Jesus Christ and believed in Him for salvation.

However, as a whole the Israelites continued in the way of Judaism and did not accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah and surely did not put their faith in Him for salvation. They had zeal for God, but not according to true knowledge (or truth).

This is true even today. There are many people that have a zeal for a god, but their zeal is not in accordance with the truth about the true God. People go to church and live any lifestyle they choose and think that they are approved by God. They think that God is pleased with them because they have a religious lifestyle (man-made religion). One isn’t saved because he goes to church every Sunday. One isn’t justified because she is active in church. A person is not a Christian because he or she is very religious, but because he or she believes in the Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Many have zeal for God, but not according to the truth about God. Many are deceived into thinking that they can live their lives anyway they want and expect God to be pleased with them and accept them as they are. God will accept us in whatever state we are in if we repent and turn to Him. We will not be accepted if we keep our own life.

Mark 8:34-37 (NKJV) -- {34} When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. {35} For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. {36} For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? {37} Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Many people are trying to serve God and preserve their own lifestyle. Many institutions promote self instead of the truth about God and Jesus Christ. Many people think that they can continue in their sinful ways or adapt the ways of the world around them and think that God is pleased with them and that everything is okay.

Our Own Righteousness

Romans 10:3 (NKJV) -- {3} For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

They rejected God and still wanted to preserve a relationship with God. Therefore, the Israelites generated their own form of righteousness, which was righteousness by works. Paul said that they were ignorant of the true righteousness that is of God and therefore sought to establish their own righteousness. This is true even today. People have come up with their own way to become righteous, but that righteousness is not the righteousness that comes from God.

Righteousness - To be in right standing or right relations with God

We cannot obtain righteousness by attending church, paying tithes, giving offerings, confessions, or any of the other religious rituals that are practiced today in the religious community. We cannot make up the rules so to speak as we go along. We cannot pave our own road as we move forward as one minister said. We have to follow God’s way or we are lost.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) -- {13} “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. {14} Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Note in the scripture above that it is implied that in order to walk the narrow way that you must look for it. You must want God and pursue God if you are going to discover and consequently follow His way.

Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) -- {7} “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
2 Chronicles 14:4 (NKJV) -- {4} He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.
Psalm 105:4 (NKJV) -- {4} Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
Acts 17:27 (NKJV) -- {27} so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

One of the most important things that we can do is to actively pursue God and His Way.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) -- {33} But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Seek first means that seeking God should be a priority in our lives. We should pursue God and His ways above all else and by doing this we minimize or hopefully prevent ourselves from following something that is not of God such as man’s religion. By seeking God and knowing the truth we can help protect ourselves from creating our own righteousness or following a righteousness that does not come from God.

The Source of True Righteousness

Romans 10:4 (NKJV) -- {4} For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

We obtain righteousness by one way and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law and is the source or way of righteousness to everyone who believes.

Righteousness does not come by practicing a plethora of religious activities. Righteousness does not come because you were a good person. Righteousness comes upon us because we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. We realize that we cannot save ourselves (make ourselves righteous) and we look to Jesus to snatch us from the path of doom that we are on.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV) -- {30} But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
Acts 13:39 (NKJV) -- {39} and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Romans 5:1 (NKJV) -- {1} Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Corinthians 6:11 (NKJV) -- {11} And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Galatians 3:24 (NKJV) -- {24} Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The source of our righteousness again is Jesus Christ. We cannot make up our own way to righteousness and we cannot make up our own righteousness. Making up our own way to righteousness is a methodology in which we develop ways besides Jesus Christ or in addition to Jesus Christ to be justified. Though these man-made ways to justification is false, many will indeed believe them. Therefore, it is very important that we realize that the way to God is Jesus Christ and not any man-made religious acts that we could possibly dream up.

Stop Fighting the Train

God’s ways are established. God is moving in a particular direction in regards to his purpose. It would behoove us to get on board with his plan and stop trying to make up our own. God and his purposes are like a train going in a particular direction. That train is going in that direction no matter how much you complain or reason in your mind and with others that the train is really going in another direction. We can reason all we want that we will be one place when in reality the train will be at another location.

Many of us are trying to do the same thing in regards to the Lord. We try to reason that God’s righteousness is this or that God wants that when all along God is someplace else. We have reasoned that we can become accepted by God if we go to church or perform any number of religious duties when all along God said to believe in Jesus Christ. Why do we keep trying to make the train go in a different direction in our thinking? Why do we constantly try to reason that God is doing this when in fact his word says that he is doing that?

God has made himself and his ways plainly known to us. We have to believe in Jesus Christ or we can get nowhere with God. We cannot get to God without faith in Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 (NKJV) -- {6} Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

We have to stop trying to make up ways where we can get to God by some other means because those ways will be unsuccessful. No matter how much we reason against the truth that God has revealed to us in His word, God’s way and his purpose will prevail. We should stop fighting him and go along with his plan. We should stop fighting the train and just get on and accept that it is going a certain place. We should do what we can to get into agreement with God instead of fighting against him with our false doctrines and religious acts.

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) -- {6} But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

Do Your Part and Preach Liberty

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) -- {6} But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

This is interesting because if it were not for other people than we would not know of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Before there was a Bible men and women spread the Gospel of Christ verbally. Therefore, the gospel is spread primarily by people who speak it to others. Of course the Holy Spirit is doing the work in regards to salvation, but we are God’s vessels to spread the word.

Romans 10:12-15 (NKJV) -- {12} For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. {13} For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” {14} How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV) -- {20} Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

An ambassador is somebody who serves as an official representative of something. Therefore, we who are in Christ are new creations and we are God’s official representatives of Christ on the earth. This means that we have an awesome responsibility that we should not take lightly. We represent Christ on the earth. What would people associate Christ with after interacting with you? We should be aware of that question at all times because it is very important that we truly represent Jesus Christ to those who are seeking and to those who do not believe.

So your part and preach the Gospel. There are many ways that we can represent Jesus Christ so that people would glorify God. I believe that true evangelism is a personal thing so one thing we can do is be aware of new relationships or the potential of new relationships. Those relationships even with co-workers could be someone’s entry point into the Kingdom of God. Their interaction with you could be their only glimpse of what Christianity is like and therefore what Christ is like so to speak.

I have found some nice ideas that could be used in a normal way. For example, leave a nice tip with the waiter or waitress at a restaurant in addition to making known that you are a Christian. You could simply say hello when you are initially greeted by your waiter and throw in a God bless you when you are about to leave. You could leave you nice tip and perhaps some Christian literature. This way Christians and therefore God is not perceived as stingy (the nice tip) and he or she could possibly learn something about the Christian faith and perhaps move that much closer to Christ or become edified if he or she is already a Christian.

Just do what you can to promote the truths of the gospel. Do what you can with what God has equipped you with to promote the Kingdom of God and represent Jesus Christ. Be an honest worker. Be courteous, generous, forgiving, etc. Be a true representative of Christ and bring glory to the Lord God.

Help to save people from religion. Religion is killing so many people because it causes people to seek it instead of God. Religion places itself as god through deception. People pursue religious activities instead of the true God. Do your part to save people from religion so that they would come to know Jesus Christ and receive salvation and liberty. Amen.