Religion vs. Gospel

In this world of chaos and turmoil, sickness, death, wars, and rumors of wars, it is comforting to know that not only do we have a loving Heavenly Father, an advocate in Yeshua and a life guide in the Holy Spirt, but we also have a standard of hope. The old and new covenants teach us how we are to live and worship. It holds comfort as well as rebuke and healing and guidance. We are told to memorize it.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.  Their worship of me is useless because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines. (Matt. 15:8-9, CJB)

Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Ps. 119:11, KJV)

...and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:6-9, KJV)

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. (Ps. 119:9, KJV)

Kim is one of Rudyard Kipling’s books about India. Summarizing an incredibly good read, Kim was an orphaned boy who later in his life studies to become a spy for the British. It is during his schooling that he is taught how to self-hypnotize himself for protection against revealing secrets if caught by the enemy. At the end of the course, each boy is separately and privately tested through hypnotism by the instructor. Having placed a vase with fresh flowers and water in front of the student, he says that he has picked up the vase and smashed it to the ground. Then he asks the student what he sees. Every student has fallen into the mental hoax and believes the vase is smashed and broken, flowers askew and water on the floor. Except, that is, for Kim. Kim sees the farce and fights it and says “No! The vase sits on the table and is whole!” Having impressed the instructor, his teacher asks Kim how he was able to maintain his mental awareness and thought process? Kim said, “I focused on the math standard: 1 plus 1 is 2. 2 plus 2 is 4, 4 plus 4 is 8 and so on…”

The Word of God is (to the believer) our Standard! It holds true and is our dependable fortress of hope.

So, if the Word is true, why-oh-why does man distort, add-to, and diminish and ignore it? Yeshua never came to establish a denomination. We are told in Acts that there is to be a communion of believers. 1 Corinthians 14 teaches the order of the church. 1 Corinthians 11 teaches us how to observe the Lord’s supper. Exodus 12 instructs us to observe Passover. My point is, God gives us the blueprint. We do not need to make stuff up to match our customs or cultures.

Religion colors the thought process and takes from the simplicity of the Bible. One can substitute, add, delete, and make everything fit the customs and familiarity of one’s life. It would rock the church of today if we worshipped as they did in Israel under Yeshua or the disciples.

Religion has taken the church to the point of making it an institution, with CEOs, CFOs, and overseers. I knew a young woman in Israel who came from Switzerland to tour Israel. She ended up becoming a believer and follower of Yeshua. She was a pastor’s daughter. I told her I was sure her father would rejoice in her salvation. “Oh, no. My father himself is not a believer, and it is not important to him.” She continued, “In Switzerland, the church is a state institution. Christianity has nothing to do with the church. Being a pastor is a civil job position.” She knew the difference between religion and gospel.

Here is some food for thought regarding religion versus gospel. The following is from Timothy Keller, an American pastor, theologian, and Christian apologist.

Religion: I obey – therefore I’m accepted.
Gospel: I am accepted – therefore I obey.

Religion: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
Gospel: Motivation is based on grateful joy.

Religion: I obey to get things from God.
Gospel: I obey God to get God to delight and to resemble Him.

Religion: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe, like Job’s friends, that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
Gospel: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle but I know all my punishment fell at Jesus’s feet.

Religion: When I am criticized, I am furious or devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a good person. Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.
Gospel: When I am criticized, I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a “good person”. My identity is not built in my record or my performance but on God’s love for me in Christ. I can take criticism.

Religion: My prayer life consists largely of petition, and it only heats up when I am in time of need. My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment.
Gospel: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.

Religion: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. When I am not living up to my standards, I feel insecure and inadequate. I’m not confident, I feel like a failure.
Gospel: My self-view is not based on a view of myself as a moral achiever. In Christ, I am “simul iustus et peccator” – simultaneously sinful and yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence at the same time. Neither swaggering nor sniveling.

Religion: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral. I disdain and feel superior to “the other”.
Gospel: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for His enemies, who was excluded from the city for me. I am saved by sheer grace. So, I can’t look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace, I am what I am. I’ve no inner need to win arguments.

Religion: Since I look to my own pedigree or performance for my spiritual acceptability, my heart manufactures idols. It may be my talents, my moral record, my personal discipline, my social status, etc. I absolutely must have them so they serve as my main hope, meaning, happiness, security, and significance, whatever I may say I believe about God.
Gospel: I have many good things in my life – family, work, spiritual disciplines, etc. But none of these good things are ultimate things to me. None of them are things I absolutely must have, so there is a limit to how much anxiety, bitterness, and despondency they can inflict on me when they are threatened and lost.

Well, that is a lot to think about. Mr. Keller surely stepped on my toes and blesses my heart besides. I hope the same is for you. Bottom line - focus on the truth. Look for the difference between religion and the gospel. Do not be religious, be a believer, a Christian, a follower of the true God and Messiah. Remember:

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.  Their worship of me is useless because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines. (Matt. 15:8-9, CJB)

Love from my heart,

nanC

A Follow-up Note from Nancy:

Dear Friends of AOHE:

I always appreciate your feedback to my articles. I want to share a particular letter I received last month in response to my latest article “Best Gift Ever!” The following letter totally expresses what I was writing about in my article. Thank you, Ann, for sharing.

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

I have appreciated all the articles in the newsletters, but I especially appreciate your article in the latest newsletter because I have a burden for the lost souls within the church. Many do not even realize they are lost. How do I know? Because until age 30, I was one of them.

I went through the outward acts expected— church attendance, church activities, giving. I had all the head knowledge. I was baptized and confirmed— but that personal relationship was not there. I didn’t even realize such a thing existed. I wanted Jesus as my Savior because I feared the alternative in the hereafter; but accepting Jesus as Lord didn’t even occur to me. Scripture says believe in the LORD Jesus Christ and we will be saved. I wanted Jesus to save me but hadn’t even considered He needs to be Lord— the one in control —the one leading. Thank you for recognizing there is a ministry right within the church. And I pray that your article will touch someone’s heart to question where they are spiritually and seek that closer daily walk with Jesus.

Love in Christ

Ann

P.S. Happiest New Year! May God keep you healthy and stress-free and may we win many to the Messiah! Do you have a prayer request? Please share it with me. I would love to hear from you.

Nancy Cohen is the Director of Women's Ministries at Apple of His Eye

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