It’s often said that religion is man-made. That statement is true, but I supposed it depends on which religion you are talking about.
Now, before you get too smug, Christianity, as a religion, is also largely man-made. Christianity is often the container, or the receptacle of man-made rules and regulations that in many ways provide a false sense of security, or even superiority, that was never a part of the first-century church.
It’s possible that you may need to lose your religion in order to really find faith in God.
To many desiring material and financial success, Christianity is reduced to a system of positive thinking and endless opportunities for lifting our standard of living. It is neither. Christianity was not established to improve your bottom line but to uniquely show what it means to love your neighbor and how to deny yourself.
On the other hand, many people believe that Christianity is a religious system that has both the answers and the resources to solve the world’s problems. It is neither. Christianity was not established to be a cure to all of the problems of the word but to uniquely reveal the character of Christ in the midst of all of the problems.
Christianity is ultimately not a religion but an opportunity for a relationship with God through the completely finished work (the religion) of Jesus Christ. Religion, while creating opportunities for personal solace and reflection, is an unsatisfying substitute for the real thing.
Perhaps it’s time for you to lose your religion.
