Why Turn From Organized Religion?

But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…1 Peter 1:15

I have taken a few months from writing these daily devotions and the truth is because I have become disillusioned with man-made religions. Americans tend to like the buffet table at the restaurant and the buffet table any time of year. They love to have a choice between meats, vegetables, deserts, and coffee after the meal. There’s nothing wrong with choice in itself. However, when we have turned our faith into a buffet where we pick what suits our needs and desires and downplay what doesn’t we have gone far off the path. On top of that after months of examination, I have concluded that religious people are some of the most critical people I have ever met. One popular book was recently attacked by a Christian author who made false claims about the book he was writing against. Not many people caught this and it is not being publicized but unfortunately it is true. If I also think that another popular celebrity would be hung up and crucified if it were legal by the religious establishment. What did Jesus say? You will know that they are my disciples by there love? Many people have learned over time the old saying that Christians shoot their wounded. Recently, a Baptist church forced a minister out because tithes and attendance was down. The minister’s reputation is great. Of course, we all know that it all rest on the minister these days and not one member should do anything to bring someone to church, pray, or anything else for that matter.

Truth is we rarely take a hard look in the mirror to see what we find when we measure ourselves. I could come up with many reasons why I am not all that I should be when I take my unveiled look in the mirror, but this is not about excuses. This is about coming to the place in life where other’s opinions don’t factor in how and what we do in our actions. It has been said that former presidents of our great country have governed by reading poles of public opinion. I am afraid the church is a function of either public opinion or pastor opinion these days. God calls us as a community to a higher standard, but to make up that community we have to deal with ourselves first. We are uneasy with words from the Bible like “you be holy in all your conduct.” Truth is deep down inside we all understand the failure of men and women. Deep down we understand why this author wrote negatively and yet falsely about this popular book. It is all because deep down we think we really could never measure up to being holy in all our conduct. Yet, while we doubt it, God would not have said it if it were not true. Maybe I can make you believe just a little more today that you can indeed do it. A better translation of this verse from the original text would be “be whole as God is whole.” Now that’s a goal we all want to tackle…right? We want to be complete. Movies have made millions with lines like “you complete me.” It almost brings tears to my eyes as I think about that scene. I said almost. God wants every part of you and your life to be whole. How do you define the word “whole” for you. Fill in the blank here: I define whole as:______________________. There is no doubt each of us could complete that just a little different from each other. So instead of really seeking this out we hunker down and make the best or worst of each day until we grow old and die. I have become convinced this is not the life that God, our Creator intends. We talk of revival taking place in our country. How much we need it and want it and all that. However, I am not convinced at this point that today’s church and today’s religion of man is worth much of a revival. Kirk Franklin sang a song a few years back titled “Revolution.” I am going to stop praying for revival and start praying for a revolution in our Christian mind set and world. Not only can we do better, we are called to do much, much more. Don’t believe it. Think of all the miraculous things Jesus did as He was on earth in bodily form. Now think that Jesus taught His disciples and through the years teaches you and me that we can do what He did and do much greater things than He did (see John 14). As I said this is not about excuses or pointing out wrongs, this is about believing that we can be all God intends for us to be and know that there is so much more to truth relationship with Christ and the divinity that He shares with us than we are currently experiencing. Given time, I will come around again to the current status of many churches. I always come back to what I consider a home for me. Don’t we all.