Facing The Giant of Religion
A true child of God proves his spiritual birth by a relationship with Jesus.
I. There are many religions - men trying to find God
- Christianity: 2.1 billion (33%)
- Islam: 1.3 billion (21%)
- Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion (16%)
- Hinduism: 900 million (14%)
- Chinese traditional religion: 394 million (6%)
- Buddhism: 376 million (6%)
- primal-indigenous: 300 million (6%)
- African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
- Sikhism: 23 million
- Juche: 19 million
- Spiritism: 15 million
- Judaism: 14 million
- Baha'i: 7 million
- Jainism: 4.2 million
- Shinto: 4 million
- Cao Dai: 4 million
- Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
- Tenrikyo: 2 million
- Neo-Paganism: 1 million
- Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
- Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
- Scientology: 500 thousand
II. How do you know what is right? -- It is all about relationship with God, NOT RELIGION
A. "Remaining in Him" is the ultimate key in knowing you are saved - 2:28
1. To be "in Him" speaks about having a personal relationship with Jesus.
2. This is much more than religion.
3. Jesus spoke to a woman who had religion but she did not know what it was to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
John 4:10 "If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ?Give Me a drink,' you would ask Him, and He would give you living water."
B. If you really knew God as your Father, you would love Jesus as Savior and Lord.
John 8:42 "If God were your Father, you would love Me,"
C. How do you know you are "in Him"?
"Not everyone who says to Me, ?Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
I will announce to them, ?I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!' Matt 7:21, 23 (HCSB)
How do you know you have a relationship with Jesus?
III. Those who have a genuine relationship with Jesus want to do what is right - 1 John 2:29.
If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.
A. Do you want to do what is right?
B. You want to do what is right because you are motivated by the great love of God.
1. True obedience is rooted in a deep love for the Father.
V 1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children.
2. World religions do not understand relationship because they do not understand God's love.
V 1 The reason the world does not know us is that it didn't know Him.
a) "Behold, what foreign-kind of love" is literally what John writes.
b) This is a love beyond human comprehension.
Romans 5:6-8 6 For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person?though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!
c) When you come to know Jesus as personal Savior and Lord you come to know a love that is greater than anything this world can explain
d) Every man made religion fails to understand God's love. This is why God's love is absent in every man made religion.
C. You want to do what is right because you are motivated by the wonderful family we are a part of!
V 2 Dear friends, we are God's children now,
Phil 3:20 our citizenship is in heaven,
D. You want to do what is right because you are motivated by the great expectation of seeing Jesus one day!
V 2-3 and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.
1. We know we will be changed into a new glorious body
Phil 3:21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body,
2. We will see Jesus!
3. Because of these great hopes, we strive diligently to purify ourselves and do what is right today!
IV. Those who have a genuine relationship with Jesus despise sin.
A. Every religion claims to have its "law"
V4 Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law
B. You despise sin because you realize the price Jesus paid to take away sin.
V5 You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins,
C. You despise sin because you realize the purity and holiness of Jesus.
D. You despise sin because of the new Spiritual nature you have received.
John 3:3,5-6 I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
1. Genuine believers have received a new birth - a new spiritual nature has been born in us - this is Jesus in our heart!
2. We become a new creature by the work of Jesus in our hearts.
V6 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.
3. Man made religion cannot birth within us this new Spirit of Jesus!
V. You know you have a relationship with Jesus in your spirit
A. Our new Spiritual nature of Jesus in us does not sin.
B. Righteousness is the outward evidence of our salvation - it is the evidence of the personal work of His Spirit in us. - v24
V 24 And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us.
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
VI. Man made religion has been around since the beginning of time!
"Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the Lord" -- Gen 4:3
"He (GOD) did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, -- Gen 4:5
A. Man made religion is more about "you" than it is about God
1. Cain had a religion that was all about himself while Able had a desire and love for God.
2. Cain "presented some of the land's produce" but Able gave God "the firstborn of his flock"
B. Man made religion focuses on competition.
1. Cain's religion placed his focus on competing with his brother. Able had his focus on God alone. Where is your focus?
C. Man made religion is a religion of arrogance.
1. Cain had a religion of arrogance. Why isn't my way good enough? Able had an attitude of worship. "Lord, I want your way! Your will be done!" What is the attitude of your heart?
2. Forsake your attempts to justify yourself. Accept God's Word that says you fall short of the glory of God.
D. When faced with truth man made religion reacts furiously.
1. When faced with the truth Cain became furious. You are faced with the truth today as well. What is your response to the truth God has spoken to your heart?
E. Man made religion is not recognized by God.
1. Cane failed because he focused on religious practice rather than on a love relationship with God.
2. God does not recognize religious practice. He recognizes only those who seek a love relationship with Him!
F. Religion without relationship leads to eternal separation from God
VII. What will you do?
A. Will you seek a genuine relationship with Jesus?
a) Jesus paid your sin penalty at Calvary on your behalf
b) He loves you!
c) He wants to give you peace, life and the joy of His presence.
B. Repent and Believe
1. Don't try to justify your sins - admit them and ask God for forgiveness!
2. Don't try to find some religious practice that will earn God's love. You already have His love. Believe He loves you and accept His free gift of a new spiritual birth.
C. The only way to begin a true and genuine relationship with Jesus is through the gate called Calvary. You must have your sins washed away to have a relationship with a Holy God.
Today you must decide. Are you following your own man made religion or are you truly and genuinely walking in a love relationship with Jesus?
Jesus paid the penalty of your sin at Calvary so that He might cleanse you of your sin and come into your heart and live through you. He wants to give you peace, and life and the joy of His presence. You will never get this any other way but by doing what He said, "Repent and believe" .and you will receive!
