Does Religion Hinder Walking In The Spirit (Extended Version)

Have you ever considered the influence other religions have had on your walk of faith? What defines them as different and what makes them a distraction rather then a help within your spiritual journey?

The struggles that follow every worldly religion on earth are based on a level of devotion to their cause. This often sets into motion a work ethic, as well as a drive to sacrifice time and means for the betterment of the faith. Also don’t forget religious good works are a prerequisite for gaining favor with men, if not an invitation into heaven. And last but not least, religion is always in need of a spiritual deity to add validation.

Of course you maybe catching on early that no two worldly religions are the same and no two faiths support the same principles or goals. How is that possible?

It boils down to understanding the difference between religion and true faith.

Religion is based on man seeking after God, where as true faith is based on God seeking after man (For God so loved the world that He “GAVE”)

If we give thought to the paradox we should automatically recognize that man and his good intentions actually stand in the way of relationship with One God, One faith, One hope and One Father over all. Then again, if Jesus is the proper answer to faith, then too many men and their ideals remain the problem. Yet this conundrum can affect Christianity in a similar fashion.

Too many human opinions within the faith can only mean that man has put his hands on the message and has taken God hostage. This dilemma finds its power due to early Judeo/Christian influence. Let’s begin with a walk through the Old Testament to get our bearings.

The Old Testament showed us a unique example of faith. Beginning with Adam and Eve, a covenant of flesh was established making mankind a sovereign creature over the natural world.

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

For all intents and purposes if the first family had never eaten from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil then mankind’s natural sovereign rule would have continued to be a blessing. However as Adam and Eve experienced defeat they were doing so at the behest of another master. As the saying goes; the Devil basically sold the first family a bridge. From that day forward flesh was now subject to the god of this world and man couldn’t repair the damage that had been done. Simply stated, fleshly man would never again regain dominion over the earth or even over his own flesh; but he certainly hasn’t stopped trying.

You see, taking dominion is still in his blood. However without the glory of God bringing balance and an unshakable standard of truth to his heart and mind man seeks to dominate within his every endeavor. This includes his attempts at returning to a place of favor with the Most High.

The garden event ended an intimate fellowship between God and man. What commenced was a distortion to all things holy and even a greater degree of poor reason within man’s heart. The result was one poor choice led to every man doing what is right in his own eyes. From that day forward humanity would seek to redefine the meaning of life, but also faith.

Early biblical history shows us this deceptive rise in religious thinking. We could site;

Cain who brought an unacceptable sacrifice before the Lord.

Balaam enticing the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord.

Moses’ sister Merriam questioning his authority.

Korah rising up with 250 Israelite men to oppose Moses and Aaron.

We also see how religious motives breed a destructive unity in the faith. A misguided attempt to reach heaven on man’s own terms explains what went wrong at the Tower of Babble. This unity in spirit motivates large people groups to come under the control of a single leader (Nimrod). Likewise such unity allows a demonic power to rule the narrative. From modest beginnings, every step deeper into any religious captivity reinforces ownership as well as a level of corporate spiritual blindness.

For this reason and for mercy sake, God Most High would seek to redeem mankind back from the error of his ways. The road to redemption would offer two paths for gaining renewal, however only one path would succeed in the end.

1. Of first importance “faith” found a convert in Abraham. As God came to test Abraham’s devotion, his willingness to trust the Most High with his own son’s life; became a righteous act acceptable unto God.