Faith Beyond Religion: Following Jesus In Truth And Life Series

Faith Beyond Religion: Following Jesus in Truth and Life

Introduction

Today we step into a topic that strikes at the heart of what it means to truly follow Jesus: faith and religion—how they intersect, yet are profoundly different. In a world where religious practice is often measured by attendance, ritual, and tradition, the call of Christ is far deeper. Faith is not merely religion; it is a vibrant, personal trust in the living God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

I want you to hold onto this truth: religion can inform your life, it can guide behaviour—but faith transforms your life from the inside out. Let’s explore this together from the Scriptures, understanding how genuine faith sets us free, equips us for discipleship, and impacts our communities for the glory of God.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT): "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see."

Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith.” The Greek word used for faith here is pistis, which denotes trust, reliance, and firm conviction. The author of Hebrews is addressing Jewish Christians who were under pressure to revert to ceremonial religion. He reminds them that faith is not about ritual compliance but trust in God’s promises.

Faith, the Scripture tells us, is active and relational. It reaches beyond the visible, tangible world into the reality of God’s promises. Religion, on the other hand, often remains visible—it is what you do, not whom you trust.

Illustration: Imagine two people standing on opposite sides of a wide chasm. Religion may give you a map, a rope, and rules about how to cross. Faith is taking the step because you trust the one who built the bridge.

John Piper wrote, “Faith is not mere belief; it is a life surrendered to the will of God because we trust Him completely.”

Here, Piper reminds us that true faith is personal surrender, not a checklist of duties. Religion without faith can tick boxes but does not transform the heart.

Point 1: Faith is Relational, Religion is Ritual

Consider Micah 6:6-8 (NLT): "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should I offer my firstborn for my rebellion, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you: Only to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

The prophet Micah addresses Israel, who had become expert at religious ritual—sacrifices, festivals, offerings—yet their hearts were distant from God. The Hebrew word for “walk” here, halak, implies a daily lifestyle of ongoing relationship and obedience, not merely ritual performance.

Faith focuses on relationship: “walk humbly with your God.” Religion focuses on ritual: “burnt offerings, rivers of olive oil.”

Modern believers often fall into “religious checklists”: attending church, volunteering, giving, but lacking deep, trusting relationship with Jesus. Faith invites us to intimacy with God—through prayer, Scripture, obedience—not simply participation in activities.

A man once told me, “I’ve been attending church faithfully for twenty years, but I feel no peace, no joy, no power in my life.” That’s religion without faith. But when he surrendered his heart to Christ, trusting Jesus fully, everything changed. Faith transformed duty into delight, law into love.

R.T. Kendall said, “Religion can produce outward morality, but only faith produces inward transformation.”

Indeed, Kendall underscores the distinction: ritual can shape behaviour externally; only faith reshapes the soul internally.

Point 2: Faith Impacts the Heart, Religion Controls Behaviour

Let’s turn to Romans 10:9-10 (NLT): "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God — and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved."

Paul writes to the Roman church, a mixture of Jews and Gentiles steeped in both cultural and religious practices. The Greek word for “believe” here is pisteuo, which conveys personal trust and commitment, not just intellectual assent.

Religion might prescribe outward actions—attendance, fasting, charity—but faith reaches the heart. Faith is internal trust in Christ, resulting in external obedience. Paul emphasises a holistic transformation: belief leads to confession, confession leads to salvation, and salvation changes life.

In today’s world, it is easy to confuse being “religious” with being “right with God.” One might pray, tithe, volunteer—but without heart-level trust in Jesus, these acts are empty. True faith begins in the heart, flows outward, and produces a life that honours God.

Think of a seed planted in concrete. Religion may create structure—the seed sits in a pot—but only faith nurtures growth. Faith softens the heart, lets the Spirit water and the Sun of Righteousness shine.