Religion Will Not Save You
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - For quite a while now I have been dealing with leaving religion and entering into Kingdom. If you recall at the beginning of the year, I stated how God had been dealing with me about seeking the old paths and walking therein and I have truly been listening to His voice and seeking the old paths.
Acts 17:30 says, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commendeth all men everywhere to repent”. The old saying ignorance is bliss will cause your soul to end up in hell especially when dealing with the things of God. For far to long there have been people who have had a form of godliness, performing rituals, holding to strict dogmas, obtaining titles, positions, accolades by compromising themselves, their integrity, and bamboozling the people in the name of religion. There has been the building of bank accounts, wealth, Mega Churches, structures of all kinds, titles, positions, and prestige; however, the building and reconciling of the people. The time has come for this type of foolishness to stop, for people to get out of religion and understand that God is calling for Holiness. 2 Corinthians 6:7 says, “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you”.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”. That way is religion.
On last week Creflo Dollar apologized for preaching and teaching incorrectly. He stated that he was still growing and now standing in humility because he was wrong. He went on to say that religion is sustained on two cardinal principles guilt and fear. This announcement came just a few months after Benny Hinn apologized for his false teachings on prosperity, seed sowing and his abuse of monetizing the gospel. Acts 17:30 says, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commendeth all men everywhere to repent”. 1 John1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
Creflo goes on to say that he didn’t know about the Gospel of Grace although we have been in the Dispensation of Grace since Calvary. Benny Hinn said he didn’t want to be rejected by God and miss heaven. I praise God that these men have seen the light. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”.
1 John 1:5-7 says, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”.
I commend Creflo Dollar and Benny Hinn because they are coming from under the darkness of religion and beginning to walk in the light of Kingdom. My heartfelt prayer is that people who have followed them and believe everything that they taught will also come out of darkness into this marvelous light.
Earlier this year I did a series on Leaving Religion and Entering Kingdom. Today will be another segment from that theme of leaving religion and entering Kingdom and I want to deal with this subject – Your Religion will not Save You.
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURE: - John 3:1-7 says, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again”.
Your Religion will not Save You!!
EXPLANATION: - What do I mean by religion – Religion is the ritualistic adherence to the practices of a belief in the hope that your performance will attain you a right standing with God and eternal life.
The next word I want to define is save(d). When you ask a person are they saved they will answer yes, I am saved and I am going to heaven, but let’s understand what it means to be saved.
Save(d):- According to Strong’s Hebrew Greek Lexicon #4982. The Greek Word sózó is a process of making the person into a whole person, creating a “new creation” a person with a new heart, causing the person to come alive in the spirit realm, bringing awareness and healing to the person’s soul, and delivering the person from the power of sin’s reign over them. Understand it is more than just going to heaven. This process is not done by religion this can only be done by the Spirit of God. Titus 3:4-7 says, “But after the kindness and love of God, our savior toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness (Religion) which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior. That being justifies by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.
Kingdom: - The concept of the Kingdom of God is not one of space, territory, or politics, as in a national kingdom, but instead, one of kingly rule, reign, and God’s sovereign control. The Kingdom of God is the realm where God reigns supreme. In kingdom, God’s authority is recognized, and his will is obeyed.
QUESTIONS: - Do you regularly go to the place of worship that is connected to your religion – church, synagogue, mosque, etc.?
Do you follow the rules and rituals of your religion?
Do you regularly read from books associated with your religion?
Do you believe that if you do those things that you’re alright with the god in your religion?
Now if we would honestly answer these questions, we would all no doubt say yes that is me because I literally described the modern day, Christian or religious person. Someone may say well Bishop what’s wrong with that? Nothing, if that has been added to having your mind and heart gone through transformation into the likeness of Jesus! The problem with the modern-day Christian or religious person is that they are often the most difficult people to reach with the true gospel because they are outwardly religious but inwardly are calloused by ritualist practices, while the wicked are not indoctrinated with false doctrine and ritualistic practices they are just living in sin.
WATCH THIS: - What we call church, the repetitive, ritualistic, services are not Kingdom it is religion and religion will not save you. What Bishop – No going to church is not going to save you. Reading the Bible is not going to save you. Paying tithes, seed sowing, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or sheltering the homeless is not going to save you. No matter how good and honorable those things may be they are rituals and practices and that is it.
UNDERSTAND: - The resurrection of Jesus Christ did not inaugurate a religion but brought Kingdom. Jesus always talked about Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom is at Hand, my Kingdom is not of this world. Today when we hear the word kingdom, immediately many different ideas, concepts, and pictures come to mind. Most of our concepts in life are the result of our culture, social development, and education. When you mention Kingdom religious minded people almost immediately draw the conclusion of heretic or here, they go thinking they got some new revelation. That is why when Creflo apologized, he also said “I know I am going to lose some friends and I will not be invited to preach at some churches”. There have been numerous videos and comments about him being a heretic and teaching false doctrine when he has come into the knowledge of Kingdom and relationship and not ritualist rhetoric.
The true understanding of Kingdom is often lost because we have become conditioned to religion and traditions and lost the concept of Kingdom and the power of Kingdom. Religion and repetitive rituals have left a void in the lives of people that will only be filled by understanding the Kingdom. Now someone may say just fill up on Jesus and we are Kingdom is what Jesus preached – well it is deeper than that.
Your Religion will not Save You!
In our text:- John 3:1-2 says, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him”. These 2 verses connect us back to John 2:23-25 which says, “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man”. Jesus knows the mind and heart of man; He understands how we think and what we believe. When Nicodemus comes to him at night, He knows what was in his heart, he knew what he was thinking. Jesus could see beneath Nicodemus’ religious veneer, He looked and understood how Nicodemus was religious and was loyal to religion and He explains to Nicodemus that religion could not save him, but He must be born again.
UNDERSTAND: - Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews, he belonged to the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem that consisted of 71 members from the Pharisees and Sadducees. Nicodemus was a leading Pharisee because Jesus calls him in John 3:10 “the teacher of Israel”. He must have been a recognized religious authority; and Jesus knew Nicodemus knew the law.
Now some commentators suggest, and I agree with this interpretation that since Nicodemus came at night that it is a spiritual symbolism hinting at Nicodemus’ spiritual condition. Although he was a religious leader, he was in spiritual darkness trapped in religion. He is a Pharisee the Pharisees considered themselves separatist and invented all sorts of manmade regulations and rituals to add to the Law of Moses and took pride in their observance of them. Jesus blasted them for their hypocrisy as they cleaned the outside of their cups and dishes but neglected to deal with the sin in their hearts Matthew. 23:25-28 which says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” this is the stock that Nicodemus was cut from.
John 3:3 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. WATCH THIS: - Jesus answered, but Nicodemus hadn’t asked a question! Jesus answered not his words, but his thoughts, He directly went and challenged his mindset, his ways of thinking, his traditions and rudiments of men. Jesus knew what was in Nicodemus’ heart and answered him accordingly. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do”.
Jesus is getting right to the point and letting Nicodemus and us know that this is more than religion, this is more than ritualistic rhetoric to even see the Kingdom the necessity of a new birth has to take place. Why because of the incapacity of the natural man to see or enter the Kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. There is nothing spiritual about religion! Religion is based upon pre-established beliefs and practices, rituals, and dogma that uses fear and guilt as a means of having someone obey these rituals and dogma where spirituality is based upon our connection to and relationship with God through Jesus Christ once we have been born again. You can read the Bible from cover to cover and memorize every scripture in there, but unless you have been born again you will only have book knowledge of but no experience with Jesus Christ.
John3:4-7 says, “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again”.
Jesus was letting Nicodemus and us know that religion can never deal with need to be reconciled to God. Religion holds you to rituals and rhetoric but the need to be reconciled can only come through Jesus Christ you must be born again – remember Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit”.
There must be a regeneration, a transformation of the mind and heart, this is done by the Spirit for That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. WATCH THIS: - Romans 8:7-14 says “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God (religion operates from the carnal mind) for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh (stuck and operating in religion) cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh (religion & rituals), but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh (religion or the religious system), to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, (religion or the religious system) ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”. The 15th verse is awesome it says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear (which is one of the principles that religion is based upon and operates in); but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” but that is another lesson.
Your religion will not save you! All the religion in the world cannot resolve our basic problem of being alienated from God, because religion is based on human works that stem from the flesh and feed our pride Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall”. Unfortunately, many people are blinded by religion and deceived thinking that their outward rituals and rules will impress God, while at the same time they neglect dealing with the sin that is in their hearts. They must realize God sees right through it all religious rituals and rhetoric. Psalm 51:6 says, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom”. I believe and pray that this is why Creflo Dollar and Benny Hinn apologized because they had a Nicodemus experience and realized that they were operating in religion not in Kingdom, Grace, and relationship. If you are still operating in religion and not Kingdom pray for a Nicodemus Experience.
Verse 5 says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. Now - Religion has taken this verse and twisted it in so many ways that we lose the beautifulness of its meaning, and we end up with things like Denominations/Demonations. In verse 10 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things”? Nicodemus being a master or teacher of the Law should have understood the promise of Ezekiel 36:25-27 which says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them”.
Ezekiel predicted a time when God would cleanse His people from their sins and give them a new heart and new spirit and put His Spirit within them so that they would walk in obedience to His Word. That promise was fulfilled in Jesus when He ratified the New Covenant with His blood on Calvary’s cross and sent the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) on the Day of Pentecost to dwell in all that believe in Him. WATCH THIS: - Religion turns this into a ritual and a dogma about water baptism. Now don’t get me wrong water baptism in Jesus’ name is a must according to Acts 2:38 which says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. The promise of Ezekiel 36:25-28 can only be done by the Spirit of God. Then Paul brings it out in Titus 3:5 with the “washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit” this is the meaning of being born of the water and of the Spirit.
Nicodemus, who knew the Old Testament, should have connected Ezekiel’s prophecy with Jesus’ words in John 3:3, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Not operating out of religion and holding traditions and dogmas.
Jesus is saying that there is a fundamental divide between the physical birth and the spiritual birth in verse 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Being born physically is not enough. There must be a second birth that cleanses from sin and creates new life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The 7th verse says, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again”. Nicodemus was amazed at Jesus’ statement that he needed to be born again. He says in verse 4, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”
We may not quite understand what Nicodemus meant by this question. Surely, he did not believe that Jesus meant that a person goes back into the womb and be reborn physically. However, I love how John MacArthur breaks it down in his book (The Gospel According to Jesus [Zondervan]) he thinks that Nicodemus was really saying, “I can’t start all over. It’s too late. I’ve gone too far in my religious system to start over. There’s no hope for me if I must begin from the beginning.” He says that Jesus was demanding that Nicodemus forsake everything he stood for, and Nicodemus knew it. At that very moment Nicodemus realized that Jesus was saying Your religion will not save you. That is exactly what He is saying today.
CLOSING: - You may have attended church for 50 years, but church membership is not a substitute for being born again. You may hold a position or even possess a title but that is not a substitute for being born again. You may pay tithes, give to the poor, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, visit the sick, attend every church service, sing on the praise team, teach Sunday school but still that is not a substitute for being born again. Religion says repeat after me and you repeat a few words and then the preacher says welcome to the family you are now saved but unless there is a regeneration then it is just a religious ritual. No amount of rule keeping or adherence to religious rituals will be able EVER to reconcile a sinner to the true and Holy God. Your Religion will not Save You – You Must Be Born Again.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
