The Good News About Religion
The good news about religion is that it is the sure and only path to personality survival after human death.
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
– John 5:24
True religion is the great liberator of man. It effectively cures man’s sense of spiritual isolation and loneliness.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
– Matthew 18:20
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
– John 14:15-21
True religion enfranchises the believer as a son of God, and a citizen of the universe. It assures man that, by accepting his sonship, he is thereby identifying himself with the eternal purpose of the Father. Such a liberated son immediately begins to feel at home in the universe, his universe.
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
– Philippians 3:20-21
The good news about religion is that it provides a direct line of communication between man and God by means of His indwelling spirit.
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
– 1 Corinthians 3:16
No more is there a need for priests or human mediators in order to approach the Father in prayer.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.”
- Matthew 23:8-9
Though geographically far away, the Father has provided His Son, Christ Jesus, as ‘the way’ to attain to the presence of the Father.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
– John 14:6
And there is no partiality. The Father does not play favorites. He loves all of us equally, no matter our race, gender or social status.
“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”
– Acts 10:34-35
The good news about religion is that true religion can change the world by means of the spiritual brotherhood of man. Not through religious collectivism, but through the acts of the individual who has been inspired and uplifted by his religion. In this way, religion can serve as a stabilizing force in society, while at the same time, remaining no part of it.
The Bible book of Revelation contains prophecy that many have interpreted to mean that God himself will put an end to false religion. While we do not profess to be able to interpret prophecy at this time, we will leave room for that interpretation.
In the meantime, if we look at what is plain, open and unambiguous, we can see that there is much man can do now to refine religion. Yes, religion can be purified so that we can gain the benefits true religion was meant to bestow, namely a successful earthly sojourn that suitably prepares us for the real life – the heavenly career. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Though it was thwarted, religion of the spirit is slumbering within Christianity, waiting for a more spiritual age. That time has come. Religion that is backwards and harmful will be a thing of the past just as soon as mankind has the courage to stand up to ecclesiastical oppression and take their rightful place as children of God. It is really quite that simple.
When we recognize that we are all children of God, we are acknowledging that every man is our brother. (Matthew 23:8-9) If Christianity had not been usurped by ecclesiastical hierarchy, and returned to the mire (2 Peter 2:22), we could have a worldwide spiritual brotherhood by now. A spiritual brotherhood is the cure to everything that ails mankind, including false and harmful religion. It is the Kingdom of God on earth. The lack of a spiritual brotherhood, after all that Jesus taught, and after all that he has done for us, is reprehensible!
Yes, the good news about religion is that we have the power to change it.
“So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
– Zechariah 4:6
