James 1:26-27
Matthew 23:23
You have probably heard this Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with God. And rightly so. Jesus did not come to talk about religion. He preached about the kingdom of God, which starts when we accept Him as our Lord and savior.
A look through the gospels and you will realize that Jesus was hard on the Pharisees? He did not sugarcoat things when he spoke to them. These were religious leaders and teachers of the law. They knew the law and were committed to the things of God, or so it seemed. But Jesus called them snakes and vipers. But why was that?
While the Pharisees knew the law well, they didn’t practice it fully. They turned the things God intended for good into traditions and religion. They were using the law to fulfill their own selfish desires and to control others.
If you want to be on fire for God, you need to be a follower of Jesus and not just a religious person. Religion will blind you from the great things God has done and is doing in your life and the lives of other Christians. When you focus on religion, you find yourself straying away from what God expects you to do.
The truth is you cannot be on fire for God and religious at the same time. In order for you to ignite a flame for Christ, you need to be willing to do things that may not go well with religious people. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and dined with sinners. That did not go well with the Pharisees because a holy and learned person was not supposed to associate with sinners.
Christian traditions and religion will block you from spreading the gospel to the world effectively. You will be so keen on observing traditions that have been set in place instead of doing things God’s way.
For example, Christian tradition may tell you not to associate with people who have tattoos or have colored hair because they’re not fit to be Christians. Maybe you have been made to believe that some things ended in the Old Testament. They don’t apply to us today. But imagine if Jesus was here today. Would he send these people away if they came to listen to Him or seek healing? If you want to ignite the flame for Christ, especially among the youth in your school or church, you need to forgo some things and do exactly what God is telling you.
Action:
You may have to befriend some people that do not fit in the Christian Community. Yes, you may feel out of place or uncomfortable doing it, but since it is God telling you to do it, go ahead and befriend such people to ignite a flame for Christ in them. God may put a particular song in your heart, and it may not go well with religious people but sing it anyway because, at the end of the day, you have to glorify God and not man.