This is a Guest Post by Sundi Jo. She is an author, speaker, and small business owner, making her home in Branson, Missouri. Her first book, Dear Dad, Did You Know I Was a Princess?, comes out in Spring 2013. You’ll find her engulfed in the social media world, spending time with friends and family, hanging out in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and flip fops, or writing. Find Sundi Jo on Facebook or Twitter (@sundijo).
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My small group was recently discussing religion and how so many rules and regulations keep people from truly becoming followers of Jesus Christ.
A new member was discussing her experience as a young girl in the church. She had to memorize various lengthy scriptures and was told if she didn’t have them memorized word for word, she could not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. As she continued to tell the story, I was biting my lip, picturing myself blacking that pastor’s eye.
Because of those words spoken to her, she gave up on Christianity. She believed she was a failure. She cried herself to sleep at night with the belief that she could never go to Heaven. My friend carried that lie with her for many years.
After she finished her story, I said, “Christianity would be great if it wasn’t for people.” Isn’t it so true? People get in the way. Religion and rules take the place of relationships. False doctrine takes center stage and Jesus gets put behind the curtain.
Have we forgotten the two most important commandments? We’re to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind. Then we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).
How can someone claim to love God with all their heart while filling an innocent girl’s mind with lies about her eternity? How can someone say they love God with all their heart while labeling a teenager “bound for hell” because of a made up rule?
It breaks my heart to know things like this are still happening in the church. It breaks my heart to know the message of Jesus is being turned into a checklist.
Her story has caused me to take a step back and look at my own motives. Do I love my neighbor as myself? Do I love God with all my heart and soul and mind? Am I trading relationship for religion? I realize I’ve still got a lot of work to do.
What that pastor didn’t teach my friend was grace – the grace that God gives us. He didn’t teach her about the salvation that comes from knowing Jesus Christ intimately.
God never stopped pursuing her and she eventually found her way back to the truth and grace God so graciously provides to those He loves. May we all continue to find our way back. May that pastor understand the true message of Christ.
Is religion keeping you from pursuing those relationships God called us to have? What steps can you take today to change that?
some people only want GOD when they are in trouble but when things are going ok he is forgot about you walk with GOD everyday in your life and read the bible and pray its a relationship between you and the Lord that cannot be broken