Think about it; Religion is not fun. Religion is dry and boring. Religion is going through the motion of a ritual, liturgy to praise or show honor to a God you’ve never seen or met. You were told he is our creator and worshiping him will save you from eternal torture in hell after you die. Liturgy is often performed in an emotionally cold but beautifully adorned building and auditorium.
Why wouldn’t you worship him? Who wants to be tortured for eternity? With this understanding of God, you might as well live your life to the fullest and enjoy as many carnal pleasures as you can; Life is short. In the end, God will save you, just follow all the rules you’re told.
“Real” religious people not only attend required services, but they pray and read the scriptures frequently, periodically offer a suffering of penance, watch their language and give to the poor. Isn’t this in the Bible? Isn’t this what Jesus taught?
What does God say? What does He really want?
God says “My children have rebelled against me” … “They have abandoned me and turned their backs on Me” (Is. 1:2-4). This is what Sin really is; Sin is rebelling and turning our backs on God.
Notice, God says children; Who are his children? The answer is those He created. Some would argue not everyone ever born since creation of the world are His children. This is NOT true. The apostle Paul says, “We receive the Spirit of adoption allowing us to cry out “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15). Those who are adopted call God, Father. Why were they adopted? They were originally His children but separated from Him because of sin; they left God’s family and His being their Father (Is. 59:2). They chose to be put up for adoption but adoption by who? The answer, No one; God’s children turned from God the Father to “grow-up” and be their own father and do it their way (Is. 53:6).
For those who claim, not everyone ever born are God’s children, they are right in a way. God treats us individually but when it comes to humanity, He treats us collectively as the human race. What God is saying is, the humans He created, collectively have chosen to leave His household where He is the Father. Humanity collectively wants to manage and run their own household.
It takes a lot of “resources” and “knowledge” to run, manage, and provide for a household of children as large as all the human race. With a little help maybe mankind could do it but, with help from whom? Satan maybe? Yes, what an opportunity for Lucifer to rise above the God of Heaven and rule, rule God’s creation. When Satan tempted Eve in the garden he told Eve “God knows when you eat of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, you will become like God” (Gen. 3:5). What knowledge? The knowledge to understand how to run, manage, and provide for Yourself. Good is Trusting God, Evil is Relying on Self; The knowledge of knowing Good from Evil (Gen. 2:9).
Sin, in the eyes of God, is leaving Him to live life without Him. This is the sin that leads to death. Sin, in the eyes of God, is mankind focusing on his abilities, accomplishments, and being admired by others for achievements. With mankind focusing on achievements to be self-sufficient, jealousy, envy, and strife ensue. Competing with others drives us so we can be admired by others.
We can easily become “puffed-up” subconsciously thinking we are a little better than others because we achieved more and have more. Being “puffed-up” makes one feel they have earned more and maybe even have the right to take from another (steal, rape, murder). We call all these – sin, but they really are consequence of the only sin, leaving God and turning our backs on Him to be the god of our own life.
Being religious is boring, that is not what God wants. God is not delighted with our being religious (Is. 1: 11). What is important to God is our Heart Attitude in every aspect of our life. With a Heart Attitude like Jesus we are pleasing God because He is Lord over every thought we think and action we take.
Being religious is a lifestyle not a liturgy.