What Does the Bible Say About Religion and Spirituality?

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Religion is often stated as following a set of laws or rules that is pleasing to the faith.

As a Christian we are to study the bible to understand what it has to say about religion and faith.

Before that, let us look at the definition of the word – religion.

A religion is described as a particular system of belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this system, according to the Collins dictionary.

The Cambridge dictionary describes it as, the belief in and worship of a god or gods or any such system of belief and worship.

Merriam-Webster also describes religion, as a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.

So as we see the common theme here, where religion is described as a system. However, the bible is not black and white in terms of setting legalistic rules to religion.

Jesus said the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind and soul. The second greatest commandment, is to love your neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40). Because out of love flows the goodness of man.

When love replaces anger, hate, pride, idolatry and all the other sinful ways of man, we become a light in the likeness of Jesus.

Note: The bible verses are taken from the ESV translation, unless stated otherwise.

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

God is our Creator, and to Him alone be all the glory and honour. When we place God first, we automatically humble ourselves before our sovereign Creator.

When we draw closer to God, we change our old ways of living and start to live and love like God.

Religion based on Good Works

Bible teaches us that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

What this means, is that, we receive our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, by believing that in Him we receive the grace of eternal life by His finished work on the Cross.

Paul, in the book of Galatians 2:21 says, I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. The Old Testament included a religious system which God created to stop the people from sinning, unfortunately that didn’t prevent sin from happening. So it was in His love and compassion for us, that He sent Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:10-12 NIV)

Religion can be described as a belief system if it involves tradition or a set of rules. Let us take a look at what the Bible says about religion.

What Does the Bible Say About Religion?

Here are 7 keys on which the Bible bases true religion:

1. Humility and Self-Righteousness

2. Being Too Religious

3. Idol Worship

4. What did Jesus Say About Religion?

5. Human Effort Or the Grace of God

6. Fasting Without a Religious Mindset

7. True Religion

1. Humility and Self-Righteousness

This can be explained by a parable in the Bible found in Luke 18:9-14, where Jesus talks about a Pharisee and a tax collector.

Jesus told this parable to those who were confident and trusted in themselves (by performance of own good works), rather than turning to God and putting their trust in Him.

A Pharisee and a tax collector went to the temple and began praying. The way the Pharisee prayed was quite different from the tax collector.

This is how the Pharisee prayed:

‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ Luke 18:11-12

This is how the tax collector prayed:

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ Luke 18:13

➡ If we look at both the verses, we see that Pharisee, believed in his good deeds and was listing it out to God as if it is by his performance that he is saved.

➡ While the tax collector knowing that he was a sinner, humbled himself before God in repentance.

This is one of the best parables in the Bible that demonstrates faith in self and faith in God.

Mankind are sinners, and it is only by the grace of Jesus that we are made right with God. So every time we pray, we are to humble ourselves before God in repentance and lay our requests before Him.

2. Being Too Religious

Next, we take a look at the effect being too religious can have on oneself. This can be found in Colossians 2:6-23.

While God has laid out the Commandments as moral values that are to be followed, there are many man-made traditions that have evolved over time. This is why it is important to read the Bible every day to align our hearts with God and know what His plans are for us.

Also Study ➡ 1 Timothy 4:1-5

Here are the answers to some of the questions you may have about religion and traditions:

Following Traditions	Colossians Chapter 2
Human traditions	verse 8
Food/Drink/Festivals	verse 16
Self-made religion	verse 21-23

3. Idol Worship

In the Old Testament, almost every time God’s wrath is seen, it is due to idol worship.

In Exodus 20, we see at the very beginning of the Ten Commandments God says, I am the the Lord your God, You shall not worship any other Gods nor make any carved images of worship.

Idol worship, is worshipping something or someone other than God, who is the Creator of Heaven and the Earth.

Stories about Idol worship in the Bible:

• Golden calf like in Exodus 32
• Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3

Jeremiah Chapter 10 gives you a detailed description of what an idol worship looks like:

• Man-made
• Crafted and decorated
• Do not be afraid of them

There are also many places in the Bible where God Almighty showed He detested idolatry and showed Himself as supreme and sovereign.

For example, there were 450 prophets of Baal that gathered against prophet Elijah, who believed that the Lord is the one true God. To help the unbelieving people, Elijah asked for two bulls to be brought. One was given to the prophets of Baal, and the other to Elijah, to lay down on the altar as sacrifice but without any fire. When the prophets cried out to Baal to bring fire onto the offering, nothing happened. But when Elijah called out to God Almighty, there was fire sent down from heaven, leaving the people afraid and believing that the Lord is indeed the only one true God. The full story can be read in 1 Kings 18:20-39.

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. Jeremiah 3:10

4. What did Jesus Say About Religion?

In the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, Jesus’ teachings on what defiles a person is clearly mentioned.

Jesus says,

“Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Matthew 15:11

To explain this further, in Matthew Chapter 15 the Pharisees and Scribes ask Jesus why His disciples do not wash their hands before they eat as per tradition. Jesus elaborates on this in verses 17-20. It is not what goes into the mouth of a person that defiles him, but the evil that comes out of a persons mouth from their heart that defiles them.

5. Human Effort Or the Grace of God

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Abraham in the Old Testament was found righteous by God, not because of his works but because of his faith in God. (Romans 4:2)

In Titus 3:5, we read that Jesus saved us not because of the good works done by us, but by His mercy.

6. Fasting Without a Religious Mindset

The Bible teaches us three things that we are to do in secret (Matthew 6).

1. Giving to the poor and needy
2. Praying
3. Fasting

Isaiah 58, clearly elaborates the right and wrong way to fast.

God clearly shows us all the wrong ways to fast and the one right way of doing it.

First the wrong way:

• Verse 3, when we fast without the right intentions and seek after our own interests
• Verse 4, outwardly fast and worship God yet continue to quarrel and fight
• Verse 5, a religious mindset of bowing down and spreading sackcloth as an act of fasting, but the heart is not aligned with God

The right way:

• Verse 6, teaches us that, instead of acting wickedly against each other, we are to work with each other with love and care
• Verse 7, to give food for the hungry and provision for those in need.

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am’. Isaiah 58:8-9

The key point about fasting is to humble ourselves before the Lord and to fear the Almighty Creator. When we walk in humility, we walk as a vessel that God can use to bring glory to His kingdom. But when we are full of ourselves and with a know-it-all attitude, there is no room for God to work in us and through us.

God says,

This is the one to whom I will look, he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles and My word. Isaiah 66:2

7. True Religion

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:26-27 (NLT)

Going by this statement, one can say that true religion is not by following a set of rules. This bible verse goes in line with what Jesus says is the greatest Commandment in Mark 12:29-31

Greatest Commandment – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength.

Second Important Commandment – You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

When we again take a look at James 1:26-27, the first part of this verse teaches us that we are to obey God and do what is right in His sight with a good intention. The second part teaches us to care for others and not allowing the world, to alter views that go against scripture. This closely resembles the two important commandments that Jesus states.

The Purpose of Our Lives

All things were created on heaven and on earth by Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

We were created in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:27), to honour Him, glorify Him and adore Him, for everything He continues to do in our lives.

Often we restrict our time with God to just 10 minutes of prayers or the allocated Sunday to visit church. When in fact we need God every minute of our lives.

We often forget that it is not possible for us, to have everything under our control, as we need the Supreme hand of God’s protection over our lives. This is something that cannot be earned by only fasting or tithing, but through prayer and a relationship with God. The purpose of our lives is to live by faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 1:17).

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