Following Jesus is not about being religious. And before I go further, let me define Religion as it is defined by the world, versus defined by Scripture: religion in the world is man’s attempt to get on God’s good side, whereas Scripture says that “if a man says he is religious but does not bridle his tongue, his religion is worthless. True religion that is pure and undefiled before God is this, visiting orphans and widows in their distress and keeping one’s self unstained from the world (James 1:26-27). So if I can rephrase my earlier statement: Jesus came to make us pure and undefiled before God, not to make us men and women of worthless religion.
Too many people want to check off boxes, and point to their works. This is a fallacy, of sorts: we cannot clean ourselves from the stains of sin, we cannot please God apart from Christ, and our religious efforts (attempts to please and appease God), if done for our own sake, are worthless. Watch your mouth! Watch what and how you say things, and make sure that your actions are conformed to Scripture, not for the sake of a show for someone else’s sake, but for the sake of honoring and pleasing God. Seek God, seek to do good, and seek His presence. Walk with God as He intended from the beginning, and this is only possible, not by our works, but by what Jesus accomplished on the Cross. Jesus, who has always been God, was born of a virgin, and limited Himself to the flesh, and in that flesh, He lived pure and undefiled before God. Though He did not sin during His humanity, He died a sinner’s death, putting to death all sin for all time with His own body, satisfying God’s justice. He died, was buried and rose again, conquering death. He is alive now, sitting at the right hand of the Father in glory, and some day He will return. And it is only if we are found in Him that any of us shall be able to go with Him in to eternity. So let Him purify you, that you may walk before Him pure and undefiled.
1 Peter 1:3-25
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
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