CWW Week 24 - Day 3 - Standing Against Evil

Does Religion Get In The Way Of Jesus?

Scripture.

Luke 4:18 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible. In this passage, Jesus Himself is reading from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth and quotes:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”

Jesus was speaking about His influence in us as we face our daily lives, but it also stands as an example that evil must be confronted and not be ignored. When we ignore evil we enable evil. We have made a choice to ally with evil against the light of truth as we turn a blind eye to it’s darkness.

This verse is significant as it outlines the mission of Jesus, highlighting themes of liberation, healing, and bringing hope to those in need. It’s often seen as a declaration of his ministry and a summary of his mission on earth.

If that was Jesus’ mission then why not ours?

I am often criticised for being too public about my faith. I am amazed at how often I read comments that end with, “You lost me when you prayed and brought religion into it.”

I have lost count of how often I declare my dissatisfaction with religion. I once coined a phrase; “Religion is the business of God conducted by men and they are very bad at it.”

A scene from the movie “Kingdom Of Heaven” resonates with me everyday. “I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of God. Holiness is in right, action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves; and goodness, what God desires, is in the mind and in the heart and what you decide everyday you will be a good man, or not.”

When Jesus worked through His ministry He himself would have known that those who were to crucify Him were the religious leaders of the day. His battle against satan was played out in the temple and synagogues with the temple hierarchy.

Not much has changed when we view the struggles of today.

We only have to look at the lock-step goose-steeping done by the denominational corporate churches as they stood with government on the issues of mandates as they trampled on all of their basic fundamental and professed beliefs.

In recent years we have seen denominational leadership striving to cover up. 

The childhood sexual abuse scandals that have plagued every faith and denomination, clearly indicate that the church is the front line in the battle of good verses evil. It stands to reason that God’s house would be the place where evil sends its best operatives to strike and disrupt.

Distorting the image of God is their primary goal as they seek to turn people away from Him by deceiving them into thinking that God is not who He claims, and religion is their most potent weapon.

I endeavour daily to help people see that religion and religiosity is not relationship with Jesus. We cannot stand in the presence of God because we are not holy as He is Holy. 

Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh and lived the perfect sinless life. As humanity in perfection, only He can be in the presence of God without defiling His Father. In the massive chasm between us and our sin and God’s holiness, stands Jesus who through stretched out arms holds our hands and God’s as He forges the link that God so desperately wants to have with us.

Jesus stood against evil at the source in the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil. And He stood against evil in the church as He strived to help us see that religion in the wrong hands may not be the way that links our hearts with Him.

But if we are to stand against evil as Jesus did we need to use His example and ask as we go to battle; what would Jesus do?

He stood in righteous indignation of those who oppressed, as He defended the sick and the poor. But He was humble and firm even in the face of His imminent execution. As a man He asked His Father to take away the cup that was to be His death demonstrating His real humanity; but He surrendered to His Fathers  will nonetheless. 

In this we clearly see that there is no place for fanaticism. This only distorts the face of God from another angle.

We must stand against evil in the face of tyranny with a strength that looks the threat of even death in the eye and say, “ In Christ I am already dead.” In this we show our true faith as we stand.

We must not use religion as an excuse for inaction. We cannot turn a blind eye to the torment of the innocent at the hands of evil.

It can be as simple as being our word. The bible tells us in Matthew 5:37:

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

This emphasises the simplicity and honesty in speech, warning against anything that might lead to confusion or deceit. The NKJV’s phrasing underscores the importance of being clear and truthful in our statements.

There is one simple truth that covers every perplexity and doctrinal argument; every push and shove between right and left and every chasm that exists as we navigate using our moral compass. There is only one eternal destination, and those who chart their course for it need to be prepared to divert around every fallen tree, swamp, ravine and mountain range along the journey.

That truth Is that Jesus Christ is the Remedy. In Him we must place our faith. He has the power to turn conflict into conversation as we stand against evil.

When people ask me how we solve the problem? I say Jesus is the starting point and the destination. He is the solution to our interpersonal relationship issues and even those of a global nature.

Standing humbly and defiantly with Him is the only way as we stand against evil.

Questions

1. Do you take some kind of comfort in being a Christian and convincing yourself that all this is none of your concern?
2. Are you turning a blind eye in the face of evil because you believe it doesn’t affect you?
3. Are you ready to be less religious and more connected to what God desires?

Prayer.

Dear Lord, Papa God.

My greatest desire is to do what you require Papa. Am I to help my brother in his time of need? Am I to shine the light of truth in the halls of darkness where evil thrives because men of good will do nothing? I think You have shown me the answer Lord. Help me to face evil knowing that You are with me and that you will comfort me. For this is my prayer in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a great day with Jesus.

Graham Hood.