Many people have a religion they follow every day. Some people view religion as a matter of worshiping in a church, praying or practicing traditions. But upon hearing this MCGI topic review, I realized that the concept of true religion goes deeper than that, however. It is a matter of a true relationship with God and living in accordance with His commandments out of the right heart. But true religion is not just where it's visible on the outside, it's how we live our daily lives before God.
The Bible gives us a proper definition of what "religion" is. What is pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father? It is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27) This verse reveals that God is full of love, kindness and holiness in His religion. Not only is it the case that you speak good words, but that you do good works that please God.
I also learned that when you follow God you follow His truth, and you don't follow the traditions of men. In Matthew 15:9, Jesus declared that men were worshiping Him for false doctrines: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. I'm reminded in this verse to always study the Bible with care and never have my faith founded on man's opinions rather than God's word.
There was a time I thought that was the only thing I needed to do to please God, to be in church alone. I went to church, but I didn't read my Bible or meditate on my relationship with Him very much. I knew that there was more that God wanted from me and so I continued to learn His Word. He was asking for my heart, my obedience and my surrender on a daily basis. That knowledge has had a profound impact on how I pray, read the scriptures, and relate to others. It made me desire to become a better Christian, not only inside the church but everywhere I go.
This topic also brought to mind what Jesus said in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. These words bring me to faith in God's goodness and help me to be faithful to Him in my worship. I know I'm still not perfect; I know God is helping me to become more every day as I continue to follow His teachings.
Finally, I discovered that “true religion” has nothing to do with looks or routine. It is an obligation to love God, to obey His commandments, to assist others and to live a holy life. I have been challenged to consider my own life and to live according to God's words in this lesson. I pray I will become more and more a true believer and become such a believer that will give honor and glory to God.