The Religion I practice, many people practice and I know that Religion is not going to the Church, wearing nice clothes, and calling the name of the Lord with your lips. True religion is to obey God heartily and to live in accordance with his commands. The scripture quoted in James 1:27 says that pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This verse brought me to realize that God sees more of what we do, and the condition of our hearts, than our outward appearance.
Previously, I would only have thought of religion as a gathering and a label of Christian. However, in the teachings from MCGI I found that the goal of religion is to transform the way one lives. Anybody who serves God should be loving, kind, patient, humble and honest. Jesus says to them in Matthew 15:8, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” My heart was moved by this scripture, as it revealed to me the possibility of being religious in the outward appearance but very distant from God in the heart.
I have had one occasion when it befallen me. I at one time wronged someone very close to me, and I didn't admit it, I made up for it because I'm embarrassed. Although I prayed and was at fellowship, my heart was troubled. On one day when reviewing the topic, I heard teachings on how to be humble and make peace with others. The Lord spoke to me personally, so I got emotional. Later, I was very apologetic to the person, and after the peace I felt is beyond description. A good time was had and I learned that no religion is actually to be proud of or draw attention to, but rather to have a clean heart before God and men.
The other thing I learned is that religion should take us nearer to God and closer to being better people. It should cause us to be reverent to God and to shun evil. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil – Proverbs 8:13 A servant of God does not want to willfully live in sin. Rather, we should aim every day to please God, even if it is hard.
To sum up, religion is more than a name or heritage that is handed down from generation to generation. True religion is serving God in truth, obeying His words, loving others and living a holy life. I pray that I may continue to be growing in faith with no hollow religion practiced outside of my heart, but a sincere and faithful heart towards God.