Religion is NOT Salvation, Part Two, True Faith Vs Man-Made Traditions

True Faith vs Religion.

Now we just talked about the key. The Way, The Truth, and The Life. The fact that Jesus IS the key to Salvation. The fact that without Him, you can not enter into Heaven. The fact that "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

You see it really is that simple. You accept the gift. You receive the key. You are adopted into the family of God, and he becomes your Father. He tells us, that, His people are a family. That being a Child of God, you are now Heirs. 

Romans 8

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

How many of you are parents? You have a child and all of a sudden, nothing else really matters. When the child is a baby, you have to treat it as a baby. Feed it, burp it, change it. Do everything for it. As it grows, you teach it. As it gets older, it will make it's own choices. You still love him or her, no matter what choice they make. However, once they reach a certain age, they will decide the direction of their life. Either they will follow what you have taught them, or they will go out on their own. But you are still their parent, and they are still your children.

God is the same way. He wants you to get to know Him. He wants to spend time with you. You with Him. He wants to teach you all things and the ways you should go. Religion, comes in and attempts to teach us God's Will. However, Religion IS Man. Organized Religion is Man-made traditions. Man-made beliefs. Man-made rules and regulations. What to do. Not to do. What to eat. What to wear. How to speak. ETC.

Now do not misunderstand me here. Religion is not evil. I'm not saying that. Many Religions out there are a good thing. They DO teach you a lot. New faithful need guidance. There is something very powerful when people of faith come together. So please do not think I am attacking Religion.

The problem is, Religion for Religion sake is pointless and can actually do more harm than good. If the Religion that you belong to, does not have the Key, what's the point? If the Religion you belong to, tells you things that are NOT in the Word of God? What's the point? If you are mindlessly following traditions of men, in the hopes of feeling Holy, Just, or even simply forgiven, if God is not involved, you accomplish nothing.

Religion is one of those things that Man has created. The sad thing? I could create my own Religion. I could use God. I could quote the Word. I could convince you that I am the only way to Heaven. That if you follow me, you will be blessed with eternal life and many blessings here in this time. I could call it Carlockism. Many would follow me if I SOUND right. If I am charismatic enough, I will have a bunch of Carlockians running around when I die. In time, some may decide that they do not agree with all my teaching, but they do agree with others, so they break off and form their own Religion. They are the Petetites. In time, the PCs, Petetites, Carlockians, Petcarians, the, Carpetians, are all running around. Problem is? I did all this minus one thing. I never mentioned the name Jesus the Christ.

Acts 4:

2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

So you see, they had no problem with them teaching God. They did not tell them to stop. They commanded them to stop using the name Jesus. Many Religions today are the same way. They are not evil. They do a lot of good in the world. They can lead you right up to the Gate of Heaven. But they do not have the key.

What did Jesus himself say about Religion? Some Religions have strict dogmas. Rules, regulations, and "Laws" that one must follow to be a good "Insert name here."

Lets begin in 

Matthew 15

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Think about that for a second. That IS Religion. We take the Word of God, and we pick and chose what we want to follow and what we want to ignore. Then we create Religions to teach these things. Remember, He is talking to religions folks here. Priests, and such.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. Just because you may be following the traditions of men, doesn't mean you are following God's Word. Or HIS Teachings. Jesus continues...

10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Jesus was quoting this Scripture.

Isaiah 29

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

God was warning us about Religion for Religion sake, even back then. In..

Mark 7

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

I have many Catholic friends. I have been in Catholic Churches for Mass. Here is a few things I notice. First, people bowed down to Statues.

Commandment number 2

Exodus 20:

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

I remember this story of two Priests. Their sole job was to transport this statue of Mary around the world. When the flew, they bought three seats. The two Priests sat on the ends with the Statues of Mary in the middle. There is no life in that Statue. It is made by MAN. Not God.

I saw people bow before the Statue of Jesus. Again, there is no life in the Statue. I saw people praying in vain repetitions. "Our Father who is in Heaven......"

Matthew 6:

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Right before He gave us the "Our Father Prayer. He said this. Yet, I think the Priest lead the people in the "Our Father" Prayer three times. Twice leaving out the "For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Amen!"

I saw people praying to Mary. Jesus said HE is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. That NO ONE comes to the Father but by Him. The Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, is the one that Jesus gives us that teaches, leads, heals, and makes intercession for us. Mary can do nothing. The Saints can do nothing. We do not need a Saint for travel, peace, hope, food, whatever. All we need is The Holy Spirit. All we need is Jesus. We can BOLDLY walk into the Throne Room of God Himself and say "Hi." All this other stuff is nothing more than traditions of men.

How can you tell, when looking for a Church, if they are indeed teaching the Truth according to God, and not solely the traditions of men? Of course, you can tell by what they say sometimes, but you can tell more, by what they DO. According to,,,

Matthew 7:

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

So if you are looking for a Church, look at what they are doing. Are they going out to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and given peace to those in need? Are they using the Tithes and Offerings to help others? Is what they are telling you actually IN The Word? Are they producing anything? Are people being Saved because of them? That is the sort of thing you should look into before committing to becoming a Member of that Church. Remember what Jesus said? Remember he was talking to the Priests and Rulers of the Synagogues, The Religious folks.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

That has to be one of the scariest passages in the Word. Because if you hear that from Jesus, you are done. There is no turning back. No do overs. Nothing. It's over. You can be as religious as you want. You can follow the rules and regulations of your Religion to the T. You can receive great admiration by man. You can be appointed into positions of power and authority by man. But? What does God think? Does HE know you? Do you know HIM? Are you REALLY doing His Will? Do you have the Key, that IS Jesus? 

In 

John 6

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Think about that. You find Jesus because God leads you to Him. You may very well be reading this right now, because God lead you here. From here, you start your journey to finding out God's Will and plan for you.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Talking of course about the upcoming crucifixion.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Remember what he said to Satan when Satan tempted Him to eat. He said "You shall not live by Bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from God." Of course Jesus is not talking about cannibalism here. He is talking about the Word of God, feeding your Spirit. The Communion, is a symbol of faith. It is an act to imitated the Last Supper. The Passover. The final time Jesus was with us before the crucifixion.

Now Religion can make many FEEL that they are better than anyone else. Some of the most Racist, Hateful, and Nastiest people I have ever met, are Religious folks. The Holier than thou crowd. I'm not kidding. I have been with people, briefly, that will say "Praise Jesus!" and "Amen!" after every sentence, yet, will outright HATE anyone that doesn't look like them. Will talk trash about others that they smile to when they are with them. Will lie, cheat, and steel, to get whatever they want.

People will go to Church, Praise God for an Hour a week, then go home, and get drunk. Or get High. They will go and Praise God, then go and cheat on their spouses. They will Praise God, and yet, do nothing to serve Him. A lot will not even take time out to get to know Him. That is why Jesus had this conversation with them. Remember again, Jesus is not talking to Joe the street sweeper. He is talking to the Priests, and religious folks. In

John 8

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Then Jesus says one of the other most scariest things He ever says. Until you understand it. But this is the truth folks. You are part of TWO families. Two you are Born into. One you can chose to leave, and be adopted into the Third. You are born into the family, the "Smith" Family. The "Insert name here" Family. And you are born INTO, regardless of what Religion your Mom and Dad belong to, not matter that you got wet as a baby in a Church with some big scary guy puts water on your forehead. None of that matters. You are born into your Earthly Family, and you are born into the Family of the Devil. Listen to what Jesus says here. REALLY hear Him.

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

What Jesus is saying to these people, is that they are so caught up in the following of their man-made traditions, called Religion, that they could not see the Truth, when it was right there in front of them. Many times we do this. When get so caught up in Religion, Politics, Culture, whatever, that we become blind to anything else. We become so focuses on the "Me" factor, that we fail to see anyone or anything else. If you are a Black man, you can not possibly believe anything a White man says. If you are a Jew, you can not possibly believe anything a Christian says. If you are a Democrat, you can not possibly believe anything a Republican says. ETC. We get so caught up in following the traditions of those that came before, we can not hear anything that may be new to us. We can not believe that what we have always believed, may not be the truth.

I remember a story I heard once. There was a flood. A Man and his family were forced to go up to his roof. The water kept rising. A boat came by and said to the man, "Get in." The man said. "God will save us." Water rises more, and another boat comes. "Get in." The man says "God will save us." Now the water is on the roof. A third boat comes and says, "You will die here. Get in!" The man says, "You know not what you are saying. We are a family of God. God will save us!" He and his family die. They go to Heaven. He says to God. "Why did you not save us." God says, "I sent you three boats."

Jesus is the Boat. He is the Truth. He is the Way. He is the Life. We are wading around in the flood of iniquity. We live in sin. The flood rises everyday. Jesus is saying to you, "get in." What say you? Now hear these words by Paul. Remember Paul? He was a man equal to Hitler in every way, until Jesus met him on the Road to Damascus. He, in essence, said "follow me" and Saul said "yes." Saul became Paul. In

Galatians 1

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

This is very powerful. Paul is telling them here that he once killed and enslaved God's chosen people. He received great profit and praise, received high positions of power in his Religion. He was "great" in the eyes of his Religion. Yet, he found that he was wrong. He stopped listening to the teachings of his Religion, he started to learn from God himself. You can too. It's called a one on one relationship with God. Read His Word. Ask Him to teach you. Learn from the Spirit. In

1 Thessalonians 2

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

Again, you see that it is not about Religion. You know, I was once told by a kid "I am not suppose to talk to you." Why not? I asked him. "Because you are not clean. You are beneath me." I asked, do you believe that? He didn't know. We ended up playing paper football on the Front Desk in a Hotel, where the Boy was attending a Religious Ceremony.

Religion teaches of a Loving God, yet, we must hate and shun those that are not like us? Religion teaches Salvation, but not for all? Religion teaches us to KILL those that are not like us. Yes Religion teaches us many things. But do you REALLY know who God is? Do you have the Key? Are you doing God's Will, or the Will of man? Are you making the Commandments of God of no effect, in the keeping of Man-made traditions? These are the things you really need to asked yourself.

Learn from God. He will teach you. Have faith in Him. In His Word. Seek out His Will, His plan and purpose for you and your life. If someone tells you something that is not in the Word, they are lying to you. If they tell you something that is not of God, they are telling you things of man. Get to know the truth. For if you know the truth, you will not fall for a lie. God is the truth. His Word is the truth. Everything else is traditions of men.

Until next time, God Bless, and Jesus IS Lord!