Pure Religion

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday, August 23, 2015
Chapters: Jeremiah 43-46
Message Title: Pure Religion

Hello My Friend,

Religion, a group of people following a system of faith and worship. There are many religions that reference God, and even some that represent Jesus, rarely does their system include following the Bible, and if it does, it's bits and pieces of it. Christianity in itself is getting a bad rap, and it's not because of the hypocrisy that many claim it to be, it's religion, rather their lack of a system of faith and worship of God's Holy Word. When the world sees people who call themselves Christians living as they are, sometimes worse, it's no wonder Christianity itself is being criticized. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion 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.” - James 1:26,27.

To keep himself unspotted from the world, a Christian should be separated from the world, we are in the world, not of the world, that means we should not be living the ways of the world, but of Christ. Many religions impose strict rules that have nothing to do with God's Word, in fact, they go against it, introducing things like idolatry, human sacrifice, and immorality. This is the exact reason why God had placed such harsh judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, which was the city of God. Now, the remaining Jews in Judah are trying to escape to Egypt from the judgment, they forget that no one can escape God's judgments. Into Egypt they went, and took Jeremiah with them, in which God sent them another message, foretelling the king of Babylon's pursuit of them in Egypt.

“And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them. And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword. And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace. He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.” - Jeremiah 43:10-13.

It's one thing to forsake God all together and deny Him, which comes with it's own consequences, it's another to mix Him with other religions, aka other gods. Any religion that creates God to be who they want Him to be and disregards the Bible creates another god, a false god, and God will not compete with any other god. God will punish those who deceive His professing people, or tempt them to rebellion. “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” - Ephesians 5:5-7.

Rebellion, open resistance to lawful authority. When religion ignores or changes God's Word to comply to their system of faith and worship they are resisting the lawful authority of God. This has many more consequences than just ignoring God. When Jeremiah told the people that God was coming after them for their idolatry and worshiping the queen of heaven, they completely rebelled and turned to the false gods. Jeremiah confronts them with a stern rebuke.

“Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind? So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.” - Jeremiah 44:20-23.

God does not and will not condone His people worshiping false gods, even if we are saved you can be sure that God will come after us if we turn from Him to them, aka false religion. Jesus Himself said that many false prophets will come deceiving even the elect, which are the saved. God may not send His people into eternal damnation, but they will suffer the consequences of following a false religion. And yes, there sin that can be the death of us. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” - Matthew 24:24,42-44.

Judgment began at the house of God, but it will not end there, through Jeremiah, God foretells of the judgment of the neighboring nations, beginning with Egypt. Most of them taken under the king of Babylon just like Judah, until Babylon itself will be judged also. A word of comfort is given to the Israel in the midst of the judgments. “The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him: And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD. But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.” - Jeremiah 46:25-28.

Judgment always begins with God's people, we are His children therefore we are going to get the whipping we deserve for allowing all these things to happen in the first place. God's wrath will not be forever with His own, He will be with them, He will correct them, but He will not punish them with everlasting damnation. True religion does not come from a set of strict rules made up by man, it is of God, and more importantly our obedience to God's Word. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” - James 1:19-22.

Today's Prayer: God, There are so many religions out there that it's hard to tell true from false, what it all comes down to is this, that we follow Your Word. Lord, let us not get caught up in false religion or false preacher or teachers who only deceive Your people, but let us get caught up in Your Word so that we know the truth. Give us Your power to be hearers and doers of Your Word, and let us be the example You need us to be to show the true Christ to a lost and dying world. In Jesus' name, amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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