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Author Archives: Revzacc

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About Revzacc

I pastor a church in Watertown, Massachusetts. I also enjoy traveling, hiking, and enjoying new places and experiences.

Abraham’s Example

14 Dec
Abraham’s Example

We’re continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Roman church.  He’s laid a foundation by explaining the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ.  He now gives us an example of how this works.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?  If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God.

Romans 4:1-2

Paul brings us back to the start of a legacy of faith.  Even though people like Noah believed and obeyed God, Abraham was considered the father of God’s family on earth.

It seems clear that Abraham was the first to trust God and walk that faith out in a way to bring others along with him.  In that sense you could say that Abraham discovered the faith-walk.  Each new day seemed to bring him a new discovery about walking with God as a friend.

So, in his walk with the Lord, how was Abraham justified before God?  Was it because he worked hard at being good?  Not according to Scripture.

He did have some incredible works.  By faith, he left his ancestral home.  He even offered up his firstborn son.  But, even in all of that, he would have only been able to boast about it to other human beings.  God would not have been impressed.

What was it about Abraham that got God’s attention?

What does the Scripture say?  “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:3

To explain it, Paul quotes a verse from Genesis 15:6.  This should be the foundation for all that we understand about walking with the Lord.  Everything else is further along the path.

In Genesis, the Hebrew word used for credited means to think about or regard.  Immediately, when Abraham decided to trust what God spoke to him, God regarded that as righteousness.  That happened even before Abraham did anything to walk in it.

I like the way Paul translates that word (credited) for us in the Greek.  He uses a word that means to estimate or take an inventory.

I see it like this.  When we have faith, it’s directed towards God.  So Abraham sent his faith off in God’s direction.  When He received it, God listed it, in Abraham’s heavenly inventory, as righteousness.

This is an awesome truth.  When we have faith towards the Lord, He takes it and converts it into righteousness which He then places in our account.

Too many believers spend their lives trying very hard to purchase righteousness to send to God.  The unfortunate thing is that God will never accept that kind of righteousness.  We’re only spinning our wheels trying to please God in that way.

The only righteousness that God accepts is that which is found in Him.  The only way to purchase this righteousness is to direct our faith toward Jesus Christ.  There’s no other way.

Our good works are only a basis for boasting toward each other.  They hold no attraction with God.  We need the righteousness that can only come by faith.

Don’t spend all of your time chasing a losing cause.  Place your hope fully in the completed work of Christ on the cross.

Question: Why is righteousness by faith the best road to change in your life?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2020 in Faith, Legalism, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Prayer and Boasting

11 Dec
Prayer and Boasting

In the book of Romans, Paul talks at length about the righteousness that only comes by faith in Christ.  He takes us now to the next truth that we must understand.

Where, then, is boasting?  It is excluded.  On what principle?  On that of observing the law?  No, but on that of faith.  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Romans 3:27-28

Paul asks us some important questions here.  They need to be answered correctly if you’re going to progress in your walk with God.  Fortunately, he gives us the answers so we don’t have to guess.

In this whole discussion of righteousness, he now asks where boasting fits in.  It’s obvious why he does this.  Paul was a Pharisee.  The entire lifestyle of that sect revolved around boasting.

Many of the Pharisees made sure that they were very conspicuous during their times of prayer (Mark 12:40).  On days that they fasted, they looked like they could barely survive (Matthew 6:16).  They always kept the boxes of Scriptures they memorized (phylacteries) on their person to show how much they knew (Matthew 23:5).

Religion is a great supporter of boasting.  We want to compare ourselves with others.  We want to prove to ourselves that we’re doing better than most.  As if that gives us any points with God. (It doesn’t!)

But, the most interesting thing that I found was in the word, boasting itself.  It turns out that the Greek word used actually comes from a word that contains the word, prayer.  This is exactly where many of us get into trouble.

A good example of this is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector found in Luke 18:9-14.  This Pharisee came before God and started out by listing all the “spiritual” things he had done.

This idea brings frustration into our Christian walk.  We sometimes get the wrong impression that when we’re living right (i.e. – reading our Bible, praying, attending church) there’s a better chance that God’s going to hear and answer our prayers.

That’s actually a form of boasting.  Thinking that my good works will somehow impress God enough to make Him answer my prayer.  That’s absolutely not the case.

In actuality it doesn’t matter how religious I am.  None of my good works will improve my standing with the Father.  The key is that by faith, God sees me in Christ.  That’s what truly matters.

Paul goes on to confirm that whether you’re religious or not, it’s that same faith that makes us all acceptable to God.

Is God the God of Jews only?  Is he not the God of Gentiles too?  Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.  Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith?  Not at all!  Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:29-31

That’s something the think about.  It may not sound logical, but it’s the truth of our righteousness in Christ.  If I try and put myself under the law, I’ll never be justified before God.  If, on the other hand, I put my faith totally in Christ, I’m upholding the law of God in His eyes.

Praise God for His wonderful work!

Question: How have you seen the law of faith at work in your life?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 11, 2020 in Legalism, Prayer, Sonship, Spiritual Walk

 

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God’s Self-Restraint

09 Dec
God’s Self-Restraint

As we continue in Paul’s letter to the Roman church, he’s laying out for us the righteousness that only comes through Christ.  It’s something that could never be obtained through our good works.

God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:25-26

This one passage is absolutely jam-packed with truth.  We need to see it in all of its beauty.  It’s a wonderful description of God’s purpose in Christ Jesus.

The first thing Paul says is that God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement.  Some translations use the word, propitiation.  But just what does that mean to us?

In the Greek language that word literally means the atoning victim that brings satisfaction.  Something was done to displease God.  But a sacrifice was offered to do away with that displeasure.  Jesus Christ was this sacrifice.

It’s interesting to note that this word also had another use.  When the Jews translated the Old Testament into Greek, they used this word to indicate the Mercy Seat.  That was the cover of the Ark of the Covenant.

The Mercy Seat was where the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled each year to atone for the sins of Israel.  That makes Jesus Christ our “Mercy Seat”.  His blood now covers our sin.

The next sentence in the above verse is just as important.  It explains God’s reasoning behind the Lord’s sacrifice.

Paul tells us that God felt the need to demonstrate His justice.  That’s something that many people trip over in their spiritual walk.  It’s the old argument that “If God is good, why did He allow this thing to happen?”  “This thing”, being whatever evil thing the person is using for an example.

The above passage says that God used self-restraint so that He could ignore the sins that are committed.  Understand this – God wants to punish all sin.  However, He restrains Himself from following through with it immediately.

Why would God ever choose to do such a thing?  Paul gives us the reason.  God lets all of our sins go unpunished in the short term, so that He can place them on the perfect Sacrifice; Jesus Christ.

People get upset when they see what they consider to be huge sins.  Things like drug cartels destroying the lives of thousands of people.  They see dictators murdering those who oppose them.  They say that if God is so good, why does He allow this?  These murderers should be immediately judged.

What we don’t understand is that God is perfectly just.  If He judged these evil people immediately, then He would have had to judge me immediately the first time I disobeyed my parents.  Personally, I’m immensely grateful for God’s self-restraint.

God is giving everyone the opportunity to turn to Christ in repentance.  Then, through faith in His blood, allow the atoning work of Christ to give us a “not guilty” verdict.

Even though it was my sin that displeased God, it was the sacrifice of Christ that put me back into right relationship with Him.  What a beautiful picture of Jesus’ work on the cross.

We should be proclaiming this to all who will listen.

Question: How grateful are you for this atoning work of Christ Jesus?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 9, 2020 in Faith, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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The Gift of Righteousness

07 Dec
The Gift of Righteousness

As we continue through the book of Romans, we’ve seen the frustration of trying to be righteous by following a set of religious rules.  It should be clear that our own self-righteousness is not enough to please God.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

Romans 3:21

This verse makes it clear that it cannot be by my works.  It’s apart, separate from the law.  This means that I have to access the power of God in order to live righteously.  Anything else is trying to put the cart before the horse.  If my goal is to live righteously in order to walk in the power of God, then I’ve chosen a path of weakness and frustration.

And yet, so many people are trying to walk this very way.  The Bible is clear on the outcome.  So let me ask, what if I try to obtain righteousness through obedience to the law?  What if I try my hardest to live up to what I’m told is right?

I can read my Bible daily, go to church on time every week, pray every day, and tithe.  On top of that, I can make sure that I don’t lie, cheat, steal, walk in anger, gossip, or envy.  What’s wrong with trying to live up to a godly standard with my own strength?

The problem is that self-righteousness will never gain access to the blessings found only in Christ.  For that, I’ll need a righteousness that’s far greater than I could ever accomplish on my own.  It could only be provided by God Himself.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:22-24

The righteousness that pleases the Lord can only be obtained by faith.  I know that this goes against what many people assume.  They think that pleasing God is a hard, back-breaking burden.  On the contrary, it’s something that God wants to bestow upon you freely.

The second sentence of this passage is very important.  I know that we only like to quote the middle of it.  In its entirety, it shows us a beautiful picture of God’s grace.

Paul is referring to what he talked about in the two previous chapters of Romans.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re an ungodly sinner or a highly religious person.  Through faith in Jesus Christ you can access this grace and receive His free work of justification.

This passage of Scripture makes it very plain.  All of the sin in your past doesn’t make you too far away from this grace.  In the same way, all of your religious works doesn’t put you any closer.  We all start at the same level.  We fall short of God’s glory.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Ephesians 1:7-8

If I want a righteousness that grants me access to God’s presence, it’s only found one way.  I can’t earn it or work hard enough to achieve it.  I must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, be found in Him.

This is the only path to true righteousness.  It was God’s desire, in His great wisdom, to make it as easy as possible for mankind to be saved.

Question: Why do we find it so hard to accept God’s free gift of righteousness?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2020 in Faith, Legalism, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Law’s Purpose

04 Dec
The Law’s Purpose

We’re continuing Paul’s discussion of religious people in the book of Romans.  We’ve seen that even though they have the advantage of access to the Bible, they’re actually no better off than anyone else.

Now the apostle is concluding this subject.  He is about to give us the bottom line of the religious lifestyle without a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Romans 3:19

Paul is clear.  The law can only speak to those who choose to be under it.  If you choose to be under a set of religious rules, then it’s those very rules that will judge you.

What we need to understand is that God is not judging you.  It’s your own legalism that judges.

God has allowed this for a very special purpose.  He’s hoping that it will draw you to the freedom that’s only found in Christ.

The judgment of the law does two things.  First of all, it silences everyone.  Actually, the phrase, be silenced, literally means to be fenced in or blocked on every side.  Taken to its fullest measure, the law leaves no room for the excuses or justification that we like to give ourselves.

When confronted by our mistakes we usually start becoming defensive.  We give all the reasons why what we did was right at the time.  Unfortunately, the law is a cruel and heartless master.  It allows no way out.

The other part of the law is translated as held accountable, in the above verse.  That means to be already sentenced and under a “guilty” verdict.

With the law there is no appeals process.  As soon as you sin, you’re pronounced guilty.  No need for a trial – the law is supreme.

Why would anyone want to live in that type of environment?  Yet, there are many who do – both saved and unsaved.

Paul concludes this section with the only reason for the existence of the law.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:20

If you’re living under a set of religious rules hoping to prove to God how good you are, then I feel very sorry for you.  You’re destined for failure.

The law makes us conscious of what sin is.  Then, once we know about it, we’re responsible for the consequences of our failures.

The only purpose of the law is to prove to us just how impossible it is to please God by our own efforts.  It’s actually only the first step in a path toward salvation.

All of what’s written in the above post may sound pretty depressing.  It is…without the freedom and victory found only in the name of Jesus Christ.

From here on in the book of Roman’s, Paul will lay out for us the road to this freedom.  Don’t miss it.  Don’t stay stuck in the mire of legalism.  Lay hold of the life of freedom that the Lord purchased for you on the cross.

If you don’t yet subscribe to this blog, you may want to, so that you don’t miss this ongoing study.

Question: How have you been hurt by legalism?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2020 in Legalism, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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The Religious Problem

02 Dec
The Religious Problem

For the past few posts we’ve been looking at the advantage of religion.  That is, the advantage of having a basic knowledge of what the Bible says.  But is that enough?

Are you a better person in God’s eyes by being religious?

What shall we conclude then?  Are we any better?  Not at all!  We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

Romans 3:9-11

Here’s the problem.  Even though a religious person may appear to be better on the outside, without a relationship with Christ, they’re still lost.  Unfortunately, because they’re doing good things, they think that everything’s okay.

The fact remains that even though they may read the Bible, they have no understanding of God’s plan of salvation.  They’ve never laid hold of Christ’s forgiveness.  They think they’re headed in the right direction, but they’re outside the family of God.

Paul has some strong words for these people.

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Romans 3:12-18

In my experience, I’ve found that religious people are the hardest ones to witness to.  They see all of their good works and think that’s enough to save them.

What they fail to understand is that sin is not an external problem.  It needs to be dealt with on the inside of all of us.

When we stand before God’s Judgment Seat, there’s no set of scales.  He will not see if our good works outweigh our evil deeds.  The only question at that time will be; did you bow your knees to Christ as Lord and Savior?

That being said, there’s another thing that we need to realize.  Not all religious people are unsaved.  I know this may come as a shock to some Christians.

There are many believers in so called religious denominations.  Yes, I’m talking about Roman Catholic and Orthodox type denominations.

Those of us in less religious groups should spend more time talking with them instead of judging them.  I have personally shared with hundreds in these religions.  I’ve found that many have the same precious faith that I do.

Please understand, they don’t have the same religious vocabulary that I have.  In spite of that, I’ve found that during their lives, they’ve prayed for Jesus Christ to enter their lives and change them.  They pray, in Jesus’ name, for God’s blessing upon their lives.

No, they may not use terms like “sinner’s prayer”, “born again”, or “getting saved.”  But I could tell by their heart-felt words that they have a deep rooted faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We can’t just assume that because someone doesn’t worship like us, they’re not saved.  We need to evangelize those who are truly lost, without Christ.

Question: How did you first come to know about Christ?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2020 in Faith, Legalism, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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“I’m Only Human”

30 Nov
“I’m Only Human”

We’re continuing our look at Paul’s letter to the Roman church.  He’s speaking about those who think that following religious rules makes them better than others.

In my last post we saw that there’s an advantage to being religious.  At least you have access to the Scripture.  So, you have a foundation to eventually build your faith on.

Paul now talks about some arguments people have who think that their good works will save them.

But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say?  That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us?  (I am using a human argument.)  Certainly not!  If that were so, how could God judge the world?  Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”  Why not say — as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say — “Let us do evil that good may result”?  Their condemnation is deserved.

Romans 3:5-8

This is the problem with looking merely at good works.  We can’t judge by outward appearances.  It leads us to some wrong conclusions.

“I’m only human, so I’m not perfect.  That should bring out God’s perfection even clearer.  So, I shouldn’t be corrected when I do wrong.”  That’s a human argument that flies against the teaching of Scripture.

I’ve heard it said in many different forms, but it all comes down to the same theme.

“What do you expect, I’m not Jesus.”

“Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”

“It doesn’t matter as long as you try your best.  God can’t judge you for that.”

“If I were God…”

All of these are based upon human logic and the desire to justify ourselves.  In reality, they fail to take into account the power of the Holy Spirit who wants to work in us.

The fact is that God is going to judge everyone based upon His righteousness.  It has nothing to do with what we, as human beings, think about as fair.

If we’re in Christ, then we receive the “not guilty” verdict because of His righteousness, not ours.  Without Christ, no matter how many good works we’ve accumulated, we’re condemned.

But that’s not the end of the story.  Even as believers we’ll be judged on our obedience.  That’s how our rewards, or lack thereof, will be determined.

That brings us to the second half of the above passage.  It’s the old saying that the ends justify the means.

It doesn’t matter how I accomplish it, as long as I get the right results.  Paul is clear.  That kind of thinking is condemned by the Lord.

I’ve seen this tactic used in many different ways throughout my years as a believer.  I’ve seen churches that have used prostitutes to attract the unsaved to hear the Gospel.  Others promised a big bank account if you come to Christ.

Paul goes through all of this because he’s trying to make a point.  There is an advantage to being religious – you have a basic understanding of who God is.  The problem is, what you do with this knowledge.

The important thing is to follow through on everything that the Bible teaches us.  We need the whole revelation of the Lord. 

Then we’ll rest upon the salvation that’s only found in the name of Jesus Christ.  After that, we’ll submit to the working of the Holy Spirit in us to perfect true righteousness and holiness in us.

Question: How has the Lord changed you since you accepted Him as your Lord?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2020 in Legalism, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Religious Advantage

27 Nov
The Religious Advantage

We’re continuing our study through the book of Romans.  Paul has been talking about religious people without Christ.  He makes the point that there’s a problem of pride involved in this group.

He now moves on to another point.  Is there some advantage to being religious?

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?  Much in every way!  First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Romans 3:1-2

If you remember, the apostle started by saying that there’s no advantage to being a sinner apart from God.  He then started talking about religion and the fact that all of your good works can’t save you.

Now, however, he says that there’s an advantage that religion brings.  According to Paul, the greatest plus is the fact that they have access to the Word of God.  Religious people have the Bible available to them and they’re somewhat familiar with it.

I can see this exemplified in our society.  Right now, people aren’t as religious as they used to be.  A hundred years ago, even many unsaved people would attend a church service.  A lot of them would even read the Bible.

When you would try to evangelize, they knew some of the Scriptures you referred to.  Many of them would even hold the Bible in high esteem.

In our present society, most unchurched people have no clue what the Bible says.  The fact that you quote a Scripture means nothing to them.  Now, the best evangelism is a testimony of how God changed your life.

So the advantage of religion is a basic understanding of who God is.  It at least has a foundation in the fact that there’s a God.

Now the issue is faith.

What if some did not have faith?  Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?  Not at all!  Let God be true, and every man a liar.  As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”

Romans 3:3-4

Paul’s next question is; what if they have access to this Word and don’t believe it?  Does that make it worthless?

The resounding answer is “NO!”.  God doesn’t need me to believe Him for Him to be right.  God’s Word stands whether I believe it or not.

The phrase, prevail when you judge, literally means God is victorious in His decisions.  God is going to perform His Word no matter what the circumstances look like.  He doesn’t need my input to be victorious.  The Lord is perfectly capable in and of Himself.

My agreement with the Word of God simply puts me in position to walk with Him in His victory.  That’s something we all need to learn.

There’s a phrase I used to hear a lot when I was younger.  “God said it…I believe it…that settles it.”

Now that I’m older (and maybe a bit wiser), I’ve grown very uncomfortable with that saying.  I believe that it should be revised.  For it to truly reflect the Scripture it should be, “God said it…that settles it!”

The advantage of religion is that is gives you a basic knowledge of God.  But we need to go beyond that.  We need to know the Word and, by faith, trust it and walk in it.  That’s how we can receive the full blessings of our victory in Christ.

Question: What kind of religious foundation, if any, did you have before receiving Christ as your Lord?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2020 in Faith, The Gospel, Word of God

 

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Rules vs. Spirit

23 Nov
Rules vs. Spirit

In my last post we started to see that legalism is really a form of hypocrisy.  We’ll never be able to follow a set of rules, even if we’re the ones who came up with them.

Now Paul continues by talking about those who follow God without even knowing the rules.

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.  If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?  The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

Romans 2:25-27

Paul uses circumcision as a picture of following a law.  That’s because it was the outward sign of the covenant for the Jews.  No God-fearing Jew would ever let their infant go without being circumcised.

The problem is that you can have the sign of the covenant without obeying the terms of the covenant.

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 2:28-29

It’s not enough to only deal with the outward.  Our outside will never permanently change unless we have a change of heart. The problem is that our heart itself is very deceptive. We can’t always trust what we’re feeling.

That’s why true change can never be imposed upon us from the outside, by the written code. It must come from the inside, by the power of the spirit. Isn’t it great to know that your spirit can change your heart?

It’s important to know that, right from the start, Paul explains that change is by the Spirit and not by following rules.  Even something like circumcision, which was a part of God’s law to the Jews, has no power to bring about change.

In this letter to the Romans, Paul is bringing us to the realization that we can only serve God acceptably through the spirit.  It’s something that’s consistent through all his writings.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:16

Understanding the power of prayer in the spirit should give us insight into what this verse is actually saying. Many times, when people quote this verse, they’re using it as a weapon.

I’ve heard people say things like, “Look at how that person lives, and they call themselves a Christian. They’re walking in their flesh so they must not have the Holy Spirit in them. They can’t really be saved.”

This isn’t a verse that Paul gave us to test whether a person is saved or not. This is a passage of Scripture to tell us how to receive the power we need to walk in victory over the flesh. The only way you’ll have the power you need to not gratify the flesh, is to live your life in the spirit.

You cannot do it by exercising the will power of your soul, or even disciplining your body. This means that you spend time praying in the spirit, communing with God in the realm of the spirit. That’s where we access the power to overcome the desires of the flesh.

It’s never about following rules.  It’s always about submitting to the Holy Spirit.

Question: Why is it impossible for us to simply follow a set of rules?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2020 in Legalism, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Religion is the Problem

20 Nov
Religion is the Problem

We’re continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Roman church. As we do so, we’re beginning to understand the problem of religion without a relationship with Christ.

Paul now asks some important questions for those who are self-righteous.

…you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?  You who preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Romans 2:21-23

Remember what I mean by self-righteous religious people.  I’m talking about those who have developed a set of rules that they think makes them better than everyone else.

One of the biggest problems is that these folks have a double standard.  They understand the weakness and imperfection of their own humanity.  So they judge themselves based upon their intentions.  They want to do the right things.

But when it comes to others they have a different way of seeing things.  They’ll judge you based upon what they see you do, regardless of your intentions.

That’s why Paul starts with a question about their desire to teach others.  Do you teach the same standard to yourself that you hold up for others?  Do you sin internally, while publically judging others for the same type of outward sin?

Religion gives the false impression that God grades on a curve.  They think that as long as my good works outweigh my bad works, I’m okay in God’s eyes.  Unfortunately, they forget one simple spiritual truth.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.”  If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

James 2:10-11

This is a major principle of the law.  It only takes one sin to makes you a sinner.  You only need to break one law to become a lawbreaker.  That’s why we all need the Savior.

A type of movie that I enjoy watching is the organized crime (mafia) movie.  I find it interesting that many of these crime bosses are deeply religious.  They go to confession and give a great deal of money to their church.

They think that they’re okay.  Their good works outweigh the bad.  Religion lulls them into a false sense of security.

That’s why religion is the problem.  It gives the world a bad view of Jesus Christ and Christianity.

As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 2:24

The word, blasphemed, means to vilify or speak bad about.  The actual statement Paul makes is that God’s name is vilified through you.

Who is it that’s actually profaning the name of God?  It’s the holier-than-thou religious people that the world is watching.  They say, “These people think they’re better than us simply because they go to church.”

People in the world aren’t stupid.  They see the double standard.  They see the hypocrisy.  It causes them to write off true Christianity.

As much as we’re able, we need to live for Christ according to Scriptural principles.  That’s what Paul is leading up to in this letter.  Be a true follower of Christ in this world.

Question: How do you stay clean from the hypocrisy of religion?

© 2020 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2020 in Legalism, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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