135. Religion, The Kinds of
135. Religion, The Kinds of
135 THE KINDS OF RELIGION
INTRODUCTION This is a common word, but not understood.(James 1:9-27.) Benjamin Kidd said: "A visitor from another world would find this word frequently used but not understood."
1. WHAT IS RELIGION?
1. Layman Abbott said: ’"Religion is life."
2. Herbert Spencer said: "It is belief in the unknowable. "
3. Robespierre: "It is the worship of humanity."
4. Tom Paine: "Religion is doing good."
5. The derivation of the word:
(a) Re-again, the second time; ligo, to bind back. (b) No religion in garden of Eden. (c) Any system of faith and worship.
II. THE BIBLE USE OF THE WORD 1. Not found in Old Testament.
2. The idea is found there, but not the word.
3. Adjective form "religious" twice. (Acts 17:22; James 1:26.) 4. Noun fonn used six times.
5. Difference between being "religious" and a "Christian."
6. People do not get religion.
III. THE THREE KINDS OF RELIGIONS 1. The Jew’s religion.
(a) Festus, a Roman, calls it "their own religion. " (Acts 25:19.) (b) Paul called it "o ur religion." (Acts 26:5.) (c) Again he calls it "the Jews’ religion. " (Galatians 1:13-14.) (d) God blessed the worshipper of this religion as long as he was faithful to the law of Moses. (e) Christ took the law out of the way. (Colossians 2:14.) (f) The Jews’ religion now out of date-void.
2. Vain Religion. (James 1:27.) (a) God has never accepted this kind . (b) "A vain worship " comes from "a vain religion." (c) What is "vain worship?" (Matthew 15:7-9.) (d) Any worship in which the heart is not in it is vain. (e) All the doctrines and precepts of men are vain.
3. Religion that is pure. (James 1:27.) (a) This is synonymous with Christianity. (b) Its two elements-positive and negative. (c) Isaiah 1:16-17 ---positive: learn to do well ; negative: cease to do evil. (Amos 5:14.) (d) Romans 12:19-20 -positive: feed enemy; negative: avenge not. (e) Colossians 3:9-10 ---negative : put off old man ; positive: put on the new man. (f) Matthew 16:24 -negative: deny self; positive: follow me.
CONCLUSION Let us be doers and not hearers only.
"He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek (trust and obey) Him."