Religion And Religious People

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those who long for vile images and detestable idols, I will repay them fully for their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” [Ezekiel 11.18-21] 

On this date in 2021, I wrote the article, What Are We Trusting In?. Then, on this date in 2024, I wrote, God Will Not Cohabit With Idols. I recommend reading both these articles.

Today, however, it should be pointed out that the conditions of Ezekiel 11.18-21 are made clear: God will not even begin to move in the hearts and lives of His people until idols are intentionally removed. This conditional language is a matter of principle with God and is therefore timeless - meaning it is as relevant today as it was the day it was written - and perhaps, even more so.

The sad, and also timeless, condition of man is his unwillingness to give up his idols.

In eternal relevance, Jesus Christ made no less conditional statements, a couple of which stand out:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Matthew 16.24-25]

As this author has pointed out elsewhere repeatedly, the Bible has been telling God's people this very message all along. The problem is found when people, for whatever reason (usually traceable to pride and rebellion), believe the Bible means something different than what it says.

The belief that the Bible means something different than what it says is called "religion."

When one believes that the Bible means something different than what it says, he is "religious."

It should never be forgotten that they were religious people who instigated Jesus' crucifixion. If we believe that the Bible means something different than what it actually says, we are the problem - we are the religious people of our day - we are, in effect, opposed to everything "Jesus."

Yes, the implications of this are damning on a "Christian" society that, instead of ridding themselves of idols, justifies them as necessary "gifts from God." This is precisely what "Christians" do today when they defend the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Every one of these idol industries exists to do for man what God said He would do for man, but these idols industries offer their benefits without accountability to God (among many other tell-tale idol-identifying characteristics).

God's disdain for idols is not going away. Idols prevented ancient man from enjoying God in all His fullness as pointed out in all the Bible and idols prevent man today from enjoying God in all His fullness (Jesus Christ). In Biblical language, "...they will [not] truly be my people, and I will [not] be their God" until they "remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols."

Again, this is everything Jesus demanded of His disciples and demands of us today:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Religion and religious people are the antithesis of Jesus. Instead of accepting Jesus' demands for face value, they proudly (rebelliously) defend their interpretations of what Jesus said. Idols are the way of man. Jesus said His followers MUST give up their own way...

Unsurprisingly, Ezekiel describes the problem in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading:

Again a message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people. [Ezekiel 12.1-2]

The accuracy of God's Word in describing the condition of man today is undeniable... God's people refuse to see and hear... 

Father, may Your true people see and hear the truth of Your Word. May they give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.