Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
There is a theme running throughout this chapter that I see as a test of faith versus religion.
Religion is all about show and results. It is man-centered. Religion seeks to bring about what the religionist sees as the benefits of their beliefs through human effort. If the religionist believes in God, and I think it’s questionable; I think the religionist believes in the culture, the worldview, the traditions of his religion. He doesn’t necessarily trust God, nor does he need God. All he needs is enough resources to enforce his views upon others. He doesn’t necessarily trust what he does so people will see and respond in the manner he wishes of him.
When he gets that response, he has his reward.
Faith, the thing Jesus came to promote, is entirely different. So much so that it’s inconceivable that it’s what God teaches. Faith is between God and man. It is entirely not manipulative. Faith needs no results, no response from others. Faith needs no reward. Faith trusts God. Faith rests not in the temporal results of earthiness, but in the promised rewards of eternity.
Many an atheist is nothing other than a frustrated religionist. Perhaps they grew up in a religious family. It could be they warmly attempted religion for a time. I’ve met some of them who insist that they were saved, and a few of them who even entered into the ministry, but they were religionists. And when they became dissatisfied with the reward, they concluded that God does not exist.
Faith knows God is. He knows it in his soul, he sees God in the creation, and he hears God through the Word of God, the Bible. Faith knows God is and is content to meet him in the secret place of the heart, to pray in the closet where no one hears but God, and to wait until he meets God in heaven to receive his reward.
#FaithOverReligion #EternalPerspective #HeartForGod #TrustGodNotMan #SecretPlaceFaith
Faith vs. Religion: Trusting God in the Secret Place
Take a moment today to reflect: Are you living by faith or striving for the rewards of religion? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Then, set aside a quiet time to pray and seek God in the secret place of your heart. For more insights and resources on living a faith-filled life, visit marvinmckenzie.org.
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