www.godquestionscafe.wordpress.comwww.godquestionscafe.wordpress.com

How do we How do we

determine what is determine what is

man-inspired man-inspired

religion and what is religion and what is

God-inspired God-inspired

religion?religion?

Christ hated the ‘man-Christ hated the ‘man-

inspired’ religion of the dayinspired’ religion of the day

•Luke 11:40Luke 11:40

•Mark 7:6Mark 7:6

•Matthew 23:16-17Matthew 23:16-17

Christ broke virtually all Christ broke virtually all of the man-inspired of the man-inspired religion of His dayreligion of His day

•He worked on the SabbathHe worked on the Sabbath

•Touched lepersTouched lepers

•Spoke to Samaritans and Spoke to Samaritans and

ProstitutesProstitutes

•Disdained political Disdained political

correctnesscorrectness

Christ did not come to Christ did not come to bring religion, he came bring religion, he came

to bring….?to bring….?

•John 17:22,23John 17:22,23

•Luke 19:10Luke 19:10

Man Inspired Religion Man Inspired Religion Complicates; God Complicates; God Inspired Religion Inspired Religion

SimplifiesSimplifies•We satisfy God Inspired We satisfy God Inspired

Religion by receiving Grace Religion by receiving Grace

and forgiveness and forgiveness

• We reflect that simple We reflect that simple

occurrence by growing in occurrence by growing in

sanctification thru Bible study sanctification thru Bible study

& word and sacrament& word and sacrament

Man Inspired Religion Man Inspired Religion Complicates; God Complicates; God Inspired Religion Inspired Religion

SimplifiesSimplifies•Man inspired religion says Man inspired religion says

Go to a buildingGo to a building

Fulfill this codeFulfill this code

Recite these wordsRecite these words

Perform this ritePerform this rite

What does God say What does God say about man-inspired about man-inspired

religion?religion?

I hate, I despise your religious I hate, I despise your religious

feasts; I cannot stand your feasts; I cannot stand your

assembliesassemblies

Amos 5:21Amos 5:21

Why would God say that Why would God say that

He despises their He despises their

assemblies?assemblies?•God instituted all of these God instituted all of these feasts that He now condemnsfeasts that He now condemns•These rites and feasts were These rites and feasts were put in place to teach about sin put in place to teach about sin and its consequencesand its consequences•The Jews turned these feasts The Jews turned these feasts and rites into a formulaic act and rites into a formulaic act with no substance of with no substance of repentancerepentance

Why would God say that Why would God say that

He despises their He despises their

assemblies?assemblies?•The Jews turned God-inspired The Jews turned God-inspired religion into Man-inspired religion into Man-inspired religionreligion•This is similar to those today This is similar to those today whose Man-inspired religion whose Man-inspired religion only knows about Christ and only knows about Christ and about rites and rituals but does about rites and rituals but does not have a relationship with not have a relationship with ChristChrist

The Law has been The Law has been

turned into Man inspired turned into Man inspired

religionreligionThe law was put in charge to The law was put in charge to

lead us to Christ, that we might lead us to Christ, that we might

be justified through faithbe justified through faith

Gal 3:24Gal 3:24

So…What are the So…What are the

hallmarks of God hallmarks of God

Inspired ReligionInspired Religion