In Through the Word’s lesson on Galatians chapter 6, Pastor Kris Langham said something very interesting. The word “religion” actually means re-bind-up. Think of the word “ligature”, which means “a thing used for tying or binding something tightly.” Now, that was an eye-opening revelation! Religion today is an empty set of doctrines, beliefs, rites, traditions, and rituals that enslave the devout, while giving them a false sense of salvation.
I remember, as a kid growing up Catholic, I was more worried about breaking a rule than why I was in church in the first place: to learn about Jesus. The Roman Catholic religion left me empty. It did nothing for my soul, my mind, or my salvation. Thus, I walked away at the age of 18.
Jesus told us when he quoted the prophet Isaiah in Luke 4…
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”……“The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
Luke 4:18-19, 21
Captives? What captives? The Jews who were bound by religious law. Today, religion comes in all forms of binding to rites, rituals, and rules. Check out my series on World Religions. They all falsely claim to be the road to Heaven.
Freedom from the Law
As we finish with the last chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, let’s review a couple of key points. The Galatians began in grace, but let legalism slip into their beliefs.
- A believer is no longer under the law (or religion), but is saved by faith and grace alone. Judaism is said to be the cradle of Christianity, and we need to think of Paul as the Moses of the Christian church who delivered us from the bondage of the law. Galatians is like the Declaration of Independence for born-again believers.
20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. ~Galatians 2:20-21 NLT
Jesus didn’t die so we could have religion!
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. ~Galatians 5:1 NLT - Freedom doesn’t mean we are free to sin so we can get more grace points! That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in, and we’re supposed to “walk in the Spirit”. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.… 22But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! ~Galatians 5:16, 22-23
Galatians 6
Paul finishes his letter with good advice on Christian Living…
We Harvest What We Plant (or reap what you sow)
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Paul’s Final Advice in His Own Handwriting
11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Galatians 6 NLT
Jesus Paid the Price for Our Freedom
We are freed from sin and justified by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross when He died bearing all our sins. However, freedom is deceptive.
Jesus didn’t suffer torture and die, taking all our sins away forever and defeating death by rising 3 days later so we could have RELIGION! No! He died so we could have a RELATIONSHIP with HIM.
If you are bound by law or religion, then you’re not really free, are you?
But temptation is everywhere! Sure, and that’s where the Holy Spirit comes in as our gentle guide, convicting us like a loving parent. Like when your mom stops you from touching the hot stove: “No, honey, you’ll get burned.”
You are not free if you belong to a religion.
In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free.
Psalms 118:5 NLT
Being born again in Christ means we are no longer slaves, but Children of God!
Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Galatians 4:7 NLT
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17 NIV
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Romans 8:1-2 NLT
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
True freedom from religion means freedom IN CHRIST!
Your freedom is through Jesus Christ ONLY and in the Holy Spirit. If Jesus truly set us free, then why do we bind ourselves in religion that gets us nowhere? Moreover, because of our sinful nature, we are slaves to sin!
Many “religious” or “spiritual” people don’t really have the power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts! I didn’t for over 50 years! Religions make you do things, works, rituals, rites, traditions, etc. to try to make you good enough to get into Heaven. However, you can NEVER be good enough! All that religion is empty and it doesn’t save you! Only JESUS can!
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9 NLT
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [Or religion.]
Romans 6:6 NLT
Forget Religion. Follow Jesus.
How to Invite Jesus into Your Heart
Jesus won’t force Himself into your life. You have to surrender your life to Him and invite Him into your heart. To do that, you must…
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe and have Faith that Jesus is the Christ, and He died taking your sins away forever, and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins: In other words, stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender it all to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you, He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean, past, present, and future! And all means ALL!
- Be baptized by water baptism: Show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
Pray this prayer humbly and wholeheartedly…
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please forgive me. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and submit my life to You. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. I surrender my whole life to You, and I will follow You for the rest of my life. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Next Steps in Your New Walk with Jesus…
- Start reading the Bible daily to get to know God. If you don’t have one, I recommend the YouVersion Bible app and the Through the Word app. Both are free and offer many great Bible studies.
- Pray every day. Talk to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you daily.
- Find and join a Bible-believing church, preferably a Baptist, Calvary Chapel, or non-denominational one, and be baptized!
Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be The Glory!
What is the key distinction made between religion and a real relationship with Jesus?
Jesus died so we could have a relationship with Him, not religion; true freedom comes through a personal relationship with Christ, not through keeping religious rules or rituals.
How can a person invite Jesus into their life according to the article, and what are the steps?
You must surrender your life to Him and invite Him into your heart, which involves believing in Jesus, repenting of your sins, and committing to follow Him, accompanied by prayer and receiving the Holy Spirit.
What are the recommended next steps for someone starting their walk with Jesus?
Next steps include reading the Bible daily with free resources like YouVersion and Through the Word, praying daily, joining a Bible-believing church, and being baptized, while continually seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit.
How does Galatians describe freedom from the law and what does that mean for believers?
Galatians teaches that a believer is no longer under the law or religion, but saved by faith and grace alone; the Holy Spirit should guide life so that the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and more—produces true freedom rather than bondage to legalistic observance.
What does the word religion actually mean, and why is it considered binding?
The word “religion” means re-bind-up, a binding of people to rites, rituals, and regulations that enslave the devout and give a false sense of salvation, rather than offering a true relationship with God.
