So Much for Being Religious...

We all must be careful when we become believing followers of Jesus. It’s easy to become “RELIGIOUS”. When that happens our thinking gets distorted, and we start to believe by doing things that will please God is actually doing Him a favor. First of all, we can never earn our salvation, only Jesus can do that for us. Secondly, living to please God by determining what pleases God in our own heads won’t accomplish it either. Only God determines that criteria. And lastly, if it goes against God’s word, it won’t please Him. How is it pleasing to God to kill someone without a fair trial? How does that please God? How is that godly behavior? These certain Jews who took an oath to murder Paul thought they were doing God a favor, but in reality they were just being “RELIGIOUS”. And how, by approving the act of murder (by the religious leaders), is it considered righteous behavior? That is one of the reasons Jesus came to earth, to put an end to empty, half-hearted, religious behavior. And so should we. The irony of all of this is those that plotted to murder Paul, took an oath not to eat or drink until he was dead. They didn’t die of malnutrition or dehydration. Paul lived for several more years. I guess their oath wasn’t very binding, was it? So much for being RELIGIOUS.

12 The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. 14 They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.” Acts 23:12-15