I was raised in a family that practices a Christian religion based on a lot of rules. But not as many as the Jewish religion of Jesus’ time which had 600 plus laws. Similarly, the Christian religion of my upbringing has a highly structured legalistic nature with steep traditions with a hierarchical clergy system. The worshippers are always somber, rarely smiling and prayer is usually from a kneeling position with heads bowed downward. It reminds me of some cultures where a child is expected to look downward as an act of respect towards their father.

What religion am I?

I get this question now and then. A pastor once explained to me that Christians are generally categorized as either Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant by default. But if we are believers and we truly do not belong to this world, why should we submit to this world’s labels?

I do not believe Jesus came here to start a religion. Religion is man-made and not from God. Religion is just another way to control and divide the world. Therefore, when people ask me what religion I follow, I tell them “I don’t belong to a religion, I am a man of God, I belong to Him and He is very fond of me”. I say it with confidence but from a heart of humility.

Most people are quiet, but their raised eyebrows is very telling. At first I see shock and then indignation. Did he really say that? How dare he think God favors him over anyone else? But that’s not what I said, is it? I simply stated that God is very fond of me.  My very religious and competitive sister would get annoyed and respond, “God loves everyone the same.”  And to that I say, “Yes, I know, and he is very fond of me” because it is true and being her older brother, I love to push her buttons.

Why would anyone get annoyed or defensive when someone says, “God is very fond of me”?  I wish they would respond with a resounding, “Yes, and God is very fond of me too!” Everyone in the world can say it because it is true. God is love, and He loves us all the same without special favor. It’s up to us to determine how much of His love we actually receive. We don’t get to earn it. 

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. – Ephesians 2:8–10

 There is nothing we can do in this world to earn God’s love. It is not a quid-pro-quo relationship. God’s love is always there, unconditional and complete. It’s up to us to receive it, and we receive it through our love for Him, our trust in Him, and our relationship with Him. So yes! God is very fond of me, and believe it or not, he is very fond of you too!

But are we worthy of God’s love?

As of June 2024, it is reported in Christian Guide that there are over 2 Billion Christians in the world belonging to over 45,000 denominations. I dare to say that many of those denominations preach that we are unworthy of God’s love because that has been my experience from years of attending various churches.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. – Psalm 139:13-16 

I believe we are worthy of His love or He would not have created us. I believe we are worthy or He would not have sent His Son to do the work on the cross for our salvation. I believe we are worthy or He would not have given us the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

Perhaps we can agree that we are worthy of His love but because of our sins we are not worthy to live in His kingdom. We read 1 John 1:5 (ESV)…This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

We live in a dark world, a world of sin. Sin cannot exist in God’s world. There is no darkness in His world. It is not God’s choice that we are unworthy of living in His kingdom but our own. If we choose the darkness of this world, we make ourselves unworthy of His world.

Be Worthy, choose the Light!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

The Way and only way to heaven!

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

It wasn’t until the 2nd and 3rd centuries where the label “Christian” became the norm. During Jesus’ ministry and for years after His resurrection, the early disciples called themselves followers of “The Way”. The moniker appears repeatedly in early accounts of Jesus’ ministry. It was how His followers distinguished themselves from Jewish factions and the religions that worshipped Greek and Roman gods. “The Way” was not a religion and did not recognize temples, rituals, or reverence to a clerical hierarchy. “The Way” is a life transformed by Christ when you come to believe in Him, receive His work on the cross, and choose to live in a relationship with Him, knowing He is the source of light, truth, and life. “The Way” is the road, the only road available to us to be worthy of God’s kingdom.

Turn towards Him and be filled with His light,
choose to live your life in agreement with His will.
– Amen

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