When friends or people I come in contact with, find out for the first time that I am a Pastor, the first question they usually ask me is, "Oh, you're religious"? I used to answer that question with an emphatic, "Yes"! But lately, I've had to really ponder the question. Am I religious?

When I think about religion, I nthink about a certain sect. A certain Church. Like Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Morman, etc... But, I have come to find out lately that these religions are not for Christ, they are for the religion itself. Go to any one of these churches just one time, and they will point out to you how wrong the others are. Not how right they are, but how wrong the others are. Each and everyone of these religions tell you they are the true religion of the God that they know and worship. The problem is, that everyone of them do things in their churches that goes against some commandment in the Bible. I have already talked about the sacrement in an earlier truth. (look up sacrement under archives). Every church that I've ever been to dis-obeys this commandment given by Paul in his letter to the Corinths. But that isn't the only thing that they dis-obey. Each one of them has other things they have changed since.

Paul also stated that women were to be silent in the churches. But, now we have women and homosexuals being ordained. Imagine that. Two things that God specifically asked for the churches not to do, thay have those exact people teaching us. The churches actually have an excuse for doing this. The times have changed. What kind of bull is that?! The times have changed. Didn't Jesus Christ say he was the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? (Heb 13:8). And since Jesus Christ is the word (John 1) that means the word never changes either. He doesn't say, well, until times change and your congregations become low, and you need more money, this is how it is. No, he says the same forever. So he is the same and so is his word.

Religion is a multi-billion dollar industry for some churches. Tax free I might add. It is a way that people who don't give a rats ass about you or me are making a lot of money, and becomming rich. Well people, wake up and smell the stuff they're fertillizing your lawn with!

Speaking of the churches and religion, in the second epistle to the Thessalonians Paul gave us some very revealing clues about religion. 2:3-4 Let no man decieve you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,(Satan) the son of perdition; (4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God

That little bit right there proves that there is a falling away from the truth of God by the churches. Now the Mormans will say that that time is over and ended when Satan came to Joseph Smith and he set up the new Church. But it says, until that son of perdition is revealed.

Mark 7:5-8(read the whole chapter because there is more detail) Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? (6) He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people "honoureth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the "tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

So, the bible which is the word of God, that all these religions profess to teach, says that the same churches that teach are wrong. Read Jer 10 for some great info on this subject. I am going to leave you with this: In the book of Jeremiah, God says that few will know the truth, but no one will listen. FEW! That pretty much counts out the religions.

Now when I am asked if I'm religious, I say, HELL, NO!

Pastor David L. McHaley