God is Not a Religion - He’s a Being!

Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to tackle something that might get some of you thinking a little bit differently—God is NOT a religion! Now, before you get all worked up, let me explain. I know this might be one of those "hold on, what did he just say?" moments, but trust me—this is going to be good.

We’ve been raised in a world that likes to label everything, and religion is no exception. But here’s the deal—God is not a religion. He’s a being. Let that sink in for a second. We’ve got to start thinking of God not as a "thing" we can put in a box or a set of rules we can follow, but as a being—someone who is personal, powerful, and present in our lives.

Religion? That’s a Man-Made Mess

First, let’s talk about what religion really is. I’m going to hit you with a truth bomb: Religion is man-made. Yep. We created it. It’s like when your kid makes a mess in the kitchen and calls it “art”—it’s just stuff we’ve put together to make ourselves feel better or more organized. And a lot of times, it’s political. Don’t believe me? Look at all the different factions within religions. There’s Christianity, but then there’s Catholicism, Baptist, Protestant, Pentecostal, and even those who throw in a bit of spiritual yoga into their Sunday service. And don’t get me started on the politics of religion!

Religion, in essence, is a system made by man to attempt to connect with God. But here’s the kicker—it can’t. Religion, no matter how fancy the robes are or how much incense you burn, will never give you the personal connection that God wants with you. Religion tells you what to do and what not to do, but it doesn’t tell you why. Religion tries to get you into heaven by telling you what to wear—but it doesn’t provide a direct line to the one who actually has the keys to the gates.

Here’s what Jesus says in Matthew 15:9:"They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to start a relationship.

God is a Being, Not a System

Here’s where we get to the good stuff: God is a Being. He’s not a system of beliefs or a set of rules; He is a living, breathing, engaging Creator. Think of it like this: God is not an app that you download and forget about. He’s the Wi-Fi signal that you can connect to any time, anywhere. And here’s the best part: He’s always on.

Now, imagine for a second if we treated our relationships like we treat religion. Picture dating someone and only seeing them once a week at a “designated meeting time.” What kind of relationship is that? You don’t get to know the person’s heart, their dreams, or their desires. If you treat God like religion, you’ll treat Him like a checklist: “Got my prayer in, read my Bible for 5 minutes, boom, good for the week.”

But that’s not a relationship. That’s religion—and it’s not the way God intended. God wants a personal relationship with us. In John 10:14, Jesus says: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." He knows you—intimately. Religion tells you to pray in a certain way, but God wants to hear your voice in your own words. He doesn’t want you reciting the same old lines like a robot. He wants to hear your heart.

Religion Divides, But Jesus Unites

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Religion divides people. Look at the major world religions: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism and yes even Christianity is labelled as a religion. You've got Methodists on one side, the Baptists on the other, and everyone thinks their way is the right way. And before you know it, you’re arguing over whether Jesus was born in a barn or an actual stable. It’s like those ridiculous Facebook debates where people get so fired up over a pizza topping that they forget it’s just pizza.

But here’s the truth: Jesus is the one who unites. He’s not interested in who can recite the most Bible verses or wear the fanciest church hat. What He cares about is whether we love one another and whether we accept Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus came to break down walls, not build them.

In Galatians 3:28, Paul says: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Jesus came to unite us—not divide us.

So, when you start thinking about “religion,” and people argue over whose way is the “right” way, just remember: Jesus is the way. There’s no denomination in heaven. It’s just followers of Christ—and that’s all that matters.

The Problem with Religion: It’s Man's Effort, Not God’s

Let’s get real for a second. Religion is man’s effort to reach God. But God’s way—Jesus Christ—is God’s effort to reach us. That’s the difference.

Religion says: "Do this, follow this, and you’ll be accepted." Jesus says: “I’ve already done it for you. Just believe in me, and you’ll have eternal life.” Religion builds walls. Jesus tears them down.

God Doesn't Need a Religion, He Wants Your Heart

So, what do we do with all this? It’s simple. Stop treating God like a religion. Stop thinking that if you follow a set of rules, or check off your good deeds, you’ll get in. It’s not about religion. It’s about relationship. It’s about getting to know God, walking with Him, listening to His voice, and loving Him because He first loved you.

If you think Christianity is just another religion, you’re missing the point. Christianity is a relationship—and it’s the most freeing, life-changing relationship you’ll ever have.

Denominations Are Not From God

Now, let’s take a moment to address a little elephant in the room: denominations. I know, I know, some of you might be thinking, "But I’m a proud member of the Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, or whatever church," and hey, that’s fine. But let’s call it what it is—denominations are not from God.

Think about it. Do you really think God, in all His wisdom, was up there in Heaven, watching over humanity, and thought, “You know what? I think I’ll create a little division in my church—let’s have a bunch of different flavors of Christianity, each with their own special twist, so they can all fight over who’s doing it right.” Sounds a little ridiculous, right?

God didn’t come down to Earth to create a spiritual buffet where we can pick and choose our favorite parts of faith. He came to create unity. But man, we sure do like to complicate things, don’t we? We’ve taken something that was supposed to be simple—faith in Jesus Christ—and turned it into a spiritual smorgasbord where everyone picks their flavor. And don’t even get me started on the arguments that come with it. One person’s “This is how we do it” vs. another’s “No, this is the correct way!”

Here’s a little reminder from 1 Corinthians 1:10 where Paul is calling out the church in Corinth: "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." Paul says, “No divisions.” And yet, here we are, with hundreds of denominations, each claiming they have the corner on truth. It’s like trying to follow a recipe, but everyone insists that their special ingredient is the one true way to make the dish. It’s a spiritual food fight!

We must all agree on the essentials—that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that salvation is through Him alone. Anything else? We can debate. But don’t let it divide us.

Jesus Himself, in John 17:21, prays to the Father: "That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." Jesus wants unity, not division. He’s not looking for people to be arguing about denominational differences; He’s looking for hearts that are united in faith, hope, and love.

So when you start thinking about denominations, remember—they were created by man, not by God. And when we allow ourselves to get caught up in the "us vs. them" mentality, we’re not doing the Body of Christ any favors. We’re letting the enemy divide us. We are all part of the same body, and if we can’t come together under the banner of Christ, we’re missing the point.

Unity, Not Division

If Jesus came to unite us, then why on earth are we letting man-made divisions separate us? It’s like trying to play a football game where everyone’s on a different team. Not gonna work, right?

If denominations were from God, we’d be reading in the Bible about the First Baptist Church of Jerusalem or the Pentecostal Church of Galatia—but we don’t. We read about the churches of Jesus Christ. No division. Just Jesus. The church was meant to be the unified Body of Christ, not a bunch of separate limbs fighting for control.

In Ephesians 4:3, Paul says:" Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. "That’s what it’s about: unity through Christ. Let’s be real—we are the ones that cause the division. We create the walls. But Jesus is saying, "No more walls, no more separation." All of us, together, united in Christ, no matter the denomination.

Conclusion: No More Labels, Just Jesus

At the end of the day, the truth is simple: God is not a religion. He’s a being—a personal, loving, powerful God who wants a relationship with you. Religion divides, but Jesus unites. He’s not interested in labels, denominations, or systems. He just wants your heart.

So next time someone tries to put God in a box and call it a “religion,” remind them: God is not a label. He’s a being—and He’s the only one who can save us from all our religious mess.

Let’s pray.

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to break down the walls of religion and show us that You want a relationship with us. Help us to walk in the freedom of knowing You, not as a set of rules, but as our loving Savior. May we always remember that it's not about religion—it’s about a personal relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Go out this week, church, and remember: No more religion. Only Jesus.