True Religion vs  False Religion

“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” (Luke 13:6-17).

So far, it had been like any other normal quiet day. In the synagogue the priest was leading the congregants in the normal traditions of scripture, sacrifice and prayer. However, things were about to change. A young Jewish Rabbi, who John the Baptist had called “The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”, walked into the temple. He was the same one who had been in the temple at the age of 12, questioning the elderly Rabbis on issues of scripture till they wondered where He got all this learning from (Luke 2:46-47). It was He who had also read from the Scroll, the Book of Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:18-21).

On this occasion however, He was on a mission to reveal the difference between true and false religion. He sets the stage by telling them a parable of a fruitless fig tree. In John 15, Jesus speaking of God calls Him the Husbandman. (The Owner of the Vineyard). He says the owner is displeased with vineyards that are fruitless. God is the husbandman and we are the vines, engrafted in Christ. If we do not bear fruit we displease the Father. Jesus put it this way “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16). What Jesus was saying is that true religion bears fruit. In other words, we ought to bear fruit.

As if to demonstrate His point, Jesus notices a woman in the congregation who had had an infirmity for eighteen years. Being an advocate of True religion, religion that bears fruit, Jesus says to her “woman, thou art loosed”, He lays hands on her and immediately she was healed. True religion is not mere words but is accompanied by results. Paul put it succinctly in 1 Corinthians 2:4, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”  God is looking upon His Word to perform it. Jesus declared, greater works than this shall you be able to do. Friend, True religion is our portion.

The Pharisees and Sadducees, the rulers of the synagogue, were indignant. They were not happy at what they saw and accused Jesus of healing on the Sabbath. False religion seeks to keep people in bondage to rules and traditions that are contrary to the Word of God. False religion is hypocritical religion. False religion questions and disbelieves the power of God. False religion is equal to barren religion. False religion compromises. It says one thing and does another thing. True Religion on the other hand believes God for Who He is and acknowledges that He is able to do what He says in His Word. True religion bears fruit, fruit that lasts.

My friend, this day believe God and ask Him to make you a bearer of good fruit. Decide that you want to walk in “true religion” and not be bound by “false religion”.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, I pray that I may never embrace false religion but rather, I ask that you help me to receive and walk in true religion. Help me to be a fruit bearer in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.