Polar Opposites: Part 1 >> Jesus and Religion are polar opposites.

In terms of analogy “Jesus is to Religion is as to North Pole is to South Pole” meaning Jesus and Religion are polar opposites. Jesus was not keen on religion, reading his teachings make that evident.

The pursuit of God is NOT about propagating or protecting any religion. In fact, spiritual pursuit does not need any religion. No conversions are necessary in any direction because God does not sit in any of the human-made religious cultures or boxes, only humans occupy these boxes. In this four part post, I am going to take a look at the more common misunderstandings about Jesus and use nothing more than the words of Jesus to draw out the plain truth.  This is Part 1: Jesus and Religion are polar opposites.

Misunderstanding 1.  Jesus was the founder of the religion of Christianity. FALSE. 

You will not find a single line spoken by Jesus as recorded by four different contemporaries (three eyewitness followers, one doctor who did his own investigation into the life of Jesus) that even hints at establishing a new religion. For the record, Jesus is not the founder of Christianity, Emperor Constantine is. He merged his existing sun-worship religious systems with teachings of Jesus and created a state religion used as vehicle to unite people under some banner, to rule and expand his government. 

Jesus did not ask for the establishment of religious orders and hierarchies.  "But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” - Matthew 23:8-12.

Note: Jesus was not referring to biological fathers here as it is clear from the context but rather to religious figures who were addressed as such. 

Consider the leading religions and denominations of this world and reach your own conclusion about whether they are following what Jesus said in this matter.

Misunderstanding 2. Jesus asked his followers to setup a new religion based on his teachings and his message. FALSE.

Jesus came to bridge the gap between God and human. Not by creating a new religion but by His becoming the way to exchange our inability with His ability and to exchange our spiritual deadness with life in His Spirit. 

First of all, what is the message of Jesus? "God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but should have everlasting life." - John 3:16

Second, what were Jesus commandments? "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees (one religious group), the Pharisees (another religious group) got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:34-4

Third, what did Jesus say was the "work of God"? Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” - John 6:28-29

Consider what Jesus said, His commands and His opinion on how we make this great exchange and decide for yourself whether this is a command to create a new religion.

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Jesus > Religion is a creative rap-poem on YouTube that seems to capture a similar sentiment. 

Disclaimer: The author of this blog does not know anything about this artist, and neither subscribes nor endorses anything else this artist might do or say. The above rap-poem is the only work of this this artist reviewed by the author of this blog and it seems sensible in this context.

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