5 GOOD REASONS GOOD REASONS

“COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER,” SAYS THE LORD. ISAIAH 1:18

5 GOOD REASONS GOOD REASONS

NOT TO BE RELIGIOUS

` Recent Poll: Americans are becoming less religious, judging by such markers as church attendance, prayer and belief in God, and the trend is more pronounced among young adults. AMERICANS BECOMING LESS RELIGIOUS

` The percentage of Americans who pray every day, attend religious services regularly and consider religion important in their lives are down by statistically significant measures. AMERICANS BECOMING LESS RELIGIOUS

REASON #1 RELIGION USUALLY GETS GOD WRONG

“I was brought up being told that things were God's way. When things didn't work out, it was God’s plan.

I don’t understand this idea of a God who says, You have to acknowledge me. You have to say that I'm the best, then I'll give you eternal happiness.

If you won’t, then you don't get it. It seems to be about ego. I can't see God operating from ego, so it made no sense to me.

A big question for me was fairness. If I’d grown up in some other religion, would I get the same shot at heaven as the Christian has?”

“GOD IS LOVE.” 1JOHN 4:8, 16

` Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” MATTHEW 22:35-40

` Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. MATTHEW 22:35-40

` And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” MATTHEW 22:35-40

IF GOD IS NOT LOVELY AND LOVABLE, THEN HE CANNOT BE LOVED.

I DESIRE MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE.

` He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. MICAH 6:8

REASON #2 RELIGION IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE PLACE TO HIDE FROM GOD

` Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied MATTHEW 7:21-23

` cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ MATTHEW 7:21-23

GOD IS NOT AN IDEA, CONCEPT, OR PHILOSOPHY; HE IS A PERSON

` One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. PSALM 27:4

REASON #3 JESUS RESISTED RELIGION

` Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. MATTHEW 15:14

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”

` And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. MATTHEW 7:28, 29

` Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” JOHN 7:45, 46

REASON #4 RELIGION CANNOT SAVE YOU

` If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, ROMANS 10:9-13

` and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” ROMANS 10:9-13

REASON #5 ACCORDING TO BIBLE PROPHECY, RELIGION WILL BE FALLEN IN THE LAST DAYS

JESUS WARNED OF “false christs” (Matthew 24:24) “false prophets” (v. 24) miracle workers (v. 24) wolves in sheep’s clothing (7:15) persecution by religion (John 16:2)

NEW TESTAMENT WARNS coming “antichrists” (1John 2, 4) wayward religious leaders (Acts 20:30) great religious apostasy (2 Thes 2) “man of sin” acting as God (2 Thes 2) Judas-like betrayer (2 Thes 2)

REVELATION 13 WARNS enforced religious practice (13) fallen and persecuting church (17) massive church and state alliance (17) emergence of Babylon (14, 17, 18)

ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, WE SHOULD BE WARY OF RELIGION THESE DAYS

REASON #1 RELIGION USUALLY GETS GOD WRONG

REASON #2 RELIGION IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE PLACE TO HIDE FROM GOD

REASON #3 JESUS RESISTED RELIGION

REASON #4 RELIGION CANNOT SAVE YOU

REASON #5 ACCORDING TO BIBLE PROPHECY, RELIGION WILL BE FALLEN IN THE LAST DAYS

5 GOOD REASONS GOOD REASONS