Religion is one of the most powerful forces that has transformed humanity. At its best, faith teaches us to love, forgive, serve, work honestly, care for the vulnerable and live with purpose. It has also inspired us to focus on development, financial wellbeing, supporting the poor and stand for justice. Faith has given us hope in difficult times and encouragement to become better human beings. On the other hand, religion has also become a barrier to progress as it has put many in a bondage.
One of the dangerous teachings that has affected many people is the belief that the earth is not our home because everything good is waiting for us in heaven. Some people have been made to believe that poverty, suffering and lack should simply be accepted as God’s plan, and that there is no need to work hard, create wealth, or improve our lives as long as we are Jesus Christ followers.
This to me is a very wrong doctrine. Being a disciple of Christ should not become a reason for our poverty and laziness. Our faith should give us courage to confront poverty and all the evil of the world. The religious teaching that heaven is our real home has put many in a bondage, stopping them hence from discovering their God-given abilities.
The other day, I wanted to buy an an item for our home. It was during the weekend, and I thought it would be a good sale for – seller. When I followed up, I was told that he had closed for church and would not open again until Monday, even after the prayers. This made me think about how religion could sometimes become so rigid that we fail to get opportunities that come.
Jesus challenged precisely this kind of attitude. When He healed on the Sabbath, the religious leaders questioned Him because they believed healing should not take place on that day. Jesus responded by showing that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). On another occasion, He asked whether it was lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath (Mark 3:4). His message was clear: religious rules must never become more important than compassion, human dignity and doing good.
If we look at John 10: 10, Jesus also said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. This abundant life means salvation, dignity, responsibility, hope, prosperity and the ability to use our gifts to make life better for ourselves and others.
God also tells us “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to mankind” (Psalm 115:16). This should challenge us to think differently about our responsibility on earth. We are not called simply to wait for heaven. We are called to take care of God’s creation, manifest His assignments, and contribute to the transformation of the world.
We must know, Jesus did not come merely to establish religion. He came to reconcile humanity with God. He taught people to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), but seeking God’s Kingdom must mean doing God’s will here on earth and not crying for heaven.
Let us, therefore, change our mindset. We can pray and work. We can worship and build. We can believe in miracles while also embracing knowledge, divine wisdom, creativity, discipline and hard work. We can be church members without becoming prisoners of religious thinking and our relationship with God should, therefore, go beyond ceremonies and rigid traditions.
God has given humanity a responsibility on earth. Abandoning that responsibility and rushing for heaven is a sin. Our faith must produce action, our prayers courage and our Christianity transformation for the glory of God.
May God help us to change our mindset, understand His purpose for our lives’ use to make this world a better place for His glory.
