Webster defines religion as, “the service and worship of God.” As followers of Jesus Christ, serving and worshiping God is what our lives should be all about. Paul once said, “For to me to live is Christ…” That was his religion, and it should be ours too. There are a lot of religious people in the world; however, most people are religiously wrong. This is true, not just from a doctrinal standpoint, but even from the standpoint of living. This week I want us to focus on our religion and what it should be.

Our religion should first be personal. Too many people worship God the way someone else tells them to instead of how God has revealed. It is my responsibility to serve and worship God according to His Word. Jesus said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship” (John 4:24). To worship God in truth is to worship Him according to God’s Word (John 17:17). Worshipping God according to man’s doctrine is the fastest way for our service to God to be rejected by Him. Speaking of the hypocritical Pharisees, Jesus said, “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). When it comes to worship, how we do it must be a personal decision based on what God has commanded us to do. Determine for yourself how you will worship God. Make sure that however you do it, and whatever you do, it is based on the Word of God. Furthermore, make sure that your worship is not only according to the truth, but also from your heart. You must be personally invested in every act of worship in which you engage. To worship God in spirit is to worship Him from the heart, with the right attitude. Paul said that our worship must be spiritual (Romans 12:1). Vine’s Expository Dictionary says that the word spiritual means that our service to God must “be intelligent, in contrast to those offered by ritual and compulsion.” This is at the center of having a personal religion. Whatever we do must come from the heart.

Our service must be personally carried out by us for ourselves. “For each will have to bear his own load” (Galatians 6:5). The word load refers to “a task or service” (Strong). There are some things that we must do for ourselves. One act of worship we are commanded to do is give financially to the cause of Christ (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). You do not get credit for someone else’ giving. You must do that yourself. We are commanded to sing praises to God when we come together to worship Him (Ephesians 5:19). You cannot sit in an auditorium and listen to the beautiful voices around you; you must open your mouth and sing. We are not commanded to listen to singing. We are commanded to sing. Another commandment we all have is to preach the gospel to the lost. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). No one can go for you. You must go for yourself. Maybe you are a member of a local church that is very active in preaching the gospel to the lost. That is wonderful, but if you are not participating in it yourself, the actions of others are not going to help you when you give an account of yourself before God. I think you get the point. Our religion, that is, our service to and worship of God, is personal. Paul said, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

Is your religion personal? Are you working out your own salvation by serving and worshipping God for yourself? When you serve God, is it heartfelt rather than robotic in nature. Religion is something that is very personal. That is the way it should be. That is the way it must be if we are to be pleasing to God.

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.