I grew up in the traditional church environment and followed the religious teachings and doctrines over the years. I have seen a lot of things that I now question and wonder why things were done that way.
Over the years many of us have come to see God as a big super human person sitting up in heaven somewhere just waiting to punish us for our mistakes. We see him as being impersonal, judgmental and many times as someone to fear.
Yet when we think about the life of Christ and know he was sent from God to show us what the Father is really like we come to see God in a different way. When we read about how Jesus lived and treated people we see him as loving, compassionate, kind and accepting. Jesus came to show us that the Father is the same way.
After Jesus left this life on earth the Father sent the Holy Spirit to live within us. Think about it, God in Spirit form lives within us and among us right now. He is not a super human person way up there somewhere but He is right here within us.
God is not out to get us and punish us every time we mess up. I think God gets a bad reputation from some of the writings in the bible due to men, although they were inspired by God, threw in some of their personal views. Obviously if you were inspired by someone to write a book you would still write it from your perspective. Anything man has a hand in is going to be flawed, but the bible is certainly inspired by God and when combined with the leading of the Holy Spirit will be purposeful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness and guiding us to the living Word of God who is Jesus.
Rather than running around being afraid of God and waiting for the judgment of God to fall, look to Jesus and see that God is love. Whenever punishment is needed it is only for our good and it is done in love. Just as a loving parent sometimes punishes their child it is done in love and for correction that is for the child’s own good. We are not waiting to be destroyed by a God who loves judgment and condemnation. We are living with a God who is love, who created us and who wants the best for us during our time on earth.
Stop being afraid of the Father and seek fellowship with him. If you hear a pastor telling you that God is out to get you and that you had better shape up or else, get away from there and find brothers and sisters in Christ who will be encouragers and who will help build you up rather than condemn and scare you. Fear of judgment will not lead you into a loving relationship with the Father. Only true love, godly love, will be what draws us into fellowship with Him.
God is love. For those of us who are followers of Jesus we should also be known for our love. As Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Done with Religion 
Thanks Jack. I like the way you put that, so true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks jem
LikeLike
Right on the button, Jim! Thank you!
LikeLike
Recently I heard it said, that the difference between the God of the old testament and the God of the new testament, is the lens He looks at us through … in the old testament, it was the LAW, which punished wrong-doing – the law is punitive. The lens of the new testament, is GRACE (forgiveness) and is redemptive. So God did not change, but the lens (covenent) through which He deals with us, changed. Of course, that ‘lens’ goes 2 ways – and allows us to see God differently too.
What’s troublesome for us, having the Bible, which describes both lenses (covenants), God sees us through the new covenant of grace, while people often continue to view God as the God of old, because of the misfortunes they encounter in life – the calamities – which often are viewed as punishments.
And yet, “God disciplines those He loves” and “all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose”.
So far, it’s taken me a lifetime to see God through the lens of GRACE and to recognize that discipline is out of love and intended to reign me in and draw me close to Him in correction.
LikeLike