The Hebrew Roots Movement

   This article is going to be quite a bit different than most of my other articles, mainly because it is one that I have been genuinely reluctant to write. On the one hand, I have wanted to write to address this issue for quite some time. Yet I have also wanted to avoid stirring up arguments and “foolish discussions” (Titus 3:9-11), so I have avoided the topic of the Hebrew Roots Movement, and have alluded to it only briefly in some of my previous articles. 

   That being said, I have been in prayer about the topic for quite some time, and have sought council on whether or not I should even get involved. In the end, however, my desire for unity in the church and peace among all the followers of Christ has compelled me to write this article. Know that I do not harbor any ill-will toward those who would call Jesus Christ their Lord and yet continue to follow the traditions of their Hebrew ancestors. Nor do I wish to condemn anyone. What I say, I say gently out of a genuine concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

   If you have read any of my other articles you will know that the matter of unity among the believers is something that is very important to me, as is discerning between what is true and what is not. I have lost several close friends and family members to false teachers and to the errors of human reasoning over the years, so the topic of false doctrine is something that hits very close to home for me personally.

    In light of this, I want to point out that even though the Hebrew Roots Movement originated in the early 20th century, its core teachings are nothing new. In the first century AD, a sect of Jewish converts to Christianity known as the Judaizers, taught that the Gentile believers must also be circumcised, observe their Jewish traditions, and follow the Law of Moses in order to be justified before God. However, much of the New Testament addresses this teaching directly—the most obvious example being the Book of Galatians. 

  

   Other examples of this can be found in Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews, and James. The Judaizers' teachings were also addressed twice in the Book of Acts; first in Acts 15:1-31, and again in Acts 21:15-25. 

   Now, as I stated before it is not my intention to stir up arguments, as the Scriptures condemn this, but rather to gently instruct those who's faith may be wavering. (1 Timothy 6: 2b-5, 2 Timothy 2:14, 23-26) 
   That being said, if you know someone who is a part of the Hebrew Roots Movement; or if you are curious about it; or if you are a follower yourself; then I strongly recommend that you read the books of Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, Hebrews, and James—as well as the verses referenced above. Investigate God's Word for yourself. Meditate on it. Pray and ask the Lord to give you guidance and wisdom. 

   If you are investigating a teacher to see if he is telling the truth, remember that Satan can quote the Bible, too. Just because someone quotes a verse correctly and that verse happens to agree with the doctrine they're teaching, which happens to sound like the truth, doesn't mean that that person is from God. Nor does it mean that what they're teaching is true. Remember, the best lies are seasoned with just a pinch of truth—it makes them easier to swallow. Which is why it is so important to test everything against God's Word. If someone quotes the Bible, check the context to see if what they're teaching is true—read the entire book if you have to! You can never be too careful when it comes to searching the Scriptures for truth. (Acts 17:11)
  That being said, if you still feel that God has called you to observe the Jewish Traditions and the Law of Moses after investigating God's Word, then by all means, do whatever you feel led to do. I can't condemn you for following your convictions any more than you can condemn me for following mine. (Romans 14) But if following a new doctrine—Hebrew Roots or otherwise—causes you to look down on your fellow believers; or if it stirs up division, malicious gossip, and slander among you, then have nothing more to do with it! Such a teaching is contrary to God's Word. It is destructive and harmful to the body of Christ, and is therefore a false teaching. (Titus 3:10-11, Romans 16:17-18, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 5:19-20)
   But whoever you are and wherever your circumstances may be, it is my sincere hope and prayer that God will give you wisdom in discerning whatever path He has laid out before you. 

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
~Matthew 7:7-8 New Living Translation (NLT) 

   May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

   

The Prophecy of History

Following in the footsteps of my previous article, The Prophecy of Cyrus the Great, I thought I would mention another Old Testament prophecy of unrivaled accuracy and significance: Daniel's Prophecy of History.

   As I stated before, many people believe that the Torah was written during the Babylonian captivity, and that the Jewish religion and Law did not exist until then—historical evidence to the contrary not withstanding. That being said, one thing that all historians agree on is that the Book of Daniel was indeed written during the Babylonian Exile, sometime during the mid 500s BC. It is this historical fact that makes what is said in Daniel 2:24-45 so fascinating.

   “Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”

   Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!”

   The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”

Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

   “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen. And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.

   “In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

   “That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

   “But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron. But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.

   “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”

~Daniel 2:24-45 New Living Translation (NLT)

   In this well-known passage, Daniel describes the rise and fall of every major empire in world history starting with the Babylonian Empire under king Nebuchadnezzar II (the Head of Gold). After the Babylonians came the Achaemenid Empire of Cyrus the Great (the Chest and Arms of Silver) followed by Alexander the Great's Macedonian Empire (the Belly and Thighs of Bronze). After this came the Legs of Iron, which smashed and crushed all other empires before them. These were the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. Finally, Daniel spoke of the Feet of Iron and Clay, a conglomerate of nations—some strong, some weak—seeking strength through alliances and intermarriage. These represent the nations of the post-Roman world, right up to the present day.  

   Not only did Daniel prophesy every major empire in world history, he also gave us very specific information concerning Xerxes the First's invasion of Greece in 480 BC, as well as the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, and the subsequent division of his Empire. Both of these accounts can be found in Daniel 11:2-4.

   “Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. He will use his wealth to stir up everyone to fight against the kingdom of Greece.
   “Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do. But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king’s descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others... ”

~Daniel 11:2-4 New Living Translation (NLT)

   Both history and the Bible tell us that events transpired exactly as Daniel foretold. Xerxes the First did use his wealth to go to war against the kingdoms of Greece in 480 BC. (Ester 1) And Alexander the Great accomplished everything he set out to do, only to die suddenly at the age of 32, at the height of his power. With no legitimate heir to the throne, Alexander’s empire was divided up and given to four of his generals—thus fulfilling the words of Daniel 11:3-4. 

   

   Now some may continue to argue that Daniel was a fictional character, dreamed up by the despondent Jewish exiles in Babylon—a sort of "super prophet" created to give the people hope. But this does not negate the fact that the author of Daniel, whoever he was, somehow managed to accurately predict the rise and fall of every major empire in human history over the last 2,500 years.   
   Furthermore, if Daniel were a fictional character, why would his creator give him both a Jewish and Babylonian name, and make him a prominent political figure in both the Babylonian and Persian Empires? Remember, the people who would have been reading the Book of Daniel were Jewish exiles living in Babylon. Ergo, every single Jew could have refuted Daniel's existence at the time the book was written. Instead, the book was added into the Jewish Scriptures. 

   The only logical explanation for this is that Daniel was indeed a living, breathing person, and that he was well known at the time that he lived. If he were not a living, breathing person, then no one would have taken the prophecies in the Book of Daniel seriously. Not only that, they probably would have stoned the man who had written the book for being a false prophet. 

   This is the same sort of logic that I used to defend the existence of Christ in Was Jesus Real?: You cannot claim that something miraculous has happened in a city where every single person can disprove your claim through eye-witness accounts and first-hand testimony. The same thing goes for prominent political figures. 

   Think of it this way: If you were to go to your neighbor claiming that your brother is the President of the United States of America, he wouldn't believe you—unless your brother really is the President. Not only that, he would probably have you committed. 

   So then, how is it that a book of the Bible written in the mid 500s BC. was somehow able to accurately predict the rise and fall of every major empire in history over a span of 2,500 years? Either someone in ancient Babylon was extremely lucky with their predictions, or God revealed his plan to a Prophet named Daniel some 2,500 years ago. 

   Given the historical evidence, my money is on the latter. 

The Prophecy of Cyrus the Great

Cyrus the Great
c. 600 or 576-530 BC.

   There are many people in the world today who believe that the Bible is little more than a book of myths—something that I am sure you are all aware of. Indeed, it is no secret that many people believe that the Bible was written by men, changed over time as their ideals and philosophies evolved, moving ever closer to cultured enlightenment. Many of these people also believe that the Old Testament—its prophesies, historical records, and laws—are not contemporary to the events they record, but were instead written down during the Babylonian Exile sometime during the mid 500s BC. This would of course support the belief that the Jewish Torah—and indeed, the very foundation for both Judaism and Christianity—is of a fictitious nature; a grand history dreamed up by despondent exiles in a land not their own. 
   However, if one takes the time to examine the historical record, one will soon discover that there are numerous problems with this theory. Indeed, there are far to many historical facts, philosophical loopholes, and errors in reasoning for me to do more than scratch the surface on the subject. 

   That being said, I am going to give you one example of how it is utterly impossible for the Old Testament to have been created during the Babylonian Exile: The Prophecy of Cyrus the Great.

“This is what the Lord says—

    your Redeemer and Creator:

‘I am the Lord, who made all things.

    I alone stretched out the heavens.

Who was with me

    when I made the earth?

I expose the false prophets as liars

    and make fools of fortune-tellers.

I cause the wise to give bad advice,

    thus proving them to be fools.

But I carry out the predictions of my prophets!

    By them I say to Jerusalem, ‘People will live here again,’

and to the towns of Judah, ‘You will be rebuilt;

    I will restore all your ruins!’

When I speak to the rivers and say, ‘Dry up!’

    they will be dry.

When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’

    he will certainly do as I say.

He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’;

    he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’”

This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one,

    whose right hand he will empower.

Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear.

    Their fortress gates will be opened,

    never to shut again.

This is what the Lord says:

“I will go before you, Cyrus,

    and level the mountains.

I will smash down gates of bronze

    and cut through bars of iron.

And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—

    secret riches.

I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,

    the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

“And why have I called you for this work?

    Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?

It is for the sake of Jacob my servant,

    Israel my chosen one.

I am the Lord;

    there is no other God.

I have equipped you for battle,

    though you don’t even know me,

so all the world from east to west

    will know there is no other God.

I am the Lord, and there is no other. ...

... I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose,

    and I will guide his actions.

He will restore my city and free my captive people—

    without seeking a reward!

    I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
~Isaiah 44:24-28, 45:1-6, 45:13 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis added]

   As is clearly stated by the Prophet Isaiah, this Old Testament passage refers to Cyrus II, King of Persia. But what few people realize is that the Prophet Isaiah lived and died at the turn of the 8th and 7th centuries BC. (c. 740-681 BC. ) Which means that this prophecy about Cyrus the Great was made approximately 100-150 years before Cyrus II was even born. (c. 600-576 BC. ) 
   So then, how is it that the Bible could accurately predict the rise of the Achaemenid Empire, and even go so far as to call its ruler by name? Not only did the Bible predict these events, it even goes on to describes Cyrus II's war-standard in Isaiah 46:11.

The Standard of Cyrus the Great

“... I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—

    a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding.

I have said what I would do, 
    and I will do it.”
~Isaiah 46:11 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis added]

   How could Isaiah have known that a king named Cyrus would have a bird of prey as his banner before the man was even conceived? Furthermore, how could he have predicted the events surrounding the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Persian Empire? And how could he have known that Cyrus II would return the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem 100 before the Babylonians had even conquered Judah? (The approximate date for the Babylonian conquest of Judah is somewhere between 587 and 581 BC. ) 

   Is it possible that Cyrus somehow learned of this prophesy—despite having never traveled west of the Euphrates river until his invasion of Mesopotamia—and then proceeded to fulfill every word, to the letter, through ambition and sheer will-power alone? Unlikely. The odds of someone accurately fulfilling such a specific prophecy are virtually nonexistent. Humanly speaking, it can not be done—not without some sort of supernatural intervention and/or orchestration.

   The same thing can be said of Isaiah's prophesies about Jesus Christ. Not only did Jesus fulfill Isaiah's prophesies to the letter, he also fulfilled every other messianic prediction in the entire Old Testament.

   So how can this be? How could a book, written by dozens of authors over thousands of years accurately predict the rise and fall of nations, and call a king by name before his parents were even born? The answer lies in Isaiah 46:8-10.

“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind!

    Remember this, you guilty ones.

Remember the things I have done in the past.

    For I alone am God!

    I am God, and there is none like me.

Only I can tell you the future

    before it even happens.

Everything I plan will come to pass,

    for I do whatever I wish.”

~Isaiah 46:8-10 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis added]

   The Bible's prophesies are specific and accurate because the Bible was written by the only one who knows history before it even begins—The Lord God Almighty. 

Case closed.

Money and the Church

One of the biggest misconceptions about Christianity today is that the church, or rather "organized religion", is a corporate scam devised by cunning individuals hell-bent on swindling weak-minded people out of their hard-earned income. Now, while this is certainly true of some individuals masquerading as Christians and pastors, I want to make it very clear that this is not the way that the majority of churches operate. And I hope that many of you will agree with me when I say that the actions of a handful of individuals is not enough to stereotype millions of people all over the world. Furthermore, true Christianity is not an "organized religion"; it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As I stated in my previous article "The Problem with Religion," religion can't save anyone and only succeeds in creating a culture of self-righteousness and hypocrisy among devotees.  

That being said, I want to point out that the Bible is very clear that people who preach just for money have no place in the Kingdom of God, and are in fact considered to be "false teachers" and/or "wolves in sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15-20)

"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed."

~ 2 Peter 2:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis Mine]

"Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy."

~ 1 Timothy 6:2b-5 New Living Translation (NLT) [Emphasis Mine]

A prime example of the "destructive heresies" mentioned in 2 Peter is that of the "Health and Wealth Gospel"—the idea that if you do more for God, God will bless you more as a result. Or, as is often the case, if you give more money to a particular church, cause, or preacher, God will bless you and give you a long life, good health, and more money than what you initially gave. The error in all of this is that it implies that those people who are not being blessed as much as others are simply not doing enough to merit God's favor, and must therefore work harder if they wish to experience all the good things God wants to give them. This of course is all based on our own perception of reality, which—as we all know—can be far from accurate. In extreme cases this warped perception can lead to a spiritual hierarchy, and/or an elitist attitude among Christians, resulting in a sort of "spiritual competition," with individuals scrambling over each other to see which person can gain more of God's favor. 

In short, this kind of works-based gospel is contrary to God's Word, and is therefore a false teaching. God will do as He pleases. He has no favorites, and His favor cannot be bought. (Daniel 4:35, Psalm 115:3, 135:6, Romans 2:11, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9) 

However, God does say in Malachi 3:10 to test Him with your giving in regards to tithes. But something that is often overlooked is the cultural context of this passage. If you read the rest of Malachi you will see that the reason God was commanding the people to offer their full tithe was because the Nation of Israel had turned their backs on Him, and had stopped offering the sacrifices required by the Law of Moses. Not only were the people sinning by failing to obey God's commandments, they were also neglecting the Levitical Priests—members of the one tribe in all of Israel who depended on the tithes of the people just to put food on the table. (Deuteronomy 18:1-2) 

This means that in Malachi 3:10 God was looking out for the daily needs of the people who, under the Old Testament Law, served as mediators between Israel and Himself. (The Old Testament system of offering animal sacrifices for the sins of the people was later nullified with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the requirements of the Law and became our High Priest; thus making both the priesthood and our need for human mediators obsolete. (Hebrews 8-10) 

On that note, I want to address the issue of tithing. Some people—mostly those who are not Christians themselves—see tithing as the way in which organized religion takes advantage of its followers. However, if you have read the passages above, then you already know that the Bible teaches something entirely different, and actually condemns those who would use God's Word in order to manipulate people for personal gain. 

That being said, the Bible does say that pastors should be paid for their work:

"Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.' And in another place, 'Those who work deserve their pay!'”

~1 Timothy 5:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

Now some of you may be thinking: "Aha! There it is! The smoking gun; indisputable proof that pastors are stealing money from their congregations!"

However, I would present to you one vital piece of evidence that many people tend to overlook: most pastors do not make very much money. Furthermore, some pastors—especially youth and assistant pastors—rely on other jobs in order to support their families. This dependency on what many would deem "secular work" goes all the way back to the beginning of Christianity and the church itself. The Apostles worked to support themselves, despite receiving tithes and offerings from the early church. Even the Apostle Paul—the man who wrote most of the New Testament and planted churches all over the Roman Empire—earned a living as a tentmaker. (Acts 18:3, 2 Thessalonians 3:8) So to argue that pastors are swindling people is a rather weak stance to take on the subject in light of the obvious facts. 

That being said, I feel that many people fail to realize the amount of stress pastors are under. They deal with addiction counseling, sickness, death, and all manor of questions and criticism every single day; not to mention the amount of study and preparation they put into their weekly sermons—some pastors even do multiple sermons in one week! So I asked you: Do you honestly think that these people should not be paid for the work that they do? Therapists get paid. Scholars and history professors get paid. So why shouldn't pastors? 

Contrary to what many people believe, churches do have other expenses besides paying their pastors' salaries. For example: When I give my tithe to my church, that money goes to paying my pastor, the assistant pastors, the secretaries in the office, and the utility bills for the building. In addition to this, some of my money also goes into a missions fund for the missionary families my church supports overseas, as well as an account for funding the youth group's short-term missions trips to Mexico and the surround communities, where they build houses, feed the homeless, and help at local schools. Furthermore, some of my money is also put into a disaster relief fund that my church set up to help families within the church when they encounter unexpected financial hardships—i.e. the loss of a job, or home; or an unplanned medical expense.  

Now remember, the word "tithe" literally means "one tenth." So when I say that my tithe pays for all of these expenses, charities, and funds, I'm talking about one dime out of every dollar that I make. That means that I get to keep $90 out of every $100 that I take home. Does that sound like I'm being swindled out of my hard-earned cash? Am I inadvertently paying for my pastor's tri-yearly trip to the Bahamas with my voluntary giving? Or maybe I bought him a $10,000,000 dollar beach-house in Hawaii, and a private jet to fly him there every week?

I'm joking of course. But hopefully you'll realize just how ridiculous these accusations sound when you really stop to think about it.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there aren't people out there who manipulate God's Word in order to make themselves wealthy. But most Christians are not scoundrels. Pastors aren't running out to their cars with a bag of money in both hands after every church service. But con artists do exist, and you don't have to look very far to find a "wolf in sheep's clothing."

That being said, we as Christians need to be careful. If a person is teaching a message contrary to God's Word; or if they demand payment; or if they tell you that you need to buy pamphlets, books, or other "essential study materials" from them in order to "truly understand God's Word," have nothing to do with them. They are a false teacher, and they are using God's Word to manipulate people. Giving a tithe or donating money to help rebuild a home destroyed by a fire is one thing; buying and selling a person's merchandise is another.

In short, Christianity isn’t about the money; it’s about Jesus Christ. And the church isn’t an organization. Nor is it a building. The church is every individual who has heard the truth about Jesus Christ and believed. Rich or poor, slave or free, male or female; we are all the church. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) So when you accuse the "church" of swindling people out of their money, you're really accusing us as individuals. But honestly, most of us could care less about the paper in your wallet. We have something that is worth far, far more; something that can never be taken away or destroyed: Our hope in Jesus Christ, who is our eternal treasure in Heaven. (Matthew 6:19-21) 

The Problem with Religion

“I believe in God, just not organized religion ... ”

“Religious people are just so hypocritical...”

“I'm happy that you've found sometihng that works for you, but religion just ins't my thing... ”

If these statements or others like them describe you, then I have some great news that may come as a shock to many: Jesus hates religion, too!

If you read any of the gospel accounts, you'll find that some of the harshest things Jesus ever said were to religious people. His words in Matthew 23 are especially scathing: 

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,‘The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“‘Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

“‘Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

“‘Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“‘What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

“‘But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

“‘Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.’”

~ Matthew 23:1-36 New Living Translation (NLT)

By human standard, these were the "righteous" people Jesus was talking to. They were extremely moral, holy, religious individuals—the priests, teachers, and political leaders of Jewish society. Yet Jesus was not impressed. He saw right through their smoke and mirrors, and saw that their hearts were far from God. They acted the part, true. But they were counting on their pious self-denial and adherence to religious law for salvation, instead of trusting in God. Jesus saw their hypocrisy for what it was and called them out on it. And as a result, they began plotting to kill him. (Matthew 12:14, 26:1-5) 

That's the problem with religion: It can't save anyone. 

As I said in my previous article: "Religion or Relationship: What Must I do to be Saved?" religion is a man-made attempt to regain our lost relationship with God. We bind ourselves up with rules and regulations, hoping that God will accept us; even though we ultimately end up trapped in a net of our own design, condemned by the laws we try to uphold. (Romans 4:14-15) 

This is not what God wants from us. 

God doesn't want religion; He wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us. He created us. We are precious to Him. Every single human being is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, hand-crafted by God Himself. (Ephesians 2:10) There will only be one you—ever. And God desperately wants you to know Him as well as He knows you. Not only that, He wants to call you His friend. 

Religion can't do that. You can’t become someone’s close friend if you spend every waking hour trying to patronize them. In fact, most people would probably start to avoid you if you did that!
Likewise, God doesn't want people to try to earn His favor, wasting their lives by thinking that if they're good enough He will somehow love them more. (Romans 2:11, Ephesians 2:8-9) 
That is why God sent Jesus to die for us; to restore the relationship that we destroyed, and to free us from the burden of empty religion. We don't need to earn God's favor—He was already willing to die for us. All we have to do is accept His forgiveness and the gift of life and mercy that He offers to us through Jesus Christ. (John 3:16-21)

We don't need religion—religion breeds self-righteousness and hypocrisy. What we do need is a relationship with Jesus—our mediator—the one who died once to save us all from sin and death, and now lives to restore our friendship with God. 

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

~Romans 5:1-11New Living Translation (NLT)