May 13th - Heavy Burdens of Religion

Jesus said this about religious leaders of His day:

"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders." (Matthew 23:4).

The rules and regulations found in the religions of the world leave humanity frustrated, guilt ridden and depressed. Jesus came to set humanity free from rules and regulations of religious institutions, whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu or any other religious system.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18).

"God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting humanity’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation...it is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 5:1)

Sinful humanity, all of us, will eventually be set free from death - the wages of sin. Our final destiny is to be resurrected to eternal life.

"Upon this rock I will be building my church, and the gates of the grave shall not be prevailing against it." (Matthew 16:18)  

"...there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." (Acts 24:15)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"...I give to you the gospel that I accepted, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was then entombed, and then rose to life the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:3)

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)