Faith for Life’s Journey #5 – The Deterrents to Faith Pt. 3

Post #5 = The Deterrents to Faith Pt. 3

Road Block #6: The Relevance Factor

TYPICAL WORDING: “I don’t need faith … in what way is it relevant to my life?”

PROBLEM: Many folks these days, the young especially, don’t see any compelling reason to turn toward faith. They are busy with their own pursuits, relationships, travel plans, careers, and fun, and don’t see the need for religion. To them, honestly, religion seems rather boring and a bit weird. Their questions concerning religion include: “Why should I bother? What does it do for me? Does it bring me money, thrills, a better life? None of my friends are into it; so why should I be?” Faith, and especially the organized church, does not seem to scratch their life’s itch.

SOLUTION: Faith could not be more relevant to both the young and old. Properly understood faith benefits every area of life from childhood to the grave. The sooner a young person acquires the right faith, the better for their lives. Exposure to words which inspire faith, and an education which includes faith, is key. In other words, we need to get those disinterested to look down the road. Too many look at life with short-sided vision and a shallow perspective. They only want to see what is around the next bend. All people, especially the young, need to open their eyes to how a life with faith blesses, and how a life without faith hurts and hinders the journey of life.

EXPLANATION: Religion can appear to be a sideshow in life hardly the central concern for many people. Worship services in particular feel like an unnecessary intrusion onto one’s precious weekend activities. Also religious organizations tend to repel visitors by asking for money and offering little tangible in return. The religious people themselves seem odd to those who are not used to their religions practices and jargon. All of these factors work to make faith – at least formal faith – appear peripheral or irrelevant.

However, this is looking at faith and religion superficially. When someone evaluates something for relevancy, surely they must look at the heart and center of what it is not the peripheral.

Faith is enriching to the soul and honoring to the Creator.

Faith is a life to enter into which becomes both thrilling and challenging. It is by no means boring.

Proper faith leads to abundant life. Who would not think abundant life is relevant?

Correct faith puts you in touch with the One who made you and knows you best.

It informs and brightens every area of life from recreation to work; from family to dealing with enemies, to lonely thoughts within and social interactions without.

It is not only relevant but designed to be the most relevant thing to your life. It deals simultaneously with the overall meaning and purpose of life and the everyday workings of life. It deals with the “here and now,” and the “there and then.”

It touches your body and your soul. It connects you to the ground for living now, and speaks of the sky and your future beyond this life.

Sometimes the best way to discover the relevance of life is to listen to the testimonies of people who were not interested in faith and then became very interested. Why did their perspective change? Listen to what they are saying and think more deeply about your own life and its direction.

Christian Scripture, for example, includes these very sound and relevant truths for life from those who knew God. They range from guidance for life, mysteries of the future, and life altering thoughts.

Jesus Christ

Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 16:26 – “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Solomon

Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”

Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.”

The Apostle John

1 John 1:9-10 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

The Apostle Paul

Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

And there are literally thousands more. All one has to do is begin to look into it, find a helpful guide to the Scriptures, and the truths will become alive in one’s soul as faith appropriates “logic on fire” in holy Scripture. Truth will light up your life!

Road Block #7: The Deception Factor 

TYPICAL WORDING: “I don’t trust formal religion. I’ve seen too much deception and hypocrisy in it.”

PROBLEM: Another stiff-arm to observant people is the deception which goes on in the name of religion. There is no denying that religion has been used to control the masses, loosen people’s grip on their money, manipulate their consciences and even do worse. So this deception has proven to be one of the greatest roadblocks to faith. If people inside of organized religion live so badly, why should someone feel compelled to join them? If they are caught in deception why should they be trusted when talking about faith and God? And those are very good questions.

SOLUTION: Deception in some religion, even lots of religion, is still no reason to throw out all faith and all teachers. Granted, there are many bad apples. However with millions of bushels of apples even a few thousand bad apples is no reason to throw out the whole crop. In fact, it only underscores how import it is to get faith correct. If faith is the key to all of life, and if there is evil present in the world, then we should expect there will be evil penetrating religion to lead us astray and discourage us from seeking truth and spiritual understanding. We need to look past the deception to the good if we are to see clearly!

EXPLANATION: Who from my generation can forget the Jonestown suicide in the name of religion? Today, there are those who commit unthinkable atrocities today in the name of Islam. Christianity has long been criticized for the crusades, for the burning of books, for the Inquisition, and for petty squabbles between denominations. Hindus have literally let people starve as they revere cows. Every religion has its human rights abuses.

So it is understandable people are hesitant to commit to faith for the fear they will get caught up in something bad. They clearly do not want to believe the wrong thing and end up getting burned. Their lack of familiarity with religion does not help either since their lack of discernment makes them more vulnerable.

When you add to that the obvious stories of religious abuse, things get worse. From priests who abuse children, to those getting rich off of people’s naiveté of false healing, to authoritarian leaders who control a congregation’s conscience, religion and faith are often hijacked by those with evil intent. It is wise to check people and places out well ahead of time.

However to lump evil religion in the same category as good is a grave mistake which cannot be defended. Discerning people know the difference between good and evil. Observant people see the difference between helpful acts of faith and destructive acts of misguided zeal. That is one of the main reasons I am writing this blog – to guide the one seeking truth.

It may surprise some of you to know that Christianity teaches that both the Archangel and Satan are religious persons. One worships the Good God; the other worships all things evil, including himself. No one would lump them in the same category. So the solution is to maintain discernment.

Keep in mind too that the number of excellent things being done by believers in the name of God are not reported in the news because they don’t drive up the ratings. Millions of times daily people serve one another, give to meet a need of some kind, assist others in crisis, patiently counsel and teach the downtrodden, and do a host of other beneficial things. Hospitals are started. Schools begin. Hunger funds are raised. Education is advanced. Beautiful music is composed. Companionship is met. Many choose to turn a blind eye to the excellent things done in the name of religion, but that is not a fair evaluation of it.

These kinds of acts tell you that there is much out there to trust and believe.

Believers are there at the scene when disasters strike. They are there when widows need support. They offer rides. They care for foreigners. They bake meals for others. They show up at soup kitchens. They give up their vacation leave time to go oversees and help with a mission. They give to charities at a higher rate than any other group. They make friendly neighbors; hard laborers; faithful friends; and loyal citizens. They grieve with those who grieve, and they rejoice with those who rejoice. Much of this good is organized and motivated by the formal church.

Remember, there also exists deception in the name of science, or deception in the realm of business. Yet we continue to use science and business, looking for the best in each. So it is a phony excuse to say the many bad religious people makes a religion bad. Each one must be looked at fairly and evenly.