People of Religion and People of Faith (Acts 4:1-12)

People of Religion and People of Faith (Acts 4:1-12)

 

1 사도들이 백성에게 말할 때에 제사장들과 성전 맡은 자와 사두개인들이 이르러 1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.

2 예수 안에 죽은 자의 부활이 있다고 백성을 가르치고 전함을 싫어하여 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

3 그들을 잡으매 날이 이미 저물었으므로 이튿날까 가두었으나 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

4 말씀을 들은 사람 중에 믿는 자가 많으니 남자의 수가 약 오천이나 되었더라 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

5 이튿날 관리들과 장로들과 서기관들이 예루살렘에 모였는데 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

6 대제사장 안나스와 가야바와 요한과 알렉산더와 및 대제사장의 문중이 다참여하여 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family

7 사도들을 가운데 세우고 묻되 너희가 무슨 권세와 누구의 이름으로 이 일을 행하였느냐 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8 이에 베드로가 성령이 충만하여 이르되 백성의 관리들과 장로들아 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

9 만일 병자에게 행한 착한 일에 대하여 이 사람이 어떻게 구원을 받았느냐고 오늘 우리에게 질문한다면 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,

10 너희와 모든 이스라엘 백성들은 알라 너희가 십자가에 못 박고 하나님이 죽은 자 가운데서 살리신 나사렛 예수 그리스도의 이름으로 이 사람이 건강하게 되어 너희 앞에 섰느니라 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

11 이 예수는 너희 건축자들의 버린 돌로서 집 모퉁이의 머릿돌이 되었느니라 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

12 다른 이로써는 구원을 받을 수 없나니 천하 사람 중에 구원을 받을 만한 다른 이름을 우리에게 주신 일이 없음이라 하였더라 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

 

We often use or think of the words “religion” and “faith” to be interchangeable, but that is not the case. “Religion” and “faith” are distinctly different. With “religion” it is humans who are in charge, who control, and who supervise.

 

Thus, “religion” decides one’s blessings based on a person’s actions and whether he/she is a good person. If a person attends and serves the church, volunteering and participating, but tries to receive God’s blessings and grace only through their actions, what they have is “religion,” not “faith.”

 

Long ago, people believed that spirits protected their households so mothers would wake at early dawn to bathe in spring waters nearby and pray in front of freshly drawn water. They believed that if someone saw them bathing it would bring bad luck, so they would always wake early, even during the freezing winters, to ensure their good fortune.

 

They put in so much care and work because they believed it was the only way to receive blessings.  This is what “religion” is: Pouring out your care and effort for good fortune. The specifics of religion may vary, but the ultimate core of “sincere effort = luck and blessings” remains the same.

 

But “faith” is different. “Faith” is believing and trusting in God and depending on Him. Living a life of faith, not a life of religion, means to place your life and heart in the Lord, accept Him as your guide, and to live by His will. God does not give blessings or misfortune based on our actions; we are given what we deserve according to His will, regardless of our own thoughts or actions. 

 

God does not negotiate what blessings we will or will not receive. He did not discuss things with us when He created us. Nor did God consult us when He created the universe.

 

If you attend church, but live a life serving God purely based on your own will and decisions, you are living a life of religion, not a life of faith. If I stand before you today and preach, “Give great offerings. Pray a lot. That is the only way to be blessed,” then I am a pastor of religion, not faith. Of course this does not mean it is okay to neglect offerings.

 

It means that merely offerings and prayers will not get you blessings. God sees not our actions, but the sincerity of our hearts. He gives us our sincere desire for offerings and our sincere hearts of prayer. Living according to that desire He gives us is what it means to live a life of faith.

 

We were all born as sinners, therefore we do not possess the ability to live pure and kind lives. Hence, we need God to work within us, throughout our lives. God not only wants to save us, but to work in our lives. This is why the Bible tells us, “If I work, it brings pain and suffering. But if God works, it brings peace and rest.”

 

Unfortunately, many Christians today live according to religion rather than faith and mistake themselves to be true Christians. In such a context, today’s scripture is of the utmost importance because it tells us exactly what depicts true faith and what is mere religion.

 

How do we live a life of faith and not religion? First, we must cast aside the wrong views we have about religion. Many see Christianity as a religion, but based on strict definitions it is not. Charles Swindoll stated that Christianity’s greatest enemy is religion. But that does not make sense does it? Why is Christianity’s greatest enemy religion when Christianity itself is a religion?

 

The answer lies in a deeper look. Think about it. What is religion? We established earlier that the core of religion lies in humans seeking God and blessings through their own actions. Who is in charge in this scenario? It is mankind. The act of man is the focus.

 

But Christianity is different. We did not seek God but rather God found us. Christianity was established because God loved man so much He sent His only son Jesus to die for us. He reached out to us first.

 

The problem is, people still search for God as they do in other religions. They believe true faith comes from hard work and dedicated volunteering. Mankind is religious, so they end up trying to serve God through religious means. Some even choose to deny the Bible and rather believe in God through their own religious views. These people are described in Acts 4:1-2:

 

“1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.”

 

The priests, captain of the temple guard sand Sadducees did not like that Peter and John were preaching about Jesus’ resurrection. These people were leaders who dictated the rules of the religion to guide others to God. In other words, the people who disliked the message of Jesus’ resurrection were people of religion. They were “greatly disturbed” by Peter and John’s message, the one true path to true faith.

 

They hated it. They hated that Jesus, the man they killed, had been resurrected. They hated that truth so they decided to not believe it. All that mattered to them was this life and the power they had while living in this life.

 

What is religion? Why do people have religion? Is it not so they can receive more blessings and stability while this life in this world? If you too are currently attending church and believing in God in the hopes of financial stability, blessings, and good fortune, then you are living a life of religion, not a life of faith.

 

How can we live a life of faith then? We must throw away our wrong understanding of ownership. When children are young, sometimes they will claim another child’s toy and say, “It’s mine!” As they grow older they slowly understand and can tell the difference between what belongs to them and what belongs to others.

 

Yet, some adults who have attended church for decades cannot tell who is the true owner of their lives and mistake it to be themselves. If we take a look at these people we can see that they have never experienced the dynamic life of faith stemming from God’s awesome work and have rather lived stiff lives of religion. They have the knowledge and the rapport. They fast and pray. But they have not experienced the Living God.

 

How does one’s life of faith start? It starts when you accept Jesus as your savior, you repent for your sins of trying to claim ownership of your life, and you give up control to the Lord. This is why people of religion cannot have true faith. They believe they own control of their lives, and are reluctant to give it up. We see this happen with the religious leaders of today’s scripture. Take a look at verse 7:

 

“They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

 

This question is really out of place in this context. A lame man, who had not walked in 40 years, had just been miraculously cured. He had stood up for the first time in four decades and was well enough to begin praising the Lord.

 

This is a miracle only possible through God. Having seen this happen, the priests, temple guard captain, and Sadducees should have recognized God’s power. Yet they failed to see Him and instead demanded to know who gave Peter and John the authority to perform such miracles.

 

The Bible translates the original text to “you” but the original Greek “humeis” is more closely translated to mean, “you and those like you” or “you all.” In other words, “How did lowly men like you commit such miracles?”

 

But it indeed was not the Apostles who conducted this miracle but rather it was God. The Living God raised the lame man. The man was able to walk, not because of the Apostles, but in the name of the risen Jesus Christ.

 

This man and countless others who experienced miracles through Jesus’ name was proof of God’s power and Jesus’ resurrection, but the religious leaders still refused to believed it. They heard the testimonies and even saw the miracles yet they denied the truth. They questioned who allowed the miracles to happen.

 

Why would these people see the proof, but still deny the truth? It is because of their false and incorrect understanding of ownership. These people of religion believed themselves to be their own masters and refused to believe the work of God, a power greater than theirs.

 

We need to realize that we own nothing, especially not our own lives. When we recognize God as our true master, we can see His power and work and live a genuine life of faith.

 

Last, how do we live a life of faith and not religion?  To do this, we must hear the true Gospel.

 

I once heard a pastor’s testimony. This pastor had great ambitions to become incredibly famous. As result, he tried many different things and ended up greatly in debt. He led countless services but his own heart had left God. But he failed to recognize his own dying faith and all he could think about was making more money, building his ministry, and becoming more famous.

 

One day, he decided to borrow money from a church through a pastor he met on a Christian TV program. When he got to the church, the pastor looked at him and remarked, “Your eyes are like those of a frozen fish.”

 

He had gone to borrow money and came back empty handed because the pastor’s comment offended him so much. He was angry because he felt he was still a pastor of great caliber and fame and the other pastor had blatantly disrespected him.

 

Yet upon returning home the master’s remark kept popping up in his head. So the pastor returned to the church and asked how he can change. The other pastor told him to worship God.

 

The pastor was outraged.  He was a relatively famous pastor who had led countless worship services. Furious, he asked if the pastor knew just how many worship services he had led. Now frustrated the other pastor yelled, “Worship God. Not the services you lead but a service where you worship God!”

 

Hearing this the pastor was shocked. He had led so many worship services, yet there was not a single time where he himself had been worshipping as well. He was a pastor, leading others under such a title, yet his own eyes had been dimmed by the desire for fame. He had been leading his own life.

 

Realizing this, he said that tears started falling nonstop. God’s message and the living Gospel changed him.

 

After hearing this pastor’s testimony, I looked back at myself and found I was the same. There are still parts of my life where I refuse to give up control. I still can not give certain things to Jesus. I claim Jesus is my savior, but I act on my own accord. The religious leaders in today’s scripture are no different from my own self.

 

What about you? Take a look at yourselves. Who is the master and owner in your life? Why do we go to church but still possess wrong notions of ownership and religion? It is because we do not face the Gospel daily. It is because we forget the Gospel preached by Peter.

 

Look at verse 4 of today’s scripture: “But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.”

 

Who received sincere and true faith? The many who hard the message of the Gospel from God. Not the religious leaders. Not the people who had great knowledge about God. It was the people who heard and believed God’s message.

 

What is the message? It is: “Jesus Christ, who we crucified on the cross, was resurrected by the power of God and whoever believes and accepts Jesus as their Savior will be saved.” Peter changed because of this message. He knew he was called to be an Apostle to spread this message.

 

So, Peter meditated on this message daily and proclaimed this truth far and wide. And he was not afraid to do so in front of the biggest Jewish religious leaders. When asked, “By what power or what name did you do this?” Peter replied:

 

“[Y]ou and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”” (Acts 4:10-12)

 

Only the Gospel can save you. only through the name of Jesus Christ, who defeated death and was resurrected, can we be saved. There is no other name. only Jesus Christ.

 

Do you wish to live a life of faith instead of a life of religion? Then stand before the Gospel. Meditate on His message everyday. Through the Gospel you must deny your own desire for control and relinquish your life to God. You must live only for your master and owner of your life, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Last year, I read a book titled, “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman. Kyle Idleman, a pastor, had once believed that he was a true disciple of Jesus, but when he realized he was not he repented and wrote this book. In the book, he talks about an email he received at church. He sender asked to be removed from the church member list with the reason saying:

 

“I don’t like Kyle’s sermons.”

 

That was all that was written to explain why a member had decided to leave the church. Unable to accept this, Kyle Idleman called the writer of the letter.

 

“Hey, this is Kyle. I understand you want to leave the church because you don’t like my sermons.”

 

An uncomfortable silence ensued. The person on the other line was obviously taken aback. The awkward silence passed and the church member started to give rambling wishy-washy explanations and excuses. In the end the member told Pastor Idleman a crucial bit of information:

 

“Well… whenever I listen to one of your sermons I feel like you are trying to interfere with my life.”

 

Why are you all here listening to this sermon? Is it from habit? Because you’ve come to church since you were a child and it just makes you feel better for the week to come on Sundays? If so, then you are living religiously, not faithfully.

 

The religious leaders heard that Jesus had resurrected and were uncomfortable. In fact, they were “greatly disturbed.” Why? Because this message would not allow them to continue their religious life as comfortably as they had thus far. It contradicted and threatened their religious power.

 

The church is a not a place for comfortable religious practice. It is a place for those who seek a sincere and genuine life of faith. It is and entity for those who have heard the Gospel and strive to serve their one true master Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom.

 

Choose now. Do you want a comfortable life of religion? Or a life of faith that brings suffering but will allow you to enjoy the everlasting peace and joy of God?

 

The religious see salvation as their goal, but the faithful who believe in Christ see salvation as the foundation. 

 

The religious do good for salvation, but the faithful do good because they have received salvation.

 

Religion is mad-made, but salvation is from God.

 

Religion is man doing things for God, but salvation is something God did for us.

 

Religion is a tool people use to find God, but salvation is God coming to us to find the lost.

 

Religion is building your own righteousness, but salvation is receiving the righteousness given by God.

 

Religion cannot change a person, but salvation can.

 

Religion changes a person on the outside, but salvation changes the inside.

 

Religion primps and preens one’s outer appearance, but salvation grooms one’s heart.

 

Religion emphasizes one’s acts, but salvation emphasizes one’s existence.

 

Religion teaches to obey and believe numerous laws, but salvation teaches to obey and believe only Jesus Christ.

 

Religion says to seek truth, but salvation says to receive truth.

 

Religion is doing good to build up salvation points, but faith is knowing those points mean nothing.

 

Religion refers to any god, but Christianity is about our one God.

 

Religion has the graves of its founders, but Christianity has an empty tomb.

 

Let us all give up a life of meaningless religion and take up a life of meaningful true faith in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

By Pastor Peter S. Bahng / 041716