New River Church

Dear Christian, do you know Who lives inside of you? The Apostle Paul's prayer for the Galatians was that Christ be formed in them. This is the primary difference between religion and Jesus. Religon only has power to make you good. Jesus can make you godly.

Jesus didn't die on a cross to make you religios. He died to invite you into His family. So why choose slavery to religion when God invites you to become His son or daughter?

How many rules does it take to keep you doing the right thing? With maturity comes freedom from being TOLD what to do. Religion is like a babysitter. It removes your freedom of choice and tells you what to do. It seeks to make you good by forcing you into right behavior. Jesus makes you godly by transforming your character.

The single greatest temptation you will ever face is the temptation to religion. Every other temptation promises fun or fulfilment. Religion promises life. This week in our study of Galatians 2 we learn that even the Apostle Peter succumbed to religion's pressures! What can we do to avoid it? Take a listen and find out.

Whether he was in prison or not, Paul identified himself as "the prisoner of Christ." We can only be as free as the One to Whom we are bound. Link ourselves to addiction, to unhealthy relationships, to our work, or anything else, and we will become tired, weary and bound. Link yourself to Jesus Christ and taste what true freedom is all about! This is our first message in the Jailhouse Pastor series. We begin with a challenge to become imprisoned by the only One who can really set us free.

Jesus didn't die on a cross to make you religious. Yet many Christians have become snagged by religion's error. Be careful! The greatest threat to your soul is not outside of the church, but inside of it. The world's lies are obvious. Religion's chains are more subtle. The letter to Galatians begins with a stern caution against becoming religious in the way we approach Jesus.