Why religion doesn't work anymore

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Have you ever felt like you're doing all the right religious things, following the rules,

going through the motions, but something still feels off?

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It's almost as if no matter how hard you try, it's not enough to fix what's really going

on inside.

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In this video, we're going to dive into why religion doesn't work the way you think it

should, and more importantly, how real transformation goes far beyond rules and rituals.

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Stick around because this could change everything about how you see faith.

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Hey everyone, welcome to the Authentic Podcast.

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My name is Christian and I've been a Christian for most of my life, dedicating myself to

not only studying the Bible, but truly living it out.

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Together with my amazing wife, we co -founded a Christian nonprofit with a heart for

sharing the love of Christ with the world.

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I'm passionate about teaching God's word and helping others experience His truth in a

powerful and authentic way.

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If you're ready to grow in your faith, you just happen to be in the right place.

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Let's dive in.

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In Colossians chapter 2 verses 20 to 23, the apostle Paul makes a powerful statement about

the futility of man -made religion in dealing with our sinful nature.

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He writes, since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why

is though you still belong to the world?

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Do you submit to its rules?

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Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.

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These rules, which have to do with the things that are all destined to perish with use,

are based on merely human commands and teachings.

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Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self -imposed worship,

their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in

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restraining sensual indulgence.

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This passage speaks directly to the heart of human -made religion.

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Religion often focuses on the outward practices and rules and rituals that seem spiritual

but lack the power to transform us from the inside out.

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It tells us what to wear, how to speak, and what rituals to follow, but these things are

all external.

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They do not need to address the deep -rooted sinful and lustful desires within us.

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Paul exposes the emptiness of these rules.

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Although they appear wise and spiritual, he deems them

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powerless.

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Once again, they only deal with the external actions rather than internal transformation

we need.

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They are things which we try to do in our own strength and because of that they are

destined to fail.

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Religion often gives the illusion that by following certain rules or engaging in rituals,

we're earning God's favor or making ourselves holy.

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But these are just outward actions.

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They cannot conquer the sinful desires of our flesh.

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At best, they suppress the problem temporarily.

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At worst, they deceive us into thinking we're spiritually healthy when we're not.

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Our real issue isn't in the external world, it's within ourselves.

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The sinful nature or flesh is filled with lustful desires and indulgences that can't be

overcome by simply following a list of rules.

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No amount of human effort

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Discipline or rituals can truly change the heart.

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These things don't provide the spiritual power needed to overcome the deep rooted sins

that we struggle with.

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Paul makes it clear that religion in its manmade form lacks any value in restraining

sensual indulgence.

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So if religion doesn't work, what's the solution?

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Well, Paul points us back to the cross in Colossians 2 20.

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He reminds believers that

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they died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world.

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When Jesus Christ died on the cross, he didn't just pay the penalty for our sins, he broke

the power of sin over our lives.

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Through his death and resurrection, we are freed from the need to rely on outward

religious rules to find righteousness.

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Instead, we are empowered by the Spirit of God to live in true freedom.

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It is the power of God, not religious rituals that transforms us from the inside out.

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The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ provide everything we need to overcome

our sinful nature.

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His sacrifice on the cross offers us not only forgiveness, but also victory over the

flesh.

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This victory is not something we can achieve by following rules, but something we receive

by faith in what Jesus has already done for us.

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Religion often traps us in a cycle of trying to earn God's love or approval through our

own efforts or works.

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true freedom comes when we realize that Jesus has already done that work.

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We don't have to strive to be holy by following human made regulations.

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Instead, we can walk in the freedom that comes from knowing that Christ has overcome sin

on our behalf.

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What we need isn't more rules, but

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more of God's power working in us.

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The Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer gives us the strength and grace to overcome

our sinful desires.

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This is something religion could never do because it's external, while God's work is

internal.

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So we see in Colossians 2, 20 -23 that religion with all its rules and rituals is

powerless to save or transform us, only through the power of God and

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the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, can we experience true freedom and victory over the

flesh.

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Religion is man -made and external.

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The gospel is God -given and internal.

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It is through Christ alone that we find the power to overcome sin and live the life God

has called us to.

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Let's continue this journey together.