Religion is like a combover…

Religions offer a set of beliefs and practices that help one achieve some form of transcendence and fulfillment. Whether Buddhism, The Joe Rogan Experience, or Pastafarianism, the message is essentially, “do certain things, and get a certain reward.” The problem with Christianity is that it doesn’t quite fit this framework.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. - Jeremiah 31:33

We might compare religious efforts to a comb-over; a poor, messy management of underlying reality that fails to touch the main problem. Family tensions, global conflict, substance abuse, gaslighting - these are all mere symptoms of a deeper issue. While religious activity can offer helpful symptom management, it leaves the heart of the matter untouched.

As we read Jeremiah 31:31-34, we hear God’s plan to address the deeper issue. He plans to write his law directly on the people’s heart. They will no longer need a mediating priest, for they’ll have direct access to God. They will no longer perform external duties to be reconciled to God. He will remember their sin no more.

This is the secret sauce of Christianity. It isn’t another system of behavior management (which only accentuates the underlying problem). It’s a total renovation at the heart level. As we are brought into relationship with God through the final mediating work of Jesus, our very hearts are transformed.

Questions for Reflection

• How does faith in Jesus transform our approach to religious traditions?

• Are we embracing Christianity merely as a superficial upgrade or tapping into its profound power for personal transformation?