does religion get in the way of following jesus?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines religion as, "the service and worship of God or the supernatural". Roughly 8 out of 10 people in the world claim to have a religious affiliation and roughly a third identify as Christians. When we look at religious affiliations there's a multitude. The most popular are Christianity, Buddism, Hinduism, Isam and even Agnostic atheism (yes, a religion for those who don't believe in "religion"). Then of course, WITHIN Christianity there's Catholic, non-denominational, Methodist, Baptist, and about a half dozen synods within the Lutheran religion...this is just to name a few!

Now, with all that understood, let's unpack the meme/picture above. People can have ALL THE RELIGION IN THE WORLD but if they don't know Jesus, then all their religion is for naught! I listened to a message recently where the pastor said about 90% of self professed people of "religion" would end up finding themselves on the outside looking in (or in other words, they'll be in "Hell"). Why? Because they followed a "religion" but never acknowledged Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Matthew 7:13-14 states, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Translation: People may profess to be religious, but at the end of the day, are still living by "worldly" standards and/or are following a religion (or thought process) that will NOT FIT through that narrow gate. Doing "good works" or being a "good person" will NOT gain you entry into heaven. There is only ONE key to salvation and that's through Jesus. "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).

​God did not send Jesus down from heaven to create a "religion". Jesus did not die on the cross to create a "religion". Simply put, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Jesus came down and died on the cross to save us once and for all from all our sins...past, present and future. PERIOD. This is "not", nor should it have ever been about, religion folks. This is, and has ALWAYS been about, receiving Jesus into your heart so you can have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. As Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 8:12). Are you walking in darkness or in the light? Are you rampaging through the WIDE gate of worldly things that will lead to destruction or are you striving to enter the NARROW gate that will lead to everlasting life in heaven? If you don't know where you stand on your salvation, start here in Romans 10:9-10, "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Don't wait my friends, nobody is "promised" a tomorrow.