"Religion Isn't Working Anymore"

There is a wonderful song that Joseph Habedank sings titled, "Religion Isn't Working Anymore." The lyrics of the song discuss wanting to know Jesus, instead of just going through the motions of going to church and following routines.

There is a difference between going to church and truly knowing Christ. There is a difference between being a member of a congregation and being surrendered to the will of God. And there is a difference between practicing religion and experiencing a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Somewhere along the way, many people have become comfortable with church attendance, religious traditions, and outward expressions of faith while neglecting the deeper, more intimate relationship God desires to have with His people.

Religion isn't working anymore—not because the Word of God has failed, but because religious activity was never meant to replace a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

More Than a Church Member

Being part of a local church is important. Fellowship, worship, biblical teaching, and accountability are valuable parts of the Christian walk. Hebrews 10:25 (KJV) reminds us not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together.” But attending church is not the same as surrendering your life to Christ. You can know the songs, quote the Scriptures, and be familiar with the language of Christianity all whil keeping certain areas of your heart closed to God. You can be surrounded by believers on Sunday and remain spiritually distant from the Lord throughout the week.

Jesus did not call us merely to become church members. He called us to follow Him.

In John 15:4 (KJV), Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you.” He was calling His followers into a life of continual connection with Him—a relationship that goes beyond a church service and reaches into our thoughts, decisions, attitudes, relationships, and private moments.

The question is not simply, “Do you go to church?” The deeper question is, “Do you know Him? Are you walking with Him? Is your life being transformed by His presence?”

The Call to Surrender

One of the greatest obstacles to spiritual growth is the desire to follow God while still maintaining complete control over our own lives. We want His blessings, but do we want His correction? We want His promises, but are we willing to obey His instructions? We want Him to open doors, but will we trust Him when He closes one?

True intimacy with Christ requires surrender. Romans 12:1 (KJV) urges believers to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Surrender is not weakness. It is an act of faith. It is acknowledging that God's wisdom exceeds our own and that His will is greater than our personal preferences. Surrender means inviting God into every area of our lives—not just the parts we are comfortable showing Him. It means allowing Him to expose our pride, heal our wounds, challenge our motives, and change the habits that keep us from becoming more like Christ.

Jesus Himself demonstrated this surrender in Luke 22:42 (KJV), praying, “Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” If our Savior submitted Himself to the Father's will, how much more should we desire to yield our lives to Him?

We cannot experience the fullness of the life God desires for us while continually resisting His leadership. We must move beyond asking God for only what we want and begin asking Him to shape our hearts according to His purpose.

We Need the Filling of the Holy Spirit

Simply declaring ourselves to be Christians is not enough. We need the power and presence of the Holy Spirit working within us. In Acts 1:8 (KJV), Jesus declared, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”

The Holy Spirit is not merely a subject to discuss in church or a doctrine to acknowledge in a statement of faith. He is God's Spirit at work in the lives of believers, empowering us to witness for Christ, guiding us in truth, convicting us of sin, and producing spiritual fruit in us.

Ephesians 5:18 (KJV) commands, “Be filled with the Spirit.” Notice that the Christian life is not supposed to be fueled solely by our own strength. We need continual dependence upon God. We need to pray, study His Word, obey His leading, and make room for His work in our hearts.

Galatians 5:22–23 (KJV) describes the fruit of the Spirit as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” These qualities reveal the kind of transformation God desires to produce in us. The evidence of a growing relationship with Christ is not merely what we say during worship; it is also how we live when nobody is watching.

Being filled with the Spirit is not about pursuing an emotional experience for its own sake. It is about yielding ourselves to God so that His character, power, and purposes are increasingly evident in our lives.

Return to Your First Love

In Revelation 2:4–5 (KJV), Jesus addressed the church at Ephesus and said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” These words are a sobering reminder that it is possible to remain active in religious service while allowing our love for Christ to grow cold.

We can become so busy doing things that we neglect spending time with God. We can become experts in church activities while losing the tenderness, hunger, and devotion that once marked our walk with Him.

But Christ's invitation is still clear: return to Him. Return to prayer that comes from the heart. Return to reading Scripture with a desire to hear and obey God's Word. Return to worship that is more than just a song. Return to a faith that trusts Him in the secret place as much as it praises Him in public.

James 4:8 (KJV) offers this promise: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.”

You do not have to remain spiritually distant. You do not have to settle for an empty routine. Through Jesus Christ, you can pursue a deeper walk with God.

It Is Time to Go Deeper

The answer is not to abandon the church. The answer is to put Jesus Christ back at the center of everything.

We need more than religious routines. We need repentance, surrender, intimacy with Christ, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

We need believers who do not simply attend church but live as disciples. We need people who are willing to obey God when obedience is difficult, love others when love is costly, and stand upon His Word when the world offers a different direction. Most importantly, we need hearts that are fully yielded to Jesus.

Today, take an honest look at your relationship with Him. Are you content with being known as a Christian, or are you pursuing the daily reality of knowing Christ?

Paul expressed his deepest desire in Philippians 3:10 (KJV): “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.” That should be our desire, too.

Religion may teach us the language of faith, but only a surrendered life can demonstrate the transforming power of walking with Christ. Let us move beyond appearances. Let us move beyond routine. Let us surrender our hearts, seek the filling of the Holy Spirit, and pursue Jesus Christ with renewed passion.

Because a great need of the church today is more people who are genuinely

committed to knowing, loving, obeying, and following Jesus Christ. It is time to go deeper. It is time to surrender. It is time to return to our first love.

(written with ChatGPT)