When the gods demand appeasing
the best way to discern the real and the true from the false
Have you ever wondered why you simply don’t like religion?
Some are very good at pretending that they like religion, precise in their rituals, liturgies and prayers... checking every box, passing go on every rite.
But the reality?
If your religion requires an appeasing sacrifice from you, you are the toast.
You will become the burnt offering. And it doesn’t matter what deity you set on top of the pyre... it won’t be right.
Let me back up.
Have you ever heard someone explain that they really like Jesus but don’t like religion?
This statement may trigger either deep eye rolls or a full body assent.
Have you ever wondered why a French person hates religion?
This too, may trigger you to scoff. But stay with me now, keep engaging.
These statements reflect a reality. You were not made for religion.
In fact, you were made to rebel against religion and all of its worst.
Jesus said in Matthew 11: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
That’s not a heavy yoke that crushes the soul… but one that restores it.
And when He died on the cross, He said, “It is finished.”
Everything from this point forward happens from a completed, full stop sacrifice. Jesus was slain before the foundations of the world, long before you ever thought of sin or the devastating consequences brokenness could have…
long before trauma and pain and suffering and other people’s choices that led to your choices… long before the chain of events began…
It was finished, long before you ever thought of it.
But the scary truth?
Religion demands that you become the sacrifice.
Religion does not invite you into a redemptive story, where any loss you may experience will be counted as gain in incomparable measure of knowing Christ.
Religion demands a terrible price.
That is because the gods demand appeasing.
They do not care what you call them... names mean nothing to me. They have gone by many names for a millennia. Whatever. As long as you never get ahold of the true.
As long as you never understand this one thing.
It was never about your sacrifice.
It was about His.
It was never about your story.
It was about joining your story into the story that was written before the foundations of the world.
It was never about your sacrifice.
It was always about joining your life to His.
And that is why people rebel against religion.
Because they know, instinctively by nature as Paul says in Romans 1, that is is false.
And people are not usually rebelling against people or their beliefs. They are rebeling against the false gods.
The gods who do not become a sacrifice for you.
The ones who demand appeasing.
Those are worth rebelling against.
And so, when you are finished appeasing the gods, there is a better way.
A pure and undefiled religion that loves the widows, the orphans... from overflow and not from fear.
One that invites you to sit at a table.
Wishing you freedom today.
-Mari
»»»»»
If this take on spiritual authority and relationship sparked your interest, this spring, I’m opening the doors to an online, evergreen community with private chat and 2x a month live calls.
The journey begins with a deep dive into learning spiritual authority through peace.
We’ve seen some -transformation- in the past six months, and so I wanted to make it a full year. https://marifortheages.com/courses-on-spiritual-gifts
Here’s what folks are saying: Wisdom can come in many forms, but coming from the mouth of someone who has such history with Jesus and has been so purified through trial, hits differently. It cuts off everything that doesn’t belong there without you ever feeling rebuked. You will end up leaving with much more than you paid for with her course.
You can join here: https://marifortheages.mykajabi.com/offers/TByGrzyN/checkout
🔥