Christianity is indeed a religion—but not all religion is Christianity. Not all worship is pleasing to God. Jesus made this painfully clear when He said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8–9, NASB). Not all religion is true religion, and not all worship is accepted by God. James echoes this truth: “If anyone thinks that he is religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:26–27).
So we must ask: Can someone be religious—even deeply devout—and still be lost in God’s eyes? According to Scripture, the answer is yes.
The Nature of Man and His Religious Inclination
People are naturally drawn to worship something beyond themselves. From the earliest pages of Scripture, we see people building altars, offering sacrifices, and seeking a connection with God. But just being religious doesn’t make someone right with God. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21).
A person can be:
- Honest, but honestly mistaken (Matthew 7:21).
- Sincere, but sincerely wrong (Romans 10:1–3).
- Devout, but still disobedient (Philippians 3:6).
- A worshiper, but not accepted (Matthew 15:9).
Let’s take a closer look at how this happens.
I. How Can We Be Religious and Yet Sinners?
1. By Worshiping the Wrong God
God has always condemned idolatry. One of the Ten Commandments was, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol…” (Exodus 20:3–4). The people of Athens were described by Paul as “very religious” (Acts 17:22), yet they worshiped an “unknown god.” They were sincere—but still wrong.
In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah challenged Israel: “How long are you going to struggle between the two choices? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” Being religious means nothing if it’s directed toward the wrong object.
2. By Worshiping the True God in the Wrong Way
God doesn’t accept every kind of worship. Cain and Abel both brought offerings, but only Abel’s was accepted. “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4). That means Abel listened to God. Cain didn’t.
Nadab and Abihu were priests. They worshiped—but they offered “unauthorized fire” (Leviticus 10:1–2). God hadn’t told them to use it, and fire came from heaven and consumed them. God had never said, “don’t use that fire,” but He had said what kind of fire to use. They added to God’s instruction and were punished for it.
3. By Being a Worshiper Without Obeying the Gospel
Cornelius in Acts 10 was devout and generous. The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 had just been to worship. Saul (later Paul) was extremely religious. But none of them were saved until they obeyed the gospel.
Hebrews 5:9 says Jesus is “the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him.” Being religious isn’t enough—God requires obedience to His will.
4. By Becoming Unfaithful After Becoming a True Worshiper
Some start out right, then fall back. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) were Christians. Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8) believed and was baptized. The church in Corinth had problems even though they were God’s people.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall.” Salvation isn’t something we get and then forget. We must stay faithful (Revelation 2:10).
II. Scriptural Examples of Religious Sinners
Here are some real examples from Scripture of people who were religious—but still sinned:
- Cain (Genesis 4) – Cain brought an offering, but it wasn’t accepted. Abel brought a better one because he followed what God said (Hebrews 11:4). Cain didn’t submit to God’s instruction and got angry instead of correcting his mistake. “If you do well, will your face not be cheerful?” (Genesis 4:7).
- Moses (Numbers 20:7–12) – God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses struck it. That one act kept him from entering the Promised Land. Even leaders must obey God exactly. Disobedience—even when trying to serve—is still disobedience.
- Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1–2) – They were priests. They offered fire God hadn’t told them to use. He consumed them with fire. “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy” (Leviticus 10:3). Their mistake wasn’t that they had bad intentions, but that they assumed they could approach God in their own way instead of following His instructions.
- The Pharisees (Matthew 15:9) – They followed traditions and looked religious, but Jesus said, “In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” They were outwardly spiritual, but their hearts were far from God.
These stories show us that God doesn’t accept all worship—only the kind that follows His Word.
III. Conclusion: A Call to Examine Ourselves
We live in a time when people believe sincerity is all that matters. But God says otherwise. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
Paul urges us, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (2 Corinthians 13:5). It’s not enough to feel good about what we do. We must ask, “Is this what God wants?”
James reminds us in James 5:16, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” God is merciful. If we’re off course, we can return.
Ask yourself honestly: Am I truly worshiping in a way that pleases God—or am I only going through the motions?
Let’s return to Scripture. Let’s obey fully. Let’s honor God not just with our lips, but with our hearts, our actions, and our worship.
Will I be among those whose worship is accepted—or among those who honor Him with lips, but not with heart and obedience?
The Simple Gospel 