From Religion To Relationship

By Ernest N. Roberson

I wrote this book to share my spiritual journey and the things I believe God has shared with me. It has truly freed me, and I pray that the things I have shared will help free you as well.

I must give my wife credit for helping to inspire me to write this book. My wife woke me up one morning very wide-eyed and excited. She said, “Baby, God just gave me the title of your book, but you have to write the book.”

This was not the first time my wife, as well as a few of my friends with whom I have shared my views, had encouraged me to write a book, but I laughed it off, saying to myself, “I’m not writing a book, my spelling is horrible, and my punctuation is even worse.” But thank God for the technology of computers because it helped me with my shortcomings, and I finally felt a release that this was my time and season, and it allowed me to set my shortcomings aside and share what God has given me to a broader audience.

Just like nature, when we are in tune with God, we come into spiritual awareness and insight of our times and seasons.

I am just an average guy who has allowed Christ to touch my life and change my perspectives concerning how to walk with God, and with all my heart, I believe this is the time and season for kingdom worship.

I have experienced worship under religion, and I am learning the freedom of kingdom fruit worship, which has truly satisfied my spiritual thirst. I believe it will satisfy your thirst as well. It is truly a well of life with a never-ending supply.

You just have to get onboard, and you will see Christ standing at the gates of our Father’s kingdom with His arms opened wide, saying,

COME TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD. (Psalms 34:8)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781648013546

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From Religion To Relationship

Ernest N. Roberson

Copyright © 2020 Ernest N. Roberson

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2020

ISBN 978-1-64801-353-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64801-354-6 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Am I Just Religious?

Am I Spiritual?

The Carnal MindMy Greatest Enemy

The Carnal Mind Is a Blessing?

Finding My Spiritual Within

Kingdom Worship

Cleaned Up the Old and Called It New

New Testament Worship, Yeah Right

Just Happy Being Me

To my children, Alexis, Emanuel, and Evan.

Just as you three are a product of mine and your mom’s love, I am a product of you three.

This book would not be what it is without you. Every time I look into your faces, your love for me holds me accountable to be the best man & father I can be from the inside out.

Saving the best for last, to my wife, Deidra: I am also a product of your love for me. Your gentleness has made me great. Your commitment to your own personal and spiritual growth has helped strengthen me to be a better man & husband.

Foreword

Deidra Roberson

Your kingdom come soon. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

—Matthew 6:10

Are you internally free in your worship like Jesus was internally free?

Jesus came to bring us life and life more abundantly.

Do you think God wants us to wait until we get to heaven to start being free in our hearts and minds?

Do we persist in our fleshly thinking just because one day we will be free to live in heaven where nothing comes against us?

No, God wants us free now. Jesus died so that we would be free now.

Jesus came to show us that we can be free right here on earth, now in this life.

Jesus exemplified how to have personal mastery over thoughts, actions, and heart attitudes that bind us and keep us from being free.

Jesus came to show us that it is the internal condition of a person’s heart that sanctifies or defiles, that binds or frees.

We do injustice to the name of Jesus when we desire only the external things the name can do for us (healing, protection, etc.) while at the same time denying the spirit of the name and cultivating the internal qualities that epitomize the name.

It is the internal qualities (the spirit that Jesus walked in) that connects us to the power to effect external change (the miracles Jesus performed) on this earth.

It is the internal that gives rise to the external. Our power lies on the inside (our heart and mind condition). Our power lies in the kingdom within us.

This major power principle is what Jesus came to live, to teach and exemplify for us. This was His purpose. This is also what this book elucidates in how it came to pass in the life of the author of this book, my husband, Ernest Roberson.

I have watched this man fall in love with God in a deeper, more profound way than ever.

I have seen the change in his life and rejoiced with him over the life-changing revelations that his time with God has given both of us that have infused our lives with a deeper devotion, peace, love, contentment, and faith like we have never known before.

I am honored to be his sounding board and prayer warrior and partner with him in producing this book. I am eternally and gratefully proud of the man he has become. I am blessed to love and to be loved by the man in the pages of this book.

I pray that the content of his book is one of the lights that would guide you on your way to finding your kingdom within as we all endeavor to bring the light of God’s love to the world…on earth as it is in heaven.

God bless you on your journey.

Much love,

Deidra Roberson

Introduction

Go preach the kingdom of God.

Go preach the kingdom of God, was Jesus’s message. Jesus never commanded any of His followers to preach or teach religion. Jesus taught man to seek spiritual communion, which does not necessarily happen because we follow religion. Jesus’s teachings appeared to go against many religious strongholds and sacred cows in an attempt to introduce us to a new way to worship and connect with God. If the Christ of God came teaching a path to God other than through religion, I think it’s safe to say that many are misled to believe that worship under this or that religion is the only way to God. Now, if some religions verbally acknowledge the Christ of God as the cornerstone of their faith, does that mean that God receives those religions as more acceptable? Because I recall Jesus saying that God looks at the heart of man, which is an indication that God judges man by the condition of our spiritual being, not the religion we choose to profess (Mark 7:21).

We honor and relate to God better when we walk in the right character fruit more than our religious confessions. If Jesus wanted man to seek religion, Jesus would have probably proclaimed, "Go seek ye first the right religion. But Jesus proclaimed, Go seek ye first the kingdom of God," which is the spiritual governing power of God operating from within. Jesus did not usher in a better religion; Jesus ushered in the new kingdom covenant, which can only be obtained by seekers who walk by the right inner fruit. This makes New Covenant worship much deeper and more fulfilling than the old, law-stricken covenant because it is rooted in our spirit, which is God’s original desire for how He wanted to commune with man. It was not God’s original design to commune with man by having us follow religious, carnal laws and customs. This may be why many people who are seeking to commune with God still find themselves depressed, unhappy, dissatisfied, and some feel unfulfilled in their relationship with God, because many are trying to commune with God through following religious laws instead of God’s original design of Spirit-to-spirit communion.

I wrote this book in hopes to help those who may be struggling, like I was, to see worship and communion with God from a true kingdom perspective of spiritual freedom rather than from a religious one of following laws and customs. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I pray that this book will help others find their inner worship instead of just being religious.

I know there are more self-help and religious books than one can count. So you may be thinking, What’s so different about this book? Well, for starters, my goal is not to tell anyone what religion they should choose to put one above another. I truly believe our relationship with God should be personal and free from the politics of religion. I believe that the contents of my book speak to the spirit of man and not just those who attempt to follow God under religious law. So hopefully, people who may feel rejected by God because they do not worship under a particular religion will come into a better understanding that God loves them and that man’s true connection to God was never rooted in religion in the first place.

I will not attempt to show you how to be in proper worship with a seven- to ten-step formula to achieve communion with God. I stopped seeking a formula or a series of activities to perform in my attempt to relate to God. I finally came to my senses and realized God really wants a spiritually free relationship with me, not ritualistic worship.

I believe God has given me some interesting insights into kingdom living, which has set me free. I plan to share how I learned to walk by my inner kingdom, which has given me a much deeper understanding of God, self, as well as the world around me. I would like to think that I’m not the only one who desires more of God in my life, which has compelled me to share my journey, from worship under the law of religion to having a real spiritually free relationship with God.

I do not believe my book is based on traditional religious viewpoints, nor are my concepts clouded by religion. However, my views are rooted in a kingdom perspective and rooted in the spirit of Christ, and I pray it will give you a fresh new look at religious worship versus true kingdom living. As I said before, Jesus did not teach religion. Jesus taught the kingdom of God and spiritual oneness with the Father, which gives us fellowship with God and one another when we walk in the spirit of Christ. I believe our religious mind-sets have hindered us from understanding the foundation of worship and true fellowship with one another as God desires it.

Unfortunately, many have learned the politics of religion and tribal wars through man-made systems and networks. People who seek to worship God have been taught that we must join one system of religion over another to be acceptable to God. Worshippers also learn to speak against and war against people who do not worship under their more acceptable banner. Thank God that religion is a product of carnal man rather than God.

It’s good to know there are no tribal wars or politics in true kingdom worship. You don’t enter just because you join the right religion and learn to follow the right laws and customs. You don’t enter just because you know someone, who knows someone, who follows the right religion. Religious networking won’t do when it comes to entering the kingdom because you must enter alone by operating in the right spiritual to achieve oneness with God.

As I said, this book is not to teach religion; God knows we have enough of that already. Nevertheless, I do use biblical references, and I am aware that many will reference my writing to being religious, but I no longer view the letter as a book that teaches religion and only speaks to religious people. I believe the Bible is a love story which tells the story of man’s journey of having a loving relationship with our Spiritual Father. And it tells us how man fell into sin, darkness, and separation and that God freely gave His life because of His love for man, to bring us back from darkness into His light and spiritual communion with Him again.

Many people only see the Bible as letters of religion, rooted in laws, and regulations to live by. Therefore, many people miss the true love story and the freedom that God has offered to those who love and find their way back to Him. God is our Creator, and He desires that we give Him honor and reverence. But God is not a taskmaster who has enslaved man to worship under religion or else. We have been offered spiritual freedom through Christ in the New Covenant. But do you view God as a taskmaster who demands that you worship under religious law, or a loving Spiritual Father? Because how you see God will determine how you see the letter and how you see the letter will determine how you choose to worship.

I chose to worship under the Christian banner for many years, so I do reference the Bible in my writings. The Bible is my favorite book; it is how my concepts of worship and God were first formed. Nevertheless, at this stage in my journey, I believe my concepts are kingdom-based and rooted in the spirit of God rather than religion-based. Just because I no longer follow religion doesn’t mean that I am not a true worshipper. I am now a follower of Christ, and I no longer allow religion to be the catalyst to my relationship with God and others. I have come to understand that following man’s religion and seeking the kingdom of God are not one and the same. I’m sure some may consider me to be out of order because I no longer choose to worship under religion, but I have learned to accept that judgment and keep it moving because I am spiritually free. I love the Lord, and my wife and children do as well. My desire for God and His kingdom has freed me, and I’m looking forward to sharing my journey with you.

Now, if you are cemented in traditional perspectives and concepts of worship, then my book may be a challenge for you at first glance. But you should not be alarmed. I didn’t say my concepts were unspiritual; they’re just not rooted in traditional religious perspectives. I was once very religious in my views, so I understand if there is pause and concern from some religious people about what you have read so far. But this book is not about teaching religion; it is about kingdom worship and having a spiritual relationship with God as well as one another. Some may disagree with many of my views, and that’s okay as well. I am learning to respect people even though we may disagree on our concepts and views. I have come to understand we are not family because we are in total agreement. We may never see eye to eye on our letters or how we choose to live. We disagree with our family members about various issues like sports, politics, and even religion; however, most people still consider themselves to be family if they don’t agree on everything. Well, this holds true for people who do not follow the same religious laws and customs as well. We may not agree on all things, but we should love and care for one another as family, and religion shouldn’t prevent us from doing so just because we seek our Creator differently.

As I begin to open up to you the things I believe the Spirit of God has shared with me, I pray it will bless you. As I said, I will not attempt to tell you what you should believe, but I do intend to convey what I believe.

I understand that even the truth can be oppressive if we are forced to follow it against our will. So my intention is to share my liberty, not to cast judgment and condemnation on those who do not agree with me. I no longer believe it’s my duty to judge others who may worship God differently than I do. I have learned that I can respect another person’s views and concepts that may be different than mine and hold true to my own simultaneously. I intend to express what I believe God has shown me, not to condemn anyone for the path they choose and how they connect to God. I understand that all must answer to God, not man, so I have stepped down from my religious throne of self-righteous judgment of others. I just pray that even if we do not share the same views on all things, we can still connect by our spiritual fruit and progress together in our worship.

The Spirit of God is calling. This book is just a portion of what I have heard Spirit saying.

Chapter 1

Am I Just Religious?

I was born in 1968. I was the sixth of eight children, four sisters and three brothers—actually, five sisters, counting my baby sister, who was my younger brother’s twin, but she only lived a few hours before the Lord called her home. It will be a blessed day when we finally get to meet her. Nevertheless, there were still eight of us running around. With such a large family, things can sometimes get chaotic. But it was my mother’s religious belief to attend church no matter what. I believe it’s safe to say that my father was not so religious. Well, he was not religious by the standards of organized religion. I can count on one hand how many times I saw my father go to church. When I was a boy, I heard him say, I like the man upstairs, it’s the church folks I don’t like. I’m sure my father is not the only one that shares this sentiment. You want God, but you have a hard time with religious-minded people who judge you based on how well you follow their rules and customs of worship.

Now, my mother, on the other hand, was an Evangelist who was rooted and grounded in Christian customs and traditions. My four older sisters were a gospel singing group who would sing, and my mother would preach at many of the churches we attended. Wherever Mama was, her children were with her. Mama didn’t play. My sisters singing and my mother preaching was life for us for many years, so it was natural for me to continue as an adult in my mother’s religion. It was all I had ever known. I learned to read and follow the Bible at an early age. It was the only book I seemed to truly enjoy. I would hear my mother’s amen whenever I read and understood the content of the text. For most of my life, I understood the Bible through a Christian lens, which led me to believe that in order to have a relationship with God, I had to be a Christian.

Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that we must believe that God is, and we must seek God to have a relationship with Him; I do not question this truth. But I began to question the concept and teaching that God only receives those who followed our religion. I began to see that this is a religious message, not a kingdom message. I believe God is Spirit, and whosoever will learn to walk by their spiritual god-being will be received by God. As I began to delve deeper into the kingdom perspective, I discovered the kingdom message is not religious at all. It was not given to any one religious group. Nevertheless, many religious groups, no matter the religion, believe that people must be a part of their system to have true communion and be received by God.

I have come to understand that what gives me communion with God is the condition of my spirit; not the keeping of religious customs and traditions. Following religious customs can show a form of godly worship (2 Timothy 3:1–5).

Unfortunately, you can be deeply religious and still be spiritually starved of kingdom living. Now, if your worship is rooted in how well you follow your religion, you may really need to ask yourself, Am I just religious? Many religious-minded people believe their religion is the path to life. Religious groups also seek to convert others into their religion so others may enjoy the blissful eternal life awaiting all who worship under their banner. This concept may have held true if it were not for the message of kingdom worship. Now, this does not overlook the fact that God made a covenant with a people for a time and season to worship under a religion. However, we cannot overlook that God made a New Covenant with Jews and Gentiles through Christ, and the new kingdom covenant is not about joining a religion or raising any religious system or group above another. The kingdom message is about allowing the spiritual government of God to reign and govern us from within, through the spirit of Christ, which is the spirit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

God Is Moved by Faith

As I delved even deeper into the kingdom message, I discovered that the message Jesus preached dealt more with the heart attitude of those who were seeking to follow God rather than the religion or where they chose to worship (John 4:21–24).

I noticed Jesus never praised anyone for their religion, but He was greatly moved by one’s faith and spiritual insight, which showed a cognitive shift from a carnal mind-set to a spiritual one. Because you cannot receive faith to see the unseen without a touch from Spirit. Faith is spiritual insight that sees beyond what our carnal eyes cannot see, and faith allows us to cross over into a spiritual dimension that a carnal mind cannot grasp.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Therefore, the centurion’s faith moved Jesus. Because the centurion by faith recognized the unseen kingdom authority flowing in and through the Son of Man.

This was the gift of spiritual insight that can only be experienced by faith. The centurion’s insight was prompted by something greater than his study and knowledge of the letter. The centurion’s faith tapped into the spiritual, which can cross religious banners, race, and gender. Spirit is not bound by our religious walls that we have built in our minds. Spirit is not hindered by the religious rules and accepted laws which hold many back from walking with God and one another. Jesus never asked the centurion, Which system do you worship under, and who is your religious leader? Jesus actually praised the centurion, who most likely was not under religious law, and gave him more honor than all of the Jewish worshippers because of his faith and understanding of the workings of kingdom power and authority.

Jesus spoke highly of the centurion who had tapped in through faith, which is what was needed to grasp kingdom worship (Matthew 8:6–10).

Many rest on how well they follow religious law to feel worthy to receive God’s grace, but Jesus was the best representation of God’s heart toward man, and Jesus did not require the centurion’s commitment to follow religion in order to help him. Nor did Jesus say to the mother who was seeking His help to heal her daughter, If you meet me at the synagogue and keep the law of the Sabbath and give your tithes, I will heal your daughter. No, Jesus healed this mother’s daughter because she was persistent in her faith concerning the healing power of God (Matthew 15:25–28).

Faith not only moves mountains; faith moves God and heaven on our behalf, because God is moved by faith. And I do not believe God looks at our religious banners to determine whether or not our faith is acceptable because it doesn’t appear that Jesus did.

Take the Religious Goggles Off

Many religious people have gotten so caught up with being accepted by God through following religion that they have forgotten the God-so-loved-the-world part of the message. Therefore, many battle to lay claim to God’s love and acceptance to the degree they follow religious laws and customs. However, this zeal to be accepted by Old Covenant standards have misled many who seem to be blind to the fact that God’s love and acceptance of man extends beyond these systems.

Many who are seeking God overlook that Christ has given us a choice of worship that goes beyond religion. Religion was and is rooted in following certain laws and customs, but the New Covenant is made in spirit and rooted in walking after the spirit of Christ, which is not bound by religious law. Many religious worshippers seem to completely overlook that many who kept religious laws and customs did not establish spiritual communion with God. Yet many continue to rest on keeping religious customs and traditions as their path to sound worship. I believe that we must move from trust in our religious carnal worship into spiritual fruit maturity or we will never move into faith in the work that Christ has already done for us.

The children of Israel believed in the works of their own hands and that following their religion gave them the keys to eternal life until Jesus appeared and preached kingdom worship, which is the true path to enter eternal life. Jesus told them that sound worship comes from establishing a spiritual relationship with God, not from following the laws and regulations of a carnal letter.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)

Many of the Jews refused Jesus’s kingdom message because they had established in their hearts and minds that following their carnal religious system was the only thing that was needed to obtain God’s acceptance. Fast-forward to worshippers today, and you may find that many still believe that following their religious system is the key to obtain God’s acceptance.

From my own experiences in organized religion, I’ve heard ministers preach about the kingdom of God, but it was preached from a religious mind-set that you had to be a Christian in order to enter.

Jesus did not preach or teach this.

Jesus never taught the kingdom is only open to those who worship under a particular banner, nor did He teach that the kingdom is granted to people just because they profess Christ. Jesus taught that if we choose to connect to God through walking in our spiritual being as God desires, then we could enter kingdom worship.

Jesus said on the day of judgment, many will say,

We have done many things in your Name, but God will respond, DEPART FROM ME I NEVER KNEW YOU. (Matthew 7:23)

I was told for years not to view my worship as religion; I was taught that observing Christian laws and customs was, in fact, an established relationship with God. No wonder so many like myself just simply believe that professing Christianity is the established desired relationship.

I believe many different religious people share this sentiment concerning their chosen banner, but I also believe that we must take the religious goggles off in order to see that God receives those who demonstrate walking in the right spiritual fruit and not necessarily people who worship under the right acceptable banner.

I believe you can have a spiritual relationship with God as a Christian, but I believe that can be said of people of other religions as well.

Some believing Jews had come from Judea teaching you must be circumcised (a law of the Old Covenant) in order to be saved (Acts 15:1).

But Paul disputed with them for what they were teaching. They were trying to teach Christ, but they were unwilling to forsake the Old Covenant laws, which were no longer required to be in sound worship with God.

Unfortunately, there are still religious people who do teach others that they must be a part of their religion and follow their laws to be saved. However, this teaching is Old Covenant circumcision. Many religious people are still making their religion the new modern-day circumcision in order to be saved rather than teaching people to walk in the right spiritual by the circumcision of one’s heart.

This is a sign that many are still carnal in their understanding of the New Covenant, because they still teach religious circumcision in order to be in covenant with God. Many also overlook that it is our spiritual fruit that embodies our worship, rather than which religious system we worship under. Many still think just like the Old Covenant worshippers who taught that following their laws and customs was God’s will for everyone who would be saved.

If we continue to teach that following this religion, or that religion is the way to be saved, we will remain bound in our minds under religious law. Are we that deceived and blinded by the veil of Old Covenant religion? Do we not see and understand that following the laws of religion is of no effect if we do not demonstrate the universal character fruit of Christ from within?

Many religious leaders today have been no different than the Old Covenant believing Jews who tried to mix Old Covenant laws in with the New Covenant. It was confusing then, and it is not much different today. And many will remain confused if religious leaders keep putting religion in the way, which has been a stumbling block that has held God’s people back from true kingdom living.

I know many religious people today may not want to admit that they still have Old Covenant mind-sets and use religion as a sign of circumcision to judge one another’s covenant with God.

But is religion the sign of the new covenant with God, or is it the condition of our inner fruit?

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law. But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfils the law Judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:24–29)

Circumcision only counts when it comes from within.

Jesus said,

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:8)

Many profess religion. But how many who profess religion reflect Christ in how they live?

We have learned to cut a covenant with God by professing a religion and attempting to following laws and customs. However, many fail to cut a covenant with God in our spiritual being by the spiritual fruit we live by. If it had not been for the New Covenant, religion would still reign, and we would be bound to remain under religion to be in a covenant with God. However, the New Covenant is spiritual, and we must demonstrate walking in Christ’s character fruit to show our covenant with God. Religious profession may please man, but our professions can be like putting on beautiful garments or makeup; no one can really tell what you truly look like underneath.

Many religious people use religion to cover their unchanged uncircumcised heart, so at first glance you may not see who they truly are. Yet many are recognized by man as true worshippers if they cut a covenant with man’s religion.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out from looking at the Pharisees or the rich young ruler that you can follow religion and still fail to establish a relationship with God. Many of us worship no differently than the scribes and Pharisees because we choose religious rule over true spiritual development. Many still fight to remain under religious law no matter how long they have been in worship because many have not put religion in its proper place. Religion should be viewed as a nursery that cares for and nourishes carnal immature seekers until they learn to walk in a spiritually free relationship with God. Religion should be something we are trying to move through, not something we are trying to remain in. If you have a role as a minister, maybe the goal should be to teach carnal immature people the carnal letter in the hope that they will gain a greater understanding of God and learn how to worship by their spiritual rather than by the law of the letter.

I believe that worship strictly under the schoolmaster (the carnal letter) should only be for a time and season to help carnal seekers mature in their consciousness of God. But let me be clear: Worship under the law of religion should not be a spiritually mature persons primary source to govern how we walk with God (Galatians 3:23–26).

I believe spiritual awareness is a much better source to rely on to lead and guide us along our journey. True kingdom citizens do not need to rely on laws and regulations to govern us because we are mature enough to be governed by the spirit of truth. Nevertheless, not everyone is at the same stage, so I understand that there will be people who are carnal and need to be governed by religious law, because they struggle to walk by the Spirit of Christ to teach and guide them. So thank God for the carnal letter that helps to govern and guide people where they are, who may lack spiritual awareness, who must rely on the carnal letter and their intellect to navigate through their worship.

The carnal letter as a guide may be good for a time and season, but there is nothing like maturing in your spirit and being guided by the Spirit of Truth in your everyday living, which is a much deeper and better guide.

Jesus said He would send us the Holy Spirit to help guide us into all truth; we were not meant to stay spiritually immature trapped under the schoolmaster in our attempt to know God. Religion is worship by our understanding of the schoolmaster, which may be where we start, but under the schoolmaster is not where we should strive to remain as our primary source when it comes to knowing the ways of God.

I believe I have been enlightened on my journey by the Spirit of Christ, and I would like to share how God changed my life and helped renew my mind concerning religion versus true kingdom living.

I share my views of religion in love, not in judgment. I no longer judge how people choose to worship. I have learned to respect another person’s right to worship as they choose, even if I do not understand or agree with it.

I can speak from a Christian perspective because it is the backdrop that shaped how I viewed God, myself, and even other religions. Now that I have been freed from my former religious views, I feel compelled to share some of the things I’ve learned along my journey, and I pray it will help free others as well. Too many have been held in bondage to religious laws and customs for far too long, and it’s time for those who truly want to be set free to learn and experience the joy and peace of kingdom living.

Considering how I viewed worship under my former religion, I’m sure some may take offense to my viewpoint that Christianity is a religion. And in my view, it doesn’t look much different than other religions from the standpoint that it teaches how to worship God under religious laws, regulations, and customs. Depending which division you worship, determines what laws of worship you are taught to follow or omit. Looking back now, I see that from my youth, I was taught the Christian religion, and I learned to look at God, myself, and others through Christian laws and viewpoints rather than a kingdom perspective.

I was taught to verbally confess Jesus with my mouth, which was just the first of many rules I was taught in the Christian faith. So I professed the name of Jesus, and my goal was to follow Christ. But I just learned to follow Christian concepts of worship under religious rule, and I found that just following religious laws did not produce in me a spiritually free relationship with God, which is what I truly desired.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not putting Christianity down; I am only pointing out the fact that I claimed to be free in my worship while I was bound under religious law at the same time. Although I have chosen not to worship under religion, I must say, out of all the religions in the world I’ve seen or heard about, I think I would choose Christianity as my religion of choice.

However, religion is not an option for me now. I want the kingdom of God or nothing. I want the freedom to worship as God intended, Spirit-to-spirit and not by the rules of a religious system. But in order to achieve a Spirit-to-spirit relationship with God, I had to learn how to worship by my spiritual being instead of religious laws and customs and someone else’s interpretation of the Law.

I know some religious people may say, You just want to do your own thing. No, not really. I just got tired of doing religious things and following ordinances and customs that Jesus did not teach us to follow.

I have come to realize that true worship is from within where I commune with God one-on-one. God is so big and awesome that there is no room for anyone else; there’s only enough room for me and my Spiritual Father.

There is no corporate entry when it comes to kingdom worship. You must learn to go in alone. We can praise God together as a corporate body of believers, but we can only enter true kingdom worship individually because true worship is determined by the constitution of our hearts, not our religions. Therefore, we are not qualified to enter just because we are a part of a corporate body of believers.

Governed by the Spirit Within

Believe me, doing my own thing is the last thing on my mind. I have just matured on my journey and how I relate to God with a deeper understanding of kingdom worship, and religion no longer has that shine it once had. However, if you enjoy religious worship, I say continue on the path that you believe best connects you to God. I just no longer have a desire to sit and play with the nursery toys of religion in an attempt to connect with God. I became tired of being led around by leaders who, I began to feel, were in a spiritual ditch themselves and had no idea of how to lead anyone into kingdom worship. Many of them appear to be bound, and the only thing they could teach me was to blindly follow them and let them lead me deeper and deeper into the religion that was passed down to them.

So doing my own thing is not my agenda. When I began to seek the kingdom of God, I came to the realization that you can never just do your own thing if you’re governed by the kingdom within. Once I entered, there was a host of angels, the Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son to guide me. I realized that I was in good company, and to be governed by my inner kingdom is what God had been waiting for. I just couldn’t enter because I was too focused on man’s religion as my connection to God.

I have heard many religious leaders say that they are governed by the Spirit within to help them govern and watch over others. But shouldn’t that leader teach others how Spirit governs them, so others can learn to follow Spirit instead of them? It seems that many religious leaders mistake worship under religious laws and customs and kingdom worship to be one and the same. This compels them to keep others under their governorship and under religious law rather than the freedom of kingdom living. Now, you may feel free in your worship to the degree that you follow the laws and customs of religion. I say, God bless. But don’t persecute those who want more than to blindly follow the religious-leader-type worship for