What does the Bible say about religion?

Definition and Scope of Religion

Religion, in general terms, can be described as a set of beliefs and practices that relate humanity to the divine. The Bible addresses “religion” in various contexts, frequently highlighting the importance of genuine worship of God rather than mere adherence to external forms. Many biblical passages use phrases that connote devotion, worship, or practice, but the overarching theme remains that God looks at the heart and intentions of people.

Biblical Terminology and Concepts

In Scripture, words such as “worship,” “devotion,” “faith,” and “service” collectively convey what many modern readers would term “religion.” For instance, the Book of James uses the word “religion” in a direct manner: “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). This captures the Bible’s emphasis on heartfelt acts of mercy and a life of moral integrity.

Old Testament Roots of Ritual and Worship

The Old Testament details numerous rituals, feasts, and sacrifices intended to guide the people of Israel toward a right relationship with God. Passages like Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy convey detailed instructions regarding sacrifices and worship. These outward practices were always meant to point to an internal spiritual reality.

Yet, the prophets repeatedly stressed that empty practice without heartfelt obedience displeased God. In Isaiah, we see: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13). This underscores that the form of religion (ritual, law-keeping) alone did not please God if people’s hearts were not devoted to Him.

New Testament Teachings on True Religion

The New Testament continues this focus on the heart. Jesus frequently confronted the religious elite of His day for clinging to traditions while neglecting justice, mercy, and love. He rebuked the Pharisees, saying, “Woe to you…You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). This illustrates that genuine religion, according to the Bible, involves love for God and compassion for others.

Throughout the epistles, believers are exhorted to unity, humility, and service as vital expressions of authentic faith. The epistle to the Hebrews teaches that the old sacrificial system was “only a shadow of the good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1), indicating that the fullness of devotion to God is realized in Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

External Formalities Versus Inward Devotion

While the Bible contains elaborate rituals, it consistently teaches that true religion cannot merely be a system of external rules. Hosea states, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6), pointing to God’s preference for compassionate, relational faith rather than mere external compliance.

In the New Testament, Jesus warns against hypocrisy—“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Mark 7:6). Paul similarly contrasts living faith with empty adherence to rules when writing to the church in Galatia, reminding them: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). True worship flows from a transformed life and reflects God’s character to the world.

Relationship and the Heart of Biblical Religion

Biblical religion is not about obtaining God’s favor through works but about pursuing a genuine relationship with the living God. The Bible expresses that people are separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23), yet He graciously offers reconciliation. The consistent framework of biblical teaching highlights that true religion is fellowship with God, evident in obedience born from faith, rather than a checklist of rites or traditions.

Christ’s Fulfillment and the Resurrection

Central to the scriptural understanding of religion is the belief that Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection fulfill all that the Old Testament foreshadowed. The Gospels declare the resurrection as a historical event that confirms Jesus’ identity as Lord (Luke 24:6–7). Outside sources, such as the first-century historian Josephus and the testimonies of the early Church Fathers, collectively reinforce the reliability of the resurrection accounts. This event, as explained in passages like 1 Corinthians 15, validates the faith of believers, ensuring everlasting life.

The transformation of the disciples—who went on to preach boldly, even at great personal risk—further supports the historicity of the resurrection. Such a dramatic change indicates a belief rooted in a verifiable event, rather than a myth. Archeological findings throughout Jerusalem, the empty tomb tradition, and the early creeds within the New Testament writings all point to a historically consistent message that the resurrection stands at the heart of authentic Christian religion.

Evidence for a Designed Creation

While the Bible clarifies the spiritual dimensions of religion, it also affirms that God is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1). The observable complexity of living organisms, as modern investigations into molecular biology highlight, is consistent with an intelligent cause. Geological examples, such as abrupt fossil appearances and widespread sediment layers, are regarded by some interpreters as supporting the global flood narrative (Genesis 6–9). Archeological and geological data, coupled with scriptural genealogies traced through the Old and New Testaments, have been used to support a younger view of Earth’s timeline.

Practical Outworking and Caring for Others

Scripture consistently portrays true religion as bearing fruit in caring for the vulnerable and consistently living out transformative ethics. James emphasizes practical mercy: “Religion that is pure…to care for orphans and widows” (James 1:27). Much of the Bible’s instruction about religion thus entails compassion, standing for justice, and loving one’s neighbor.

Paul encourages believers to “carry one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Likewise, Jesus’ well-known parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) depicts a “religious” person not as one who merely professes faith publicly, but as one who acts compassionately to help others in dire need.

Avoiding Legalism and Hypocrisy

Throughout both Old and New Testaments, there is an ongoing warning against legalism—treating religion as rules that must be rigidly followed for personal merit or social standing. Jesus directly confronted the Pharisees (Matthew 23) for placing burdensome regulations on others while neglecting the deeper matters of love and faithfulness. True religion involves humility, sincere repentance, and an active love for God and neighbor.

Conclusion and Summary

From Genesis through Revelation, the Bible paints a consistent picture of religion as a heart-centered devotion rooted in a covenant relationship between God and humanity. Sacrificial practices in the Old Testament served as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, while New Testament writers confirm that Jesus’ resurrection displays God’s power over sin and death, embodying and completing all that earlier religious symbols pointed toward.

Genuine religion, according to the Bible, is not merely about external observances or rituals, though they can have value in reminding believers of God’s truths. Rather, it is about repentance, redemption, and relationship with the Creator, made possible through Jesus. It finds tangible expression in love for others, acts of mercy, and a life of integrity shaped by God’s Word. By caring for those in need and seeking an authentic walk with Him, believers demonstrate the transformative power of biblical religion, centered on worship of the one true God and the resurrection of Christ as the source of eternal hope.