Religion or Redemption: The Weightier Matters of God’s Word
- Daniel Marsh
- Apr 6
- 5 min read
February 16th Morning Service
Avondale Church of God
Bro Ward
A Sobering Warning for Today’s Church
Bro. Ward stepped behind the pulpit with a burdened heart. His message was not one of light pleasantries or religious platitudes—it was a heartfelt call to examine the reality of our salvation. Taking his text from Matthew 23:23, Bro. Ward began by addressing a deeply relevant issue: the difference between being truly saved and simply being religious.
“Religion without salvation is a curse,” he stated. “It’ll send you to hell just as quick as a bottle in the hand or a sin-filled nightclub.”
The central scripture came from Jesus’ scathing rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees—those well-versed in law and religion, yet far from God in heart. “Woe unto you… ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith.”
The Danger of Majoring in the Minors
The Pharisees were meticulous in outward religion—fasting, tithing, and strict rule-keeping. But Jesus made it clear: though they followed the technicalities, they failed to uphold the heart of the law. “These ye ought to have done,” He said, “and not to leave the other undone.” Bro. Ward emphasized that this wasn’t Jesus dismissing outward standards, but calling them to deeper obedience.
“There is a standard for God’s people to live by,” he explained. “We don’t toss out modesty or separation from the world. But if all you have is form, you’re empty inside.”
The preacher reminded listeners that the Christian walk isn’t about checking off a religious checklist. True salvation transforms from the inside out—it begins in the heart and flows outward into action. “If you’re still sinning,” he said plainly, “then your religion is vain.”
Two Dangerous Roads: Worldliness and Religious Formalism
Bro. Ward warned of two main strategies the devil uses to deceive souls:
Pulling the heart back into the world through the lust of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
Encouraging a lifeless form of religion that appears godly but denies the power to live free from sin (2 Timothy 3:5).
He cited example after example of people who had once loved the truth but drifted into worldly pleasure or dead religion. Some, he explained, justified themselves because they still looked the part outwardly—modestly dressed, carrying a Bible—but had no real experience of deliverance. “If your religion allows you to still sin,” he said soberly, “it’s not the Gospel.”
Bro. Ward didn’t hold back. “You can be near the church, among the people of God, and still be lost,” he said, challenging everyone in the room to examine their hearts.
Exposing the Spirit of the Pharisees
In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounced multiple woes against the scribes and Pharisees—not because they failed to appear religious, but because their lives were full of hypocrisy. “They say and do not,” Jesus said (v.3). Bro. Ward explained that Jesus was clear: follow the truth they teach if it aligns with God’s Word, but don’t follow their lives.
“They laid heavy burdens on others,” he explained, “but wouldn’t lift a finger to bear them themselves.” And though they appeared clean on the outside, inwardly they were full of sin. “They looked like saints,” Bro. Ward warned, “but inside, they were full of dead men’s bones.”
He drew a bold parallel to modern religious systems. “How can people read these verses and still call a man ‘Father’ in the Catholic Church? That spirit hasn’t changed—it’s just wearing new clothes.”
This wasn’t a message of condemnation, but one of clarity. “Don’t get fooled by titles or traditions,” he urged. “Judge righteous judgment. Judge fruit. Do they live free from sin? Do they walk in holiness?”
The Weightier Matters: God’s True Standard
At the heart of the message was the call to return to “the weightier matters of the law.” These, Bro. Ward said, are the true tests of a transformed life:
Judgment: Rightly discerning God’s Word and applying it to life.
Mercy: Extending grace and love to others—not cold criticism.
Faith: Living by trust in God’s power to deliver and keep us holy.
“Many today pick and choose what parts of God’s Word they’ll follow,” he lamented. “But when you do that, you’ll end up resenting the rest—and eventually rejecting all of it.”
He emphasized that true salvation is accompanied by fruit—a life unspotted from the world (James 1:27). Helping the fatherless, the widows, the afflicted—not just keeping rules, but manifesting the love of Christ.
True Holiness or Form Without Power?
Referencing 1 Peter 1:14–16 and chapter 2:21–22, Bro. Ward reminded the congregation that holiness isn’t optional—it’s commanded. “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” Jesus didn’t come to excuse sin but to deliver from it. “He left us an example,” he said, “and that example was sinlessness.”
He warned against the deception of religious culture—where people can sing, testify, even pray, but never experience true freedom from sin. “It’s not enough to almost look right,” he said. “You have to be made right by the blood of Jesus.”
The Danger of Rejecting the Light
Near the close of the sermon, Bro. Ward turned back to the repeated phrase in Matthew 23: “Woe unto you.” Jesus exposed how the scribes and Pharisees had not only missed the truth but actively blocked others from entering in. “They shut up the kingdom of heaven,” he said. “They devour widows’ houses. They make converts only to corrupt them.”
In our day, Bro. Ward warned, many leave the Church of God because truth offends them—but they still want the name. “They walk away from the body but keep the label,” he said, “deceiving others with a smile and a song.”
He urged the saints to discern deeper. “Don’t be fooled by helpful people with nice exteriors. Ask—are they obeying God? Or just playing church?”
An Urgent Call to Walk in the Light
As he brought the message to a close, Bro. Ward returned to the words of Jesus: “If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in…” (Revelation 3:20).
“God is still speaking,” he said. “He sends sermons, revivals, and personal conviction. But if you refuse to walk in the light, that light will go out.”
He pleaded with the congregation not to drift into lukewarmness or self-sufficiency. “Don’t let religion replace relationship. You must have a pure heart before God.”
Final Thoughts: Let the Lord Count on You
The message ended with an altar call and the hymn “Can the Lord Count on You?”—a reminder that every saint is called not just to attend, but to be faithful, holy, and true.
In a world full of counterfeit Christianity, Bro. Ward’s sermon was a trumpet call to sincerity, salvation, and Spirit-filled living. As he put it: “God’s people aren’t perfect because they follow rules. They’re perfect because they follow Christ.”
Scripture Reference List
Matthew 23:23 – Jesus rebukes religious leaders for focusing on minor laws while neglecting judgment, mercy, and faith.
James 1:26–27 – Pure religion is characterized by controlled speech, care for the vulnerable, and separation from the world.
1 John 2:15–17 – The lusts of the world are incompatible with love for the Father.
2 Timothy 3:5 – A form of godliness without the power to live holy is to be rejected.
1 Peter 1:14–16; 2:21–22 – God calls His people to holiness, following Christ’s sinless example.
Matthew 23:13, 15, 25–28 – Jesus denounces the hypocrisy of religious leaders who corrupt others with their pretense.
Revelation 3:20 – Christ’s invitation to anyone who will hear His voice and open their heart.
Isaiah 30:21 – The Spirit of God faithfully speaks to guide honest hearts.
Micah 6:8 – The Lord requires His people to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.
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