The summation

Every book of the Bible is about Jesus. He is the theme of the Bible. Jesus is the living word. Jesus is the incarnation. He is the savior of the world. The living word became flesh. The Bible is the DNA of Jesus. Repeatedly, the author of Hebrews says that once you come to Christ, you are made whole. Why? Because we have the tendency to go back to the familiar things in our lives. We tend to go back to religious structures even after we experience the genuine things of faith. 

Peter, after Jesus was killed, said to them: 

“I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-14)

We, like the Jews, are being reminded not to go back to animal sacrifice—don’t go back to dead religious practices. If you go back and offer an animal sacrifice you are negating what Christ did for you. Don’t mix the two. When we think that we are earning salvation by works, we are operating in the same spiritual realm that the Jewish people were returning to. In the Protestant world, we tend to lock in on “spiritual secrets”—things popular speakers guarantee us will make us greater Christians. We find four steps to fasting that will bring the glory of God faster, deeper, longer into our lives. We discover hidden prayers that will open the heavenlies. Someone shows us a special way to read the Bible that will increase our understand of God. 

We need to be careful. Yes, there are things in the word that need to be uncovered and made clearer. But often, these new things are religious traps of the devil, spun out to make us think that we gain something with God by putting religious practices ahead of him. The secret to having power in life is a daily, consistent walk with Jesus Christ. It’s living a life in step with the Holy Spirit. It’s not our effort. It’s not about human traditions. It’s not about religious practices.