What Does the Bible Say About Religion?

The Bible’s Teachings on Religious Obligation.

Religiosity, at its most basic, is faith in God or observance of religious rites. Although piety in modern culture can be interpreted in both positive and bad ways, I will be discussing it from a biblical perspective. What does the Bible have to say about piety, and should we make it a goal of ours in the modern world? When examined attentively, I think you will see that this pious quality is not just commendable but essential.

Contrary to Beliefs About Religiousness

Some people think that the best way to show their devotion to God is to cut themselves off from the rest of the world. There might be people whom God has specifically called to do that, but I’m very sure it’s not you. You are meant to make an impact wherever God has placed you. Piety should mark you as unique, but it shouldn’t exclude you from everyday life. Piety, then, is something that ought to be exhibited, not in a boastful manner but to show who God is and to lead others to Christ. That is what Jesus taught.

You are a shining example to everyone. No one can hide from a town that looks down from a hill. Similarly, you won’t see somebody lighting a lamp to place under a dish. As an alternative, it is placed on a stand from which light may be distributed around the home. Let your good acts shine like a beacon for all to see, so that they may praise your heavenly Father on earth. – Matthew 5:14-16

Consider These Three Bible Verses on Religion

As a noun, “piety” is rarely mentioned in the Bible. If, on the other hand, we understand piety to be religious devotion, then the Bible has plenty to say on the topic. To help you better grasp the scope of this word, I’ll illustrate three contexts in which it has been used.

• Righteousness as religious piety.

You will get no reward from your Father in heaven if you put on a show of religion in front of other people just to get their approval. Reference: Matthew 6:1 (RSV)

The term “piety” is used in just a handful of translations, the Revised Standard Version (RSV) being one of them. When you think about what this term implies in different contexts, you begin to grasp its breadth.

The New International Version’s Definition of Righteousness

(Alms) in the King James Version

Good works (NKJV)

Those who do what is right (New Living Translation)

The virtuous life or good acts are linked to the practice of piety in this passage. The seeming conflict between Jesus’ previous exhortation to “let your light shine before mankind” and his later warning to “be careful about doing your good actions in front of other people” is understandable. Reasoning makes all the difference. A godly person’s excellent works are done for God’s praise and not for human acclaim. Piety can be understood in terms of moral rectitude.

• As holy as one can be, that’s rule number two.

After witnessing this, Peter spoke to the crowd: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you look at us, as though by our own might or piety we had made him walk?” (Acts 3:12) (RSV)

The RSV, again, employs the word piety; other versions do it as well. What does it imply here specifically? As a synonym for godliness, piety is used in this passage. The fact that they both imply roughly the same thing makes them interchangeable. Godliness is defined in more detail on Bible.org, which I hope will aid in your comprehension of the concept.

“Enoch walked with God; he had fellowship with God; he found favor in God’s eyes. It would be fair to say that he was a religious man. For this is the essence of godliness. The original definition of the New Testament term for Godliness captures this concept: a heartfelt devotion to God that manifests itself in holy deeds. The term “devotion” refers to a person’s emotional state when thinking about God. But that’s just how much you care. It’s more than just the fuzzy feelings we get when we think about God, as when we sing a beautiful hymn or a stirring worship song.

I’m hoping you’re starting to get the idea. Piety is virtuous behavior born of a heartfelt devotion to God that stems from our personal faith in and trust in him. True religion is born out of love, not fear, for God.

Then Jesus declared, “If you love me, you will follow everything I command. If my dad likes them, we’ll move in with them and raise a family. – John 14:23

• Thirdly, the effects of sincere devotion may be felt from the inside out.

These may seem wise in that they encourage self-imposed virtue (such as modesty and physical restraint), but they do little to curb excessive pleasure. According to the words of the Bible in Colossians 2:23 (NRSV)

These regulations may appear reasonable since they call for intense commitment, holy self-denial, and rigorous self-control. But they offer no assistance in overcoming a person’s bad impulses. The Colossians 2:23 (NLT)

A new perspective on religious devotion is offered in this passage. Genuine religiosity, on the other hand, comes from inside rather than from beyond. This was one of Jesus’ main complaints about the Pharisees and other religious authorities of his day. However, many people continue to face this issue today.

“Woe to you, hypocrites, scribes, and Pharisees! Despite your best efforts, the inside of both the cup and the plate remain filthy despite your best efforts to keep the outside clean. O, you blind Pharisee! First, you need to clean the interior of the cup so that the exterior may follow suit. The Beatitudes, verses 25 and 26 of Matthew

Sadly, the outward appearance of the cup is often all that many consider to be holy. They have merely a superficial degree of faith in God. They put up a religious front whenever they’re in the spotlight or at church. But when no one is watching, they show no love for God. Honestly, “that ain’t piety.” Authentic religiosity occurs when one’s outward actions are only the manifestation of a profound change on the inside. Without it, your words are hollow and hypocritical. Make sure your faith in God comes from the depths of your soul, for that’s where true piety is conceived.

Tell Me, What Does Religious Devotion Look Like in Your Daily Life?

To that end, I have a question for you as we study the Bible’s teachings on religious devotion. What does piety entail in terms of how you live your life? If you want to be taken seriously as a religious person, you need to have these four elements in your life.

1. The quality of holiness

2. Subservience

3.The Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.)

4. Modesty

My rationale for using these four examples of religiosity should be obvious. Everything here begins within and then manifests outside. If you truly want to serve God, you must be holy. You’re going to be obedient. You’ll develop the character God desires for you. You’ll be humbling yourself as you go along. Piety is the sum total of these attributes.

The Bible’s Teachings on Religious Obligation. One Last Thing:

With any luck, you now have a foundation upon which to build your knowledge of the Bible’s teachings on religious zeal. Piety, then, is commitment to God, but it requires more than just lip service. It must originate in your heart’s deep affection for God and grow naturally from your intimate fellowship with him. In closing, let me say this. If you have a genuine relationship with God, being religious will come naturally to you. Therefore, work on deepening your relationship with God, and your religious zeal will naturally follow. The closer you get to him, the more he alters you. In that, my friend, I see the first stirrings of piety in your heart.