I will be the first to caution any person to stay away from the immorality and the wickedness that men by nature recognize in this world. The Bible warns us against joining with evil companions (Prov.1:10-19). It forbids murder, drunkenness, adultery, fornication, stealing, lying, dishonesty in business, materialism, covetousness, abuse, indulgence, and all the things that spring from man’s selfishness and self-love. Those who fall into such things as a way and habit of life are going down a road to destruction and ruin. We cannot over-emphasize how such behavior is opposed to God’s ways and God’s commandments.
However, I must stress that with all the warnings against the sins listed above, I feel it more necessary to caution people to stay away from the religion of this world. My friend, there is nothing more deadly to your soul than false religion. The Pharisees of old were among some of the most dedicated, moral, and sincere religionists ever known. They were adamant and zealous to bring the Gentiles to their religion, and when they accomplished this goal, what was the result? “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves” (Matt. 23:15-16).
Why is this so deadly? It is because God has engaged His glory and the preeminence of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His way of salvation based on the obedience and death, the righteousness, of His Son. God is holy, just, and righteous, and it is the highest form of pride, the highest reproach and insult to God, as well as the most blatant denial of Christ for any sinner to imagine that God would save him based on anything other than the righteousness of Christ. Any time a sinner performs a moral or religious act while thinking it will recommend him unto God, or contribute to attaining or maintaining fellowship and favor with God, that sinner is performing acts which are highly esteemed among men but an abomination unto God (Luke 16:15-16). Avoid false religion and false gospels as you would avoid a deadly plague (Prov. 7:24-27).