A recent religious survey says that Americans, especially younger citizens, are less interested in “organized religion” today. I guess the alternatives to “organized religion” are unorganized religion or no religion? Both options defy sound thinking have consequences of an immediate and eternal nature.

God expected the Jewish religion to be very organized, demanding that Israel follow the organized “pattern” which He revealed (Exodus 25:9). When Israel altered God’s organization for religion, God made His displeasure well-known (1 Kg. 12:31; 13:1-5).

In the New Testament Jesus built His church when He provided remission of sin (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:38). This was not a loose association of star-gazing, mountain-climbing spiritual nomads, but people who worked together in the process of learning truth from God (Acts 2:42; 9:26,28). That same truth is recorded in Scripture and provides all we need for salvation and pure religion (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Js. 1:27).

God even revealed how His people would “be organized” while doing His work—the only human leaders God provided for the church are called elders (also called pastors, bishops, presbyters; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). That is all—no so-called pope, reverend, youth pastor, or “Father” (Matthew 23:9) has ever had God’s approval in name or practice. These are the products of man’s imagination, not God’s revelation.

Maybe some today are disenchanted with organized religion because they see how man has inserted his wisdom into religion and misorganized the religion God revealed. The Bible reveals true, pure religion as God has organized it—study to understand it!