Galatians 2:19 (GOD’s WORD Translation) When I tried to obey the law’s standards, those laws killed me. As a result, I live in a relationship with God. I have been crucified with Christ.

The word “religion” comes from the Latin word “religio” which has a meaning influenced by the verb “religare” to bind, in the sense of “place an obligation on” (World Book Dictionary).
No wonder so many people are hesitant in becoming a Christian. Who wants to be in bondage?

What Jesus Christ offered us was not religion but, relationship. He desired for us to know the Father the way He does. We shouldn’t live our lives bound to rules and regulations. We should live our lives desiring to please our Father. Just like a young child loves his earthly father and desires to make his father proud, we should love and desire to make our Heavenly Father pleased. By establishing a relationship with our Heavenly Father, by default, we end up following His commandments. And just like an earthly father, even when we don’t do everything right, God still loves us.

Remove religion and establish a relationship.