My neighbour said to me recently, “What do you need religion? I set my own values for myself and my family and things generally go OK for me.” 

Ah, but what about the children being killed in their homes, the 40 or so murders each year, the increasing violence and family instability, and now corruption in the financial area. 

My neighbour was surprised, “Oh,” he acknowledged, “I’ve never thought about that.”

The argument is like saying we don’t need road rules.

The great Creator in His wisdom set the planets and stars in their orbits and established the laws of nature that ensure the perpetuation of life on this planet.  Every engineer learns the properties of the materials he works with and works within the tolerances. 

These laws are inviolable for a harmonious continuance of life and society.  But despite them, God gave choice.  He wants us to think about what to do and why we need to respond in a certain way. 

“If you shall honour Him not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth…”  (Isaiah 58:13,14)