Hosea II
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6 ESV)
Religion
We remove inactive club members from our groups, when members do not DO club things. A yacht club member who does not ever sail is not really a member of the yacht club. A member of your football team who never practices or plays is not really on the team. A stamp collector who owns no stamps, does not like stamps, and does not know anything about philatelists should not be thought of as a stamp collector.
Surprisingly, it is not doing religious things that God seeks in His people. We are not His because do religious things. For the Israelites, offering sacrifices and burnt offerings. For us it might be church attendance, following the Golden Rule, or praying regularly.
Those things are not bad things. But they are not what makes us God’s people.
It is knowing God, and loving God… both of which can only happen when we know and love Christ Jesus.
It is not religion that saves… it is Jesus.