Not a Religion

For the last two weeks I've been hurled back into youth ministry. Honestly, not much has changed in the year and a half that I've been out of it. Teenagers are still teenagers and their lives are similar to what they were before. God is still God and the Bible is still the foundation of His truth. I have noticed that I'm closer to God now than I was then, and I'm better able to field random questions because of the closer relationship I have with Him. But it's expected that my relationship with God will grow deeper over time, if I don't then the relationship is stagnant.

We're preparing to study Crazy Love at the end of the month, and initially my thought was to just fill the Wednesday nights with thought provoking discussion. I've come to see that all of it is leading right into the contents of Crazy Love. Last week we talked about the meaning of life and the purpose of the church. Last night, the discussion was all about God. It filled the hour and the time flew by.

I made a comment last night that I've made several times before, "Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship with God."

Religion- a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

Yeah, that definition seems to line up with what it is. Christianity does have a set of beliefs that tell of the cause and purpose of the universe. It involved devotional and ritual observances, and there is a code to govern the way those who follow it life. The issue I take with this definition the word "ritual". Rituals are done out of habit, some of the blindly because we've always done it that way. I think there is fear that if we fail to do something we won't be good enough to receive the promised reward.

Yes Christianity does have a moral code, a standard we are called to live by, but it's because God sets that standard. Anything you follow has something that sets it apart, that's what makes you a follower or a participant.

Christianity isn't a set of rules we follow and ceremonies we perform so that God will let us into Heaven when we die. That isn't the point, that isn't the His hope, and that we never His plan. God created the earth and it was perfect (Genesis 1.31), and He created man from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2.7). God put the man on earth to rule it and take care of it (Genesis 1.28). Man was created for fellowship with God, and in the beginning there was perfect fellowship between God and man. In the beginning it was perfect. And then man chose to break that relationship with God. Man disobeyed and sinned (Genesis 3). The relationship was broken, all of creation was cursed, man was fallen and sinful, condemned to die.

God sent His Son Jesus to redeem His creation, to restore the relationship between God and man. Galatians 4.4-7 says, "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God."

God adopts us as His children; God desires the Father and child relationship with each of us. God has always desired fellowship with us. He has desired our lives to be lived out of love for Him. Our motivation is love for the Father, not getting to heaven. Christianity is different from every religion because Christianity is based on a love relationship, not a fear based system of rules and doing the right things to get to paradise. God doesn't say "Be good enough and I'll let you enter my presence someday." God says "I love you so much that I am going to send my Son to earth as a man. He is going to live a perfect life, showing you what I have in mind for you, what is best for you, and then He is going to die on a cross to save you and make a way for you to have the relationship with Me that you broke. When He returns to Heaven, My Holy Spirit will be sent to live among you and in you. He will be there to guide and transform your lives, and empower you to live as I have called you to live."

Relationship- a connection, association, or involvement; the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties, countries, people.

That sounds a lot more like what God desires doesn't it? He wants involvement in our lives. He doesn't set a standard and leave us to figure out how to do it, and then punish us for failing. He sent Jesus to show us how to do it, and He sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and empower us to live it. God loves us, and desires for us to love Him. God knows us, and wants us to know Him. He has made it possible for us to personally communicate with Him. Through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, the path to God has been rebuilt. Through the Holy Spirit's empowerment we are able to live lives for God.

God created us for relationship, not religious ritual. God created us for fellowship, not blind devotion. God created us to know Him intimately. Christianity is a relationship with God, creation to its creator. God is Holy, and He has called us to be Holy as He is. To follow God we must follow His standards. Because of sin we can't, and because of that God sent His Son Jesus to die and justify us. He sent His Holy Spirit to empower us to follow Him. God desires relationship with us, and makes the relationship possible.

Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship with God.

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you