True Religion

"True religion is a very practical thing if we do not adulterate it." -C.T. Studd

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 (NASB)

"Men will wrangle for religion; write for it; fight for it; die for it; anything but live for it." -C.C. Colton

"No Religion." A common phrase among the Christian circle. Many claim to not follow a religion, but a relationship. This all good and well. For it is not the religion but the relationship that saves us. I believe that we can't earn our salvation, for we all have sinned. Therefore, we are saved by faith alone. Religion cannot and will not save us. For Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." Therefore, I believe in an all-powerful and all-encompassing grace extended to everyone by Christ through His death on the cross and succeeding resurrection from the tomb after three days. But how will we look any different from the rest of the world if we refuse to live differently? How will we magnify Christ in our lives if we don't put into practice the changes that he has commanded must take place in our lives? Those changes are the basis of our religion. Those changes are what make us different, and in turn, draw others to Christ. How else could we magnify God without making these necessary physical changes in our lives? Much more important, how could we even resist these changes with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us? The answer is religion according to Christ, for Jesus Himself laid the foundation of Christianity. Why do you think Jesus gave us many commands when He was here on earth? Just for fun? Just for us to blow them off? Of course not. He expected us to follow them for His sake and to magnify His Name. If we have a relationship with Him, He expects us to obey Him. This obedience out of love for Him is our true religion. Though just as importantly, we must not allow our own personal biases and judgments to alter Christianity or all is lost. It is as Georgia Harkness once said, “The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world.” We must not attach ourselves to the Gospel. We must conform to the truths of the Gospel, not conform the Gospel to us.

Many times, those outside the faith do not see the open arms of Christ portrayed in me, instead they see me, as a Christian, using the church as an exclusive society. Shame on me. I have taken the Gospel and conformed it to myself. I have made it the constitution of my social club, rather than divine mandates for the way I should carry myself. I have used the Gospel as a shield for the Church to repel against outsiders instead of an extension to the lost. The Gospel's (and religion's) purpose is to aid and not condemn. I should build bridges with the Message of the Gospel, not walls. Though if one would ask an atheist about Christianity, the first answer to be had, would be one of exclusion and condemnation. It is as Voltaire describes, "Of all religions, Christianity is without a doubt the one that should inspire tolerance most, although, up to now, the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men." Therefore, I must practice the religion of love that reaches out to the lost, the very same that Christ described incessantly and explicitly while He was here on this earth. I must speak Christ's Truth, and do so in LOVE.

Also, I wonder why is it that the Christian circle (predominantly younger Christians) are quick to disown Christianity as a religion? Again, I repeat that the religion is not what saves us. Jesus made this clear again and again, yet at the same time, He gave us commands He asked us to live by. So why are we so quick to shun religion? Are we content to settle ourselves as infants in Christ rather than growing and maturing as Christians? I think so. I speak from personal experience when I say that it is much easier to be content with the thought of an insured eternity and to look no further for instruction or work. I would compare it to having a lazy faith. I am ashamed of the audacity that I have to accept a gift with no comparison, free grace, yet show no appreciation of the gift's value nor show love to the gift-giver! Even in a society as distorted as present day America, it is seen as rude to disregard a gift received, and those gifts can never be compared to the gift of free grace. For we will never even be able to comprehend the sheer magnitude of so great a gift, much less be able to compare it another. Therefore, I implore, let us take hold of the gift given to us and run to God, seeking to obey Him and love Him more each day than the last.

I leave you with scripture, for Truth lies in scripture and not my musings.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” -Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

The Sermon on the Mount- Matthew chapters 5-7

Saved by Grace, Living by the Spirit- Romans 8:1-18

Dedicated Service- Romans 12:1-21

The Necessity of Love in Religion- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NASB) [Emphasis added]

Christian Conduct- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28