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This is a sermon that tries to emphasize the contrast between understanding Christianity as a religion versus understanding Christianity as a relationship with a person - Jesus Christ. Various Scripture texts were used to emphasize different metaphors that are used in the Bible to describe a relationship.
Religion or Relationship
Introduction:
I remember years ago when I would use encyclopedias to look up information about various countries of the world for school projects or reports I would discover all types of useful information about the different countries that I would research for my report.
I remember being perplexed to read about the predominant religions of each country. The religion might be listed as 60% one religion, 30% some other religion and 10% a different religion. Usually one of the religions listed would be Christianity. How could the government or any educational organization possibly know how many people were really true Christians out of millions in the country?
I had been raised to believe that one had to be “saved” or born again in order to really be a Christian. I had been taught that the word Christian meant that you were like Christ in actions and attitudes.
Well, I learned that the statistics in the encyclopedias were estimates probably based on surveys and population samples. Perhaps they were calculated from boxes that people checked on some sort of census form. They were based on the assumption that any people who claimed some sort of affiliation with a church or denomination were considered a member of that religion.
However, I’m sure many of us here have heard it said many times that Christianity is not primarily a religion; it is a relationship. Yet, many people who have reduced it down to a religion.
What is the difference anyway? Does it really matter?
Different people have described the difference between religion and relationship like this:
Religion – man (people) working in his own efforts to attempt to find God and please (or appease) Him.
Relationship – God seeking us and making the way for us to come to Him through the sacrifice of His Son so that we could know Him.
With the help of God I want to draw your attention to various Bible texts and concepts that emphasize the fact that Christianity is a relationship rather than a religion.
1. “Walk”
This word is used in both the OT and NT to describe relationship with God.
Genesis 5:24 – And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
2 Cor. 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight…
2 Cor. 6:16 … God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (In the context of this verse, Paul had stated the principle of not being “yoked” together with unbelievers because light cannot fellowship with darkness…)
There are many more passages that we could refer to, but the point I want to stress is that walking beside someone implies a personal relationship; a daily, moment-by-moment interaction; a sharing of common experiences; etc.
Shortly after we moved here to assume the role of pastor, my wife (Kris) started a daily walking routine with Lori Giesler. They both were wanting to get enough exercise to stay healthy, to manage their youthful look, and to have someone else to do it with in order to feel some sort of obligation to keep at it. Well, they have kept at it. There aren’t very many times that they miss their daily commitment. But you know what? Walking isn’t the only thing they do. They talk; they solve all the problems of the world; they
2. “Love”
Deut. 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (This “command” is quoted by Jesus in the NT.)
Deut. 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
These verses are only a small sampling of the verses that express the love God has for us and the love we have for God.
The very concept and idea of love rises way above the mere rituals and performances of a religion. It stresses the bond of affection between two parties. There are many commands in Scripture to love God, yet the truth about love is – you don’t have to be commanded. It is a deep-rooted desire to please the one I love.
3. “Friend”
Exodus 33:11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
John 15:14-15 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
4. “Bride”
Matt. 9:15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Rev. 19:6-7And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
This metaphor speaks of intimacy, mutual love and devotion as well as faithfulness and fidelity. God passionately loves each and every one of us and he desires for us to have the same passion for him. It is just like a loving relationship between a husband and a wife.
Imagine what things would be like at home of our spouse treated us like we often treat the Lord.
· They only talk to us when they want / need something.
· They only talk to us when things are going wrong or they have something to complain about. They never share any joys or blessings.
· They show up for special celebrations or occasions, but they never call or come around just to talk and spend time.
You might say, “Wow, that’s not much of a relationship! That’s awfully one-sided!” And you would be right. But sadly, that is the way many, many so-called Christians act with the Lord.
There are undoubtedly many people who have never grasped the idea that Christianity is a relationship rather than a religion. They treat this Christian faith as though it is just another religion and they go through life doing their “Christian duties and obligations,” but there is nothing vibrant, intimate or satisfying about it. They perform their “minimum requirements” but nothing more.
Religion: Seeking to do what I must do in order to gain acceptance with God.
Relationship: Realizing that God is seeking me and accepts me because He created me for Himself.
Religion: Worried that I haven’t done enough for God to approve of me, or love me.
Relationship: Realizing that God sent His Son to die for me before I ever cared about Him, so that I can be accepted and adopted into His family.
Religion: Looks at every command or teaching of Scripture as a duty or obligation that I must follow in order to keep God from rejecting me, or sending me to hell.
Relationship: Recognizes that the commands and ethical principles of Scripture are my privilege follow in order to show my love for Him.
Example – the kind of things that spouses do for each other just for the simple reason they want to please their lover. They love to show their spouse just how much they value the relationship and want to demonstrate their devotion.
That is why we obey the Lord and seek to please Him.
Conclusion:
God has designed the entire plan of redemption for the purpose of bringing each of us into a personal relationship with Himself. That original intimate relationship which existed when God first created Adam and Eve was severed and permanently broken when sin and disobedience entered the world. Our own personal sins and disobedience against God’s will has continued the separation between us and God individually.
But… because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary , God has done everything that is necessary to re-establish the connection between Him and us. We must understand and acknowledge that religion is not enough. All our efforts to satisfy God and get His approval are not sufficient. We must recognize that it is only through trusting in the blood of Jesus that we can experience forgiveness for all our sins and have the relationship established with God our heavenly Father.
If you haven’t found this kind of meaning and joy and satisfaction, then I dare say that Christianity is still just a religion for you.
God wants to walk with you.
God wants to demonstrate His love for you and receive your love in return.
God wants to be the closest friend you’ve ever known… Someone you can go to with your burdens… Someone you can rely on for strength and counsel.
If this is what you desire, then I urge you to come forward for prayer and let us have a prayer with you.
Let us sing our closing hymn as a prayer of commitment to our Lord.
Hymn # 593 Where He Leads Me
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