I Have Relationship and Religion

Introduction

We have all heard the phrase, “I have a relationship, not religion,” or “Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship.” Or something along these lines, and you all know these saying is a pet peeve of mine.

What distinguishes a relationship with Christ? What are the marks of a Christian?

Tonight we are going to look at some scripture that shows religion is necessary in a relationship with Christ. We will look at what relationship with Christ looks like and what religion with Christ looks like (and what it does not look like). Saying I have relationship and not religion is making a play dough Jesus. Without religion you create a play dough “Christianity” you got no parameters to go by and create a fragile “Christianity” that can be easily smashed.

What Does Relationship Look Like?

“If you love me”

What word for love? agape.

This focus on love is what makes people want to be so central on relationship and not religion. In today’s society people like for the love to overshadow all things and is the only part that matters.

This love is what makes Christ want to pursue us and create true religion so we can pursue him in love.

The Holy Spirit is our helper. God does not just give us a set of rules and step back. He is involved daily.

The Holy Spirit dwells in us. Our relationship with God is intimate. Believers don’t ever go without Him being their. God knows every detail of our lives

Matthew 10:30 ESV

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

A little quick math for you. On average people have 100,000 hairs and their are roughly 8 billion people on earth. That is roughly 8 quadrillion hairs that God knows. That’s an 8 followed by 15 zeros. Also your body has roughly a hundred thousand miles of blood vessels in it. enough human blood vessels exist to go around the earth 320 trillion times. Another interesting fact. Their is an estimated 20 quintillion animals on earth. That is 20 followed by 18 zeros.

What Does Religion Look Like?

“Keep my commandments”

First let us start by defining religion. Merriam-Webster says, “institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” Can anyone tell me how the Bible does not fit this definition?

I want to start this section off with why i think people like to say they don’t have religion or that they hate religion. I don’t think it is so much people hate religion but the fact legalism and hypocrisy has given them a bad taste for religion.

What is legalism? Legalism is “the absence of faith while stressing obedience” Legalism is when you stress moral code for salvation and it ends up turning into adding laws to laws. When you let tradition have power. Examples could be to worship Jesus you must dress a certain way. To be a good Christian you must not listen to certain music, dress certain way, etc. So some people say they don’t like religion because they had an encounter with a legalistic Christian.

What is hypocrisy? Saying you believe one thing and doing another. Sometimes people see people say they believe Christian beliefs, but yet they live contrary to that. People let their dislike of hypocrites make them overlook the beauty of true religion.

In 2010 Harvey Updyke poisoned Auburn's trees. Well in 2017 Tua Tagovailoa helped lead Alabama to a national championship. What if Tua had let one crazy Alabama fan affect his whole perception of the Alabama football program. He would have missed out on a huge win. Their are people who do that all the time. So many people call themselves Christians but are the biggest legalistic and hypocrites. People see that group of people and go I don’t want to be associated with those people. Then they let a small group of people affect their perception of something much greater than them and they miss out on the biggest win, salvation.

Verse 17 tells us the Spirit is the Spirit of truth. What is truth? How do we judge Biblical truth? By applying the Bible’s teachings.

James 1:27 ESV

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Scripture does talk about religion being pure. We are to care for those less fortunate than us and to keep ourselves from being stained by the wickedness of the world. How do we do that? Follow the path set right here (point to Bible).

Outroduction

In the end it comes down to your approach to religion.

“The Christian religion rightly understood and practiced, centers on the most beautiful and intimate relationship in history.”

“If religion is characterized by doctrine, commands, rituals, and structure, then Jesus is not your go-to guy for hating religion.” -Kevin DeYoung