Religion vs. Relationship

When I was a little girl, I went to a Southern Baptist church with my family every Sunday. I remember a few thing’s from that experience in my life. I remember going to Sunday school from time to time and learning about Jesus, but I also remember feeling completely bored during most of the Sunday sermon’s, falling asleep, coloring, and wearing those dreaded panty hose under some frilly, girly dress. I felt a connection and closeness with God, and I decided that I wanted to get baptized at an early age, but I mainly remember Sunday’s being religious. I also saw some member’s of my family and church congregation act religious from time to time, but something deeper was lacking, and I knew it even as a child. Claiming a religious denomination, and living out a religion with its rules and rituals is not the same as knowing Jesus Christ and having a personal relationship with Him. This is something I knew in my heart as a young child and something that I have come to understand to an even greater magnitude as a born again, Spirit filled woman. Going to church on Sunday or carrying out religious works or traditions does not mean that someone knows God, and it definitely does not mean that someone is going to heaven.

Jesus was clear about the difference between religion versus relationship and true and false conversion. As a matter of fact, the very things that many people do are the exact behaviors that Jesus warned us against. Jesus had a thing or two to say to the religious people of His day, and anyone exhibiting the type of characteristics that the Jewish leaders of Christ’s time exhibited should be forewarned. The fruit that we bear in our lives through our thoughts, words, actions and behaviors is a clear indication of true conversion. Our lifestyle should match up with the Word of God, and if it doesn’t, then we should question whether we have truly given our lives to the Lord or if we are off track with His will and plan. If someone says they love Jesus but live an ungodly lifestyle, then they do not truly love Him, and not everyone who confesses the Lord will enter heaven. Also, people may look at the outward appearance, but God looks at our heart. A true life lived for God is more than lip service. Acting one way in front of people, then living like the devil is hypocrisy at its finest. It damages our witness to others, does not glorify God, and displays whether we have a relationship with God or just a religion. Lastly, no one can earn their salvation. Good works won’t get anyone in to Heaven. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved, by the blood of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (Matthew 7:15-23)!’”

Jesus made it clear that believers and non-believers will be recognized by their fruit. In this same way, we are able to distinguish between those who are religious and those who are saved by God’s grace and have a true relationship with Him. If someone says they believe in Jesus, it does not mean that they know Him, that they are saved or that they are going to heaven. Anyone can say that they believe in Jesus, then go out and live how they choose. Anyone can be “religious” on Sunday, and then live immoral the rest of the week. As Joyce Meyer puts it, “We need to be good fruit inspectors.” This doesn’t mean that we walk around self-righteously judging others, but we do need to be careful of the company that we keep. We need to be careful of who we choose to be in relationship with, what church we join, what Pastor, Preacher, or teacher we listen to, and so on. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to be our compass and match what we hear and see with the truth of God’s Word. Not doing so has lead many people in to temptation, sin, cult’s, destruction, addiction, and other wickedness.

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Be wise in who you choose for a mate or who you have in your close circle of friends. Keep in mind that we are to witness to non-believers, lead them by our example, reach out to them, love them, and pray for them, but the Bible warns us not to be in deep fellowship with them. 2 Corinthians 6 says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘Therefore come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).’”

If you’re living for the Lord and you have a friend who claims to walk with Him but who is living a worldly (sinful) life, then approach them in love and talk to them. Reach out to them. We are the body of Christ, and we have been called to reach out to the lost. You don’t have to travel to a third world country to be a missionary for Jesus. You may be in someone’s life for the sole purpose of helping them restore their relationship with Christ or even to lead them to Him. You may be in someone’s life, in order to show God’s love and compassion, or you may share similar life experiences and have the opportunity to reveal how God brought you through it. God will use you, if you let Him. This is what it means to be in relationship with God, not just have a religion. It means loving Him enough to live for Him, be set apart from the ways of the world, and do His will, as you reach out to others! If you have someone in your life who refuses to follow the Lord for whatever reason, then commit them to prayer, but do not continue to be in close fellowship with them. Remember, “Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).” Sometimes we have to love people from a distance.

Everyone sins, so I’m not suggesting we witness to our brother’s and sister’s in Christ whenever they sin. Otherwise, the entire body of Christ would witness to one another on a daily basis. There is a difference between committing a sin and living a life of sin, and if we refer to Jesus’ teaching on “fruit,” then we can interpret the difference. Reach out to the lost, but take time to examine yourself, as well. What kind of fruit are you bearing (Galatians 5:16-26)? Are you bearing the fruit of repentance? Are you bearing good fruit? Are you bearing the fruit of the sinful nature? Are you bearing bad fruit? You can distinguish this by examining your lifestyle by the light of God’s Word. Ask yourself if you are following Jesus’ commands, and then you will know if you truly love Him. This may sound harsh, but it is important to get real and get honest about the way that we live our lives. In John 14:21, Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” He went on to say a few verses later, “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching (John 14:24).” I think Jesus was pretty clear. If we love Him, we will follow and obey Him, bearing good fruit.

Every Christian has an area in her or his life that needs improvement, growth, healing, renewal, and even redemption. This life is a journey, so take God’s hand, and ask Him to guide you. Ask God to help you deal with areas in your life where you are falling short. He already knows that we are going to stumble and fall, and He wants to help us. Take hold of His hand and hold on tight. There is no shame in being imperfect, and God does not expect you to be. Jesus was the only perfect One. No religion and no religious acts can do what the God of the Universe can do for you. Only God can forgive, save, restore, renew, and love you with an everlasting love! If you feel like you have been living for a religion, instead of having a relationship with God, then dedicate or rededicate your life to Him today. He loves you so much!

A true life lived for God is more than hypocritical lip service. While people look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Spend all day at church, overflow with good works, or practice religious rituals, but if your heart is wrong, then nothing will be right. If religion is all that you have, then you do not have Jesus. When referring to the religious, Jewish leaders of His day, Jesus said, “do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. Everything they do is done for men to see (Matthew 23:3; 5).” Jesus had a lot to say about hypocrisy and the difference between religion and a relationship, and I will go over more of Jesus’ teaching’s tomorrow in “Religion vs. Relationship (part 2).”