The internet has been a buzz with this debate… is it religion or relationship? After garnering 50,000+ views on my video responding to Jefferson Bethke’s “Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus” video, I was shocked by the push back from viewers who were fiercely determined that Christianity was solely a relationship.
I disagree…. But give me a chance to explain why.
Was it religion that Adam had with God in the beginning?….No, Sir… God had always wanted a relationship with man which connected us to Him. Not something like “religion”. Not religion connecting us to Him. What we get from the Bible shows us what is pleasing and displeasing to God and we should adhere to the Bible, and by doing so will be closer to God because of the Bibles perfect direction which it points us in. God knows we’re after knowledge and thats what it contains. 2Ti 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,for reproof,for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2Ti 3:17 “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” It’s love that will make us read the Bible and stay faithful, because of the “relationship”…. I understand what is being said when ppl can’t stand religion. On the saved and unsaved side of it all. I know that religion can be fake, through the eyes of a sinner and Christian. All because of how ppl corrupted “religion”.
The Catholic religion has been is so corrupted. Whatever traditions they uphold I studied for years and the Bible doesnt support their teaches accept for a person who doesnt know the Bible of have the Holy Spirit, which teaches us. They are, sad to say, just as big of hypocrites as the Sadducees. I’m not attacking you and agree with probably a good majority of what you say, but like you see there’s just few I don’t.
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2Tim 3:14 Without “through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” All you have is religion…. But the end is a relationship. Through faith you’ll be saved… All we do need, I believe is the relationship, BECAUSE faith alone is what SAVES you, it’s just that the scripture helps guide us, God kowing we need all the help we need, and “religion” is powerless with out Jesus.
All I’m doing is stressing one more over the other, because I been to Iraq and Afghanistan, where my Hummve was that was my alter. God made the Sabbath for man, and not the other way around, all because God knew that if it was up to man that we never would settled down. Take time out our day to spend it on and fouse on, Him. It’s sad, but it’s the actions from sin that created religion, even though God fashioned it, it was never meant to be. It is more like, everyday, and it shows us in the beginning, that we were to be ” walking in the cool of he day” with Our Father, is how our time on this earth was always meant to be.
Hope to hear Back from you. i gotta go. Duty calls! God Bless!
Hi David,
All I need is Jesus thing might be a Jesus that we conjure up in our mind to a Jesus which we want to follow on our own terms. And this might not be the Jesus that the Bible describes.
Something that I keep thinking about regarding the religion and Jesus is which religion are we talking about?
I assume we are referring to the 2012 type of Christianity religion where we assume someone is a Christian because they go to Church on Sunday etc. This is vastly different than the religion of following the 10 Commandment or the Laws (Torah).
I do agree totally about the uniform and playing on the team. If someone who has a desire to follow Jesus, there’s no need to worry about the ‘rules’ (like going to church, praying, taking care of the widows and the orphans). It will be a natural outflow from their heart to do so because they are alive in Christ.
Thanks for the videos and discussions.