Have I gone mad? Has resentment and anger gotten the better of me that I now write such spew?
No, no, no, not at all!
I have always maintained that Christianity is a faith, and not a religion, and I get quite upset that people, even Christians, do not seem to be able to make the distinction.
Just last night, I heard Mark Driscoll say in his sermon, which I shall display below, why and how religion is an enemy to the Gospel. And it rings so true even about me at times, and I am sure that it will speak directly to you too.
The central message is this: that we obey God and do His commandments because He loves us and our obedience to Him is a result of the fact that we love Him back, and not because we let religion dictate it to us.
Only God is holy, but we strive to live holy lives because we love God and therefore obey Him.
I hope you enjoy it, and heed the message as much as it is making me re-examine my own walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Related posts:
- Jeff Noblit: God Helps Those Who CANNOT Help Themselves Excellent, excellent sermon that’s a must-hear. I heard this when...
- We Are Wonderfully Made The psalmist King David wrote I praise you, for I...
- Does God Pre-Destine Some Men to Hell? (Double Predestination) Mark Kielar answers very succinctly one of many issues that...
- Oh, Look! Kong Hee Has a Fan! I just stumbled upon this site a few days ago...
- Faith and Pornography The advertising adage that sex sells is taken to...
7 Responses
Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.
I agree fully. Religion is vain attempt of man to reach God, while Christianity is God reaching down to men for a living relationship. God is Agape Love.
Sidharth
Amen!
Religion is us trying to build the Tower of Babel, yet God came down as flesh and offers His FREE gift of salvation to all that will repent and believe on His name.
I have always felt this too. Religion focuses on ritual while Christianity focuses on relationship. A relationship with God is much more meaningful than a handful of rituals.
Dear Michelle,
Exactly! Christianity is just that — a relationship with our Creator who loves us and gave us the FREE gift of salvation. And just as He loves us, we love Him back by obeying Him and therefore strive to be holy, as He is holy.
No amount of works and observance of laws will please God, only a repentant and loving heart, and receiving His FREE gift of salvation.
God bless, and Shalom!
A big AMEN!
Down with religion, up with Jesus!
Religion began when Satan told Adam and Eve that they could know for themselves about good and evil, instead of just loving and trusting their Father! They believed and started the first religion (man’s attempt to get to God, man’s ideas about good and evil, etc.). They had to leave the place of relationship, peace, safety, and life as a result!
Jesus won it back for us. Eternal life, knowing God, True Freedom, escape from religion.
Hurrah Yeshua!
ThirstyJon
Hello Jon!
Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts with me on this subject.
I like the way you put it about when and where religion crept in.
God bless, and Shalom!
Religion is for the infidels.
The time has come,
the harvest is ripe.