And yet, the "it's not a religion, it's a personal relationship"-angle has only been around for a couple of decades, curiously coinciding with the time when people started to get suspicious of organized world views and their sweeping meta-narratives.
Actually, even the Apostles testified this very thing;
Saint Paul testified of his former religion;
Acts 26:4-5,9-11
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our
religion I
lived a Pharisee.
I verily thought with myself, that I
ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
You see how Saul's
religion wrought in him all manner of evil? He was deceiving his own heart, deadening his conscience in the persecution of the Saints.
To which Saint James testified accordingly;
James 1:26-27
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
It's also patently false, seeing how even "personal relationship"-Christianity relies on the Scriptures and specific beliefs and practices derived from the same.
The Scripture bears Witness, through the Spirit, that what we've received through contemplation is the truth, or not, for some have deceived themselves and are deceived. The Scripture elucidates the moral code written on our (Gentile) hearts and the Law unto the Jew. Demystifying what is written on our hearts by the Spirit of the Allmighty.
Now, if one comes to know and understand the truth, and then turn away unto vanity, coming again unto the Scripture for clarification.. His witness will be that he is indeed a sinner, in need of a new heart. If he hears not this truth it is because he desires to continue in willful sin.
1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Religion is simply the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or in general a set of beliefs explaining the existence of and giving meaning to the universe, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
Religion is a way of life, faith is a way of living. Saul had a way of life, Paul has a way of living that life. A way of life is to do, and way of living is to be.
Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall
live by faith.
Gal 3:11-12
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for,
The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Heb 10:38
Now the just shall
live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Romans 2:23-25
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Duet 25:4
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
Acts 7:51-53,57-60
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this
sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
You don't need a hierarchy of priests in order to have a religion. All you need is an organized world view - and THAT is what Christianity is in virtually all of its variant strains.
This world is not created in chaos, if you look around you find a silent symettry in everything that is created. Is the lion not the king of jungle? Are not worms the food of sparrows? Is not God higher than we?
Therefore there is indeed a 'hierarchy', so to speak.
Even angels are stronger than men, yet men are created in the image of God.
Ecc 9:11-18
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
1 Cor 4:10
We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
2 Cor 13:4
For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
If all you're saying is that attending church each Sunday doesn't make you a Christian - then I agree. But religion is something more than that.
Attending church on sunday is a religious practice, is it not? One of many that people have built upon that sure foundation which is Christ, but a religious practice nonetheless.
To say one is a son of God and not be Christ-like, this person deceives only themselves.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
It doesn't have to involve ritual at all.
It HAS to involve the Person of Jesus, or it's FAKE.
CWR Rules said:
If you are too upset or emotional to post in a calm and respectful manner, please step away and do something else (like knit!) until you can address the topic at hand without responding with insults and flames.
