Being Religious and Christian

[Raymond M]

Certainly a person can be Christian and not religious, but there seems to be a problem of over religious people who are hardly acting Christian. For Pastors and such, how do they maintain that balance?

Also where do you draw the line of being over religious? I think Paul addressed the issue that the Jews back in those days had the same problem. They where trying to keep the law with there works, but in there hearts they had no relationship with God.

So what are your thoughts on the subject? I think its best to have a strong relationship with God then to be Religious. Best to build your house on a solid rock other then sand.

I don't have a problem with religious Christians in general, its just the other ones that go over that line and draw more people away then bringing in.

 

[Hammster]

What do you mean by over religious?

 

[Emmy]

Dear Raymond M. Being Religious is to know your Religion, being a Christian is to know Christ, and follow Him in Love. In Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is: Love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Straightforward and easy to remember.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, also. Jesus told us to " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends. God will see our sincere efforts to love and care, and God will approve and bless us, God will also know that we love God, because we are following His Commandments to love: selflessly and no conditions tagged on. God is Love, and Jesus died out of Love for God and for Mankind. Love is a Christian`s great weapon, Love will conquer all, and Love will change all things for the better. Angry words and deeds will work faster to start with, but the success they have will not be from love, and therefore NOT Christian. To be loving and caring and helpful, is not weak, it is to be strong and showing this imperfect world, who is our Leader, and whom we follow.
To be Religious is to know Faith, Hope, and Love, and to be Christian is to know that without Love, they are only Religious words, which we learn from the Bible. I say this with love, Raymond. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Raymond M]

What do you mean by over religious?

I am talking about some people that get so deep into the bible and church that there life and works revolve around it. Then slowly that is all they ever think about and start shoving there beliefs down people throats that don't want it in the first place. Then get such a high and mighty attitude they start not having a Christian attitude and turns into "Hoiler then thou art" attitude in replacement of that. Can do no wrong, and basically turn into bible police. Not just in there own household, but anywhere they go.

"Of the devil" these three words are to justify for certain actions? it seems to get thrown around a lot. Now I am not saying this applies to all people that study the bible and are into the church really deeply, just the minority. Maybe I am wrong and that isn't an over religious issue but something else entirely. Wasn't one of Jesus's disciples over religious? Can't recall exactly. I thought it was Peter.

Hope that cleared about what I am talking about.

Dear Raymond M. Being Religious is to know your Religion, being a Christian is to know Christ, and follow Him in Love. In Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is: Love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Straightforward and easy to remember.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, also. Jesus told us to " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends. God will see our sincere efforts to love and care, and God will approve and bless us, God will also know that we love God, because we are following His Commandments to love: selflessly and no conditions tagged on. God is Love, and Jesus died out of Love for God and for Mankind. Love is a Christian`s great weapon, Love will conquer all, and Love will change all things for the better. Angry words and deeds will work faster to start with, but the success they have will not be from love, and therefore NOT Christian. To be loving and caring and helpful, is not weak, it is to be strong and showing this imperfect world, who is our Leader, and whom we follow.
To be Religious is to know Faith, Hope, and Love, and to be Christian is to know that without Love, they are only Religious words, which we learn from the Bible. I say this with love, Raymond. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

Thanks! Great message.

 

[ChristianT]

I am talking about some people that get so deep into the bible and church that there life and works revolve around it. Then slowly that is all they ever think about and start shoving there beliefs down people throats that don't want it in the first place. Then get such a high and mighty attitude they start not having a Christian attitude and turns into "Hoiler then thou art" attitude in replacement of that. Can do no wrong, and basically turn into bible police. Not just in there own household, but anywhere they go.

"Of the devil" these three words are to justify for certain actions? it seems to get thrown around a lot. Now I am not saying this applies to all people that study the bible and are into the church really deeply, just the minority. Maybe I am wrong and that isn't an over religious issue but something else entirely. Wasn't one of Jesus's disciples over religious? Can't recall exactly. I thought it was Peter.


Thanks! Great message.

There's a difference between an "over religious" attitude and zealousness for God. Of course, your definition basically describes the results of the former, while the results of the latter are the opposite (they generally live out Jesus' commands and teaching through loving reverence for God). I believe Peter was zealous, especially after he realized Jesus forgave him for denying Him thrice.

 

[Raymond M]

There's a difference between an "over religious" attitude and zealousness for God. Of course, your definition basically describes the results of the former, while the results of the latter are the opposite (they generally live out Jesus' commands and teaching through loving reverence for God). I believe Peter was zealous, especially after he realized Jesus forgave him for denying Him thrice.

Oh ok, makes sense.

 

[phoenixdem]

I am talking about some people that get so deep into the bible and church that there life and works revolve around it. Then slowly that is all they ever think about and start shoving there beliefs down people throats that don't want it in the first place. Then get such a high and mighty attitude they start not having a Christian attitude and turns into "Hoiler then thou art" attitude in replacement of that. Can do no wrong, and basically turn into bible police. Not just in there own household, but anywhere they go.

"Of the devil" these three words are to justify for certain actions? it seems to get thrown around a lot. Now I am not saying this applies to all people that study the bible and are into the church really deeply, just the minority. Maybe I am wrong and that isn't an over religious issue but something else entirely. Wasn't one of Jesus's disciples over religious? Can't recall exactly. I thought it was Peter.

Hope that cleared about what I am talking about.



Thanks! Great message.

"I am talking about some people that get so deep into the bible and church that there life and works revolve around it. "

You know the Scriptures do teach that Christians need to realize they live in a fallen world and they should do God's Will and not their own. I'm sorry if that bothers you, but dedicated Christians are supposed to do those things. If it makes you feel any better, most of us are still far from perfect and we do get involved heavily with the world.

 

[Kormagh]

I understand what you are saying Raymond M. I have both kinds of Christian friends at work (truck driving). Some are so religious they have to convert every customer they come in contact with. Which gets them ridiculed by unbelieving drivers and customers and sometimes banned from companies they deliver or pick up at. Others are Christians but you would never know it because they act like the unbelieving. Then there are some that fall in the middle, come in and do their job without preaching but will gladly share Jesus or converse on spiritual matters when given the opportunity.

 

[phoenixdem]

This is what I was talking about,

I solemnly warn you!

(J.C. Ryle, "Holiness, Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots" 1879)

Some professors are always trying to keep in with the world. They are ingenious in discovering reasons for not separating decidedly, and in framing plausible excuses for attending questionable amusements, and keeping up questionable friendships.

One day you are told of their attending a Bible class; the next day perhaps you hear of their going to a ball!

One day they fast, or go to the Lord's table and receive the sacrament; another day they go to the racecourse in the morning, and the opera at night!

One day they are almost in hysterics under the sermon of some sensational preacher; another day they are weeping over some novel!

But . . .
to walk closely with God;
to be really spiritually-minded;
to behave like strangers and pilgrims;
to be distinct from the world in use of time, in life-style, in amusements, in dress;
to bear a faithful witness for Christ in all places;
to leave a fragrance of our Master in every society;
to be prayerful, humble, unselfish, good-tempered, quiet, contented, charitable, patient;
to be jealously afraid of all manner of sin;
to be tremblingly alive to our danger from the world
--these, these are rare things! They are not common among those who are called Christians; and, worst of all, the absence of them is not felt and bewailed as it should be!

I beseech you not to be content with a small measure of grace--not to be satisfied with being a little better than the world!

I solemnly warn you not to attempt doing what never can be done: to serve Christ--and yet keep in with the world. I call upon you and beseech you . . .
to be a whole-hearted Christian,
to follow after eminent holiness,
to aim at a high degree of sanctification,
to live a consecrated life, and
to present your body a "living sacrifice" unto God!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We have published J.C. Ryle's article, "The Church Which Christ Builds".
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Feel free to forward this on to your friends.

 

[Kormagh]

I solemnly warn you!
I just got that on my phone. LOL

 

[Raymond M]

"I am talking about some people that get so deep into the bible and church that there life and works revolve around it. "

You know the Scriptures do teach that Christians need to realize they live in a fallen world and they should do God's Will and not their own. I'm sorry if that bothers you, but dedicated Christians are supposed to do those things. If it makes you feel any better, most of us are still far from perfect and we do get involved heavily with the world.

Its not the Christians that just do that alone, its along with the other descriptions in my post. Kormagh makes a perfect example of what I am talking about.

I understand what you are saying Raymond M. I have both kinds of Christian friends at work (truck driving). Some are so religious they have to convert every customer they come in contact with. Which gets them ridiculed by unbelieving drivers and customers and sometimes banned from companies they deliver or pick up at. Others are Christians but you would never know it because they act like the unbelieving. Then there are some that fall in the middle, come in and do their job without preaching but will gladly share Jesus or converse on spiritual matters when given the opportunity.

Exactly! Being that extreme to where its negatively effecting your life. I believe there should be a balance like in the middle like you described. I am not quiet sure what to call it now..The only way I could describe it was "over religious"

I use to be like that when I was a young teenager, carried my bible everywhere even to school despite the rules. Went to chat rooms in the most darkest of places. (Even found a satanic room.. ) to preach and convert.

But in the end, because of the extreme way I was living my life I lost a girl that I was with for two years or so. Said all I ever talked and thought about was God then left. Then after that my life turned around for the worst and I even lost my faith completely with him. Just in these recent months have I started to get back with him. Not in the extreme ways I did before, but still its really important to me now.

Off Topic
Those where some adventurous and interesting times back then. Once I had a dream that the Archangels visited me in my dream..I never in my life felt such instant, powerful, wave of positive energy and absolute absence of fear, doubt, and negative energy. A complete vacuum of positive energy. The power of feeling that energy is like standing on a beach and a tsunami comes and hits you full force. They should me just how strong they where, the muscles on the Archangels where huge Micheal even lifted a giant boulder showing me his strength. Instant friendship and trustworthiness. Micheal, Raphael, and Gabriel where the only Archangels there, and where very modern looking with no wings.

For some reason, which is still a mystery to me; Gabriel wanted to wrestle with me. He didn't say he wanted too, he just got in the stance and started to circle around me and I just followed through and we wrestled for quiet a while, I think I won..not completely sure though. Then they took me to a place where people where tunneling (I didn't see anyone though) and one of the tunnels lead to heaven, it flooded with white light. I think I remember one tunnel was being mined heading for Earth for some reason. After all this I asked to see God, at first they wouldn't allow me. But then everything went back and in white text in pure darkness it typed out..

The Lord says: I bestow myself upon thee. (There was more but I cannot remember)

End of Off-Topic

Then the dream ended, as you can see I was pretty heavy into it.

 

[Hupomone10]

I guess I don't see overly religious as people talking about the Lord or about Scriptures. To me, overly religious is getting overly into the rituals of religion and thinking the Christian life is about ritual rather than about relationship.

I had a discussion recently with a person who believed in baptismal salvation who actually told me in a post she viewed Christianity as more of ritual than relationship.

 

[brittany111]

There are those who get so caught up in trying do the right things that they miss the mark. Christianity is about relationship. Yes we are commanded to love our neighbors. The difference is in the heart. When we love God and focus on knowing Him we will not see following the Bible as a have to, but will see it as a get to. (For example if I am focusing on the law I might grudgenly give to others thinking it my "Christian duty," but if I am focusing on Christ I will cheerfully give to others thinking of it as an oppertunity to shine for Him!)