What does it mean to have a relationship with Jesus?
This phrase gets bounced around by Christians so much that it's easy to think everyone knows what that means. "It's not about religion, it's about relationship." In one ear and out the other. About as effective as "Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace."
Karl Marx said that "Religion is the opiate of the people." and I'd argue he was right. In our world today, religion is much more a vehicle for forcing order and conformity among other for the promotion, power and position of a few. God honestly requires obedience, but it is far to easy for human leaders to redirect that to themselves.
When most of us think of church, we think of rules and rituals. Go on Sunday morning, sit in your pew. Don't drink or smoke or run with women who do.
At best, most religions are about an attempt to win, earn or otherwise deserve a right position with God. Adherents try to win favor, seek forgiveness of sins, ask for blessings or just self-punish as a way for God to accept them.
There is, like in most things, some truth in this. They recognise that God expects obedience, they failed, and need to either pay the price or seek forgiveness.
If that is religion, then how is Christianity different? For starters, it doesn't place the expectation that humanity can pay the price for it's own sin. The price of sin is death and separation from God, so the idea that you can pay that price to reconnect with God is like selling your car to afford the gas. Christianity recognizes that someone else would have to pay your debt for you in order for you to see any benefit.
That's what makes Christianity unique. Jesus died on the cross and paid that sin debt for you. Nothing I do in response to my faith (including going to church, prayer, and obeying God) is an attempt to pay that debt and reconnect with God.
Then what is it? It is relationship. Jesus took care of the religion, so now I'm reconciled to God and can have a relationship with Him. I can speak to Him without guilt. I can seek His will for my life and petition Him for myself, my family and others through prayer. I know that even when I fail, God still loves me and I'm not rejected again.
My living out my faith is not done to gain His favor, but out of a right Father/Son relationship where I obey my Father and seek to please Him out of love.
I really don't think anyone wants religion. They 'do' religion hoping for that relationship with God. Our job is to tell folks that 'religion' is so 2000 years ago.
This phrase gets bounced around by Christians so much that it's easy to think everyone knows what that means. "It's not about religion, it's about relationship." In one ear and out the other. About as effective as "Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace."
Karl Marx said that "Religion is the opiate of the people." and I'd argue he was right. In our world today, religion is much more a vehicle for forcing order and conformity among other for the promotion, power and position of a few. God honestly requires obedience, but it is far to easy for human leaders to redirect that to themselves.
When most of us think of church, we think of rules and rituals. Go on Sunday morning, sit in your pew. Don't drink or smoke or run with women who do.
At best, most religions are about an attempt to win, earn or otherwise deserve a right position with God. Adherents try to win favor, seek forgiveness of sins, ask for blessings or just self-punish as a way for God to accept them.
There is, like in most things, some truth in this. They recognise that God expects obedience, they failed, and need to either pay the price or seek forgiveness.
If that is religion, then how is Christianity different? For starters, it doesn't place the expectation that humanity can pay the price for it's own sin. The price of sin is death and separation from God, so the idea that you can pay that price to reconnect with God is like selling your car to afford the gas. Christianity recognizes that someone else would have to pay your debt for you in order for you to see any benefit.
That's what makes Christianity unique. Jesus died on the cross and paid that sin debt for you. Nothing I do in response to my faith (including going to church, prayer, and obeying God) is an attempt to pay that debt and reconnect with God.
Then what is it? It is relationship. Jesus took care of the religion, so now I'm reconciled to God and can have a relationship with Him. I can speak to Him without guilt. I can seek His will for my life and petition Him for myself, my family and others through prayer. I know that even when I fail, God still loves me and I'm not rejected again.
My living out my faith is not done to gain His favor, but out of a right Father/Son relationship where I obey my Father and seek to please Him out of love.
I really don't think anyone wants religion. They 'do' religion hoping for that relationship with God. Our job is to tell folks that 'religion' is so 2000 years ago.
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