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It's a way for some Christians to separate their religion from, and elevate it over, all the other religions. It is their belief that only people of their religion have access to God, and this is their way of emphasizing that.
Often times, they use this status of having a relationship for the wrong reasons.
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But for many other Christians, I think they realize that they, along with others of most religions, use their particular religion as a tool to grow in their relationship with God and it is their way of acknowledging that.
But I like what you said here: Relationships help us to reach our full potential.
It's a way for some Christians to separate their religion from, and elevate it over, all the other religions. It is their belief that only people of their religion have access to God, and this is their way of emphasizing that.
But for many other Christians, I think they realize that they, along with others of most religions, use their particular religion as a tool to grow in their relationship with God and it is their way of acknowledging that.
Perhaps because the Bible teaches that Christians have direct access to God, creating a more personal relationship with our Creator. Thus, the experience envelopes our lives, as opposed to a religion we participate in.
Actually, it is because we DO have direct access to God in our consciousness through Jesus who abides with us as the Comforter sent in His name to guide us to the Truth that God has "written in our hearts" in agape love so we do NOT need any human to teach us.
Until recently,I have always thought that Christianity is a Religion. In fact even in a dictionary, it says so. But much to my surprise, the Evangelists nowadays insist Christianity is not a religion at all. Why this recent change in nomenclature? And at what point did it change? After all, Christianity has been seen as a Religion for so many centuries. So why the sudden change?
Because for evangelicals, Christianity is not merely a religion; it is The Truth with a capital “T.” For them it is the One True Religion, and all other religions are therefore falsehoods.
Christianity can be considered a religion, as well as not necessarily one. It depends one how one approaches it.
Many think of and "use" it as with other religions; identifying it as a label and as a group ("I'm a Christian"), meeting publicly with others as a group/community (i.e. church buildings and denominations), and associating with certain sayings, phrases, and a unique language (common catch-phrases from the Bible), etc.
Others, such as myself, don't approach it as a religion. I think of it as one avenue of spirituality, one set of beliefs about the nature of reality and the universe, and of course, detailing some aspects of God/Jesus (other aspects have to be learned and experienced directly and internally). Christianity would then be more of an action or verb, rather than a noun or something static. It is dynamic and alive, rather than set in stone. It's more about the present and future, rather than the past. I/we don't need any other people, churches, dogmas, and religion trappings. Instead of being something desired, we see that as junk and unnecessary stuff that gets in the way.
The first group is unhealthy and even hazardous, bearing similarities to the Pharisees and Saduccees that Jesus battled with. The second is healthy and Christ-like. Too bad most follow the ways of the first group. But as Jesus said (paraphrasing): wide is the road that many follow and leads to death, and narrow is the road and gate that leads to life. It's always unfortunately been that way. But great are those who reject the way of the many. You have to willingly take the path less traveled, and that can make all the difference.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 08-16-2018 at 01:39 PM..
I am among those that choose to seek God's will ,under the name of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit He provided .
I recognize that many people seek after God in their own speed and limited understanding .
So long as one is actually honestly seeking after Gods will there is nothing much more I can teach them .
That God has made this provision, is my mission ,one of them.
People that don't care to know, or just want to argue, I'm not obligated to say any thing, and for the most part reserve to only those I am directed.
Jesus said , "Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness for the shall be filled."
I've been an evangelical Christian for 40+ years, and I've never heard ANYONE say that CHRISTIANITY isn't a religion. Christianity is obviously a religion.
Jesus was a Jew. Jesus didn't think he was starting a new religion. Christianity evolved as a separate religion early in its history when the differences between the traditional Jews and those Jews and Gentiles who didn't require strict adherence to traditional Jewish practices became too large to ignore. It was no longer possible to pretend that the followers of Jesus were just another Jewish sect like the Essenes.
The point that IS consistently made is that we Christians have a direct, living relationship with God through our salvation by Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The point that IS often made is that "being a Christian" as commonly understood by the world isn't enough. One must have entered into a direct relationship with the living God through repentance, acceptance of his offer of salvation and the indwelling of his spirit.
It's questionable how much of today's Christianity Jesus would recognize as anything that he had in mind. In my experience, this is what evangelicals are saying: Don't confuse "being a Christian" with having a direct relationship with the living God. It's this direct relationship with the living God that isn't a religion. This is what Jesus meant when he said that in the last days many who had done great deeds in his name would be astonished to discover that he'd never known them.
Religion is based on doing good "works", i.e. trying to negotiation your way into Heaven. Since we're all dirtbags due to our sin nature, no one will ever be "good enough". Christianity is the only belief system based solely on grace. God loves you and me, despite ourselves, so much so that he sent his innocent son to die in our stead. Christianity is based on a personal relationship with our heavenly father.
Religion is based on doing good "works", i.e. trying to negotiation your way into Heaven. Since we're all dirtbags due to our sin nature, no one will ever be "good enough". Christianity is the only belief system based solely on grace. God loves you and me, despite ourselves, so much so that he sent his innocent son to die in our stead. Christianity is based on a personal relationship with our heavenly father.
I fell for this belief and way of thinking hook line and sinker. Today, it makes absolutely no sense to me at all. The foolishness of the cross to me is not about anything other than knowing beyond this self condemned consciousness that we have, that we are loved of God and always will be loved by God. Multitudes in Jesus' day were oppressed by this way of thinking and believing, and he(Jesus) was anointed to lift that oppression. Nothing is ever achieved of any worth outside of love(And Love never fails and God is love) ... 1 Corinthians 13 tells us this.
As shown in the Gospels, and throughout Jesus' life and ministry, the belief system (Christianity) is a way of life. It's about how to approach God, our fellow "man" (the human race), and eternity. It's about being a vessel for life and love, and a dynamic part of the whole cosmic equation. It's spiritually-based.
In contrast, religion tends to be about conforming to other's ideas and views, adjusting oneself to what is expected by others, fitting in, and mimicking the words and attitudes of others. It's human-based.
Again, 'Christianity' can be considered spiritual or religious. But only one lines up with Jesus and his mission. Jesus' mission was anti-religious. Religion is what he often battled against, and was seen in the religious leaders and hypocrites of his days. Religion led to his crucifixion. Look at the Pharisees for example, to help magnify the contrast. Look at their words and actions with Jesus. It's all there in black and white. This isn't rocket science or brain surgery.
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