One of the definitions for religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” In that respect, Christianity can be classified as a religion. However, practically speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from other belief systems that are considered religions. That difference is relationship.
Until recently, I like many Christians was proud to say “Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship.” However, I’m coming to the realization that while Christianity is a relationship with Jesus it is also a religion. That is not to diminish the importance of the relationship because it is the thing that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. It is the relationship with the Creator of the universe that sets Christianity apart. It is a personal relationship with the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God of the universe. It is a relationship with the creator of life and the only One who guarantees the eternity of that life.
The thing that really caused me to take a good look at the part of the statement “Christianity is not a religion” is the fact that the Bible says that there is something called “true religion”. “True religion” as opposed to vain religion. So religion itself is not necessarily a bad thing.
James 1:26-27 (NKJV)26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
The word “religion” comes from the Latin word religare which means “to bind” or “to tie.” The root of the word is lig-, from which we get our words “ligament” and “ligature.” So religion is, in general what holds everything together.
Now let’s look at the word covenant.
A covenant is an agreement that holds a relationship together, much like marriage is a covenant which binds a man and women together in a relationship.
There was an Old Testament covenant between God and the descendants of Abraham (Israelites), and a New Testament covenant (New Covenant) between God and those who believe on His Son Jesus and his sacrificial death on the cross on their behalf.
Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Luke 22:20 (NKJV)20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
Hebrews 7:20-22 (NKJV)20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The LORD has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek' "),22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV)6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Paul, in Ephesians describes the relationship between Christ and the Church as the type relationship that a man and woman have in marriage, a covenant.
Ephesians 5:30-33 (NKJV)30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Religion Is A System
A second definition for religion is that it is a particular system of faith and worship.
Christians do have a particular system of faith and worship. For Christians our faith is in God and in Him alone and without this faith we can’t please Him.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
While the system of worship varies between denominations, congregations, and individuals Christians worship the same God. There is no commandment that Christians come together to worship, but we are encouraged to do so in order to encourage each other. The meeting of Christians in worship is also important because members (parts) of Jesus’ Body, the Church.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NKJV)27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NKJV)11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12, talks a great deal about church gatherings and the fact that they must have some system and ritual so that they are orderly. An orderly gathering allows Christian to experience the relationship with Jesus and each other with some structure, and it not be just “hanging out together”. That structure can facilite a more spiritual experience and not a place of confusion.
John 4:23-24 (NLT)23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
1 Corinthians 14:29-33 (NLT)29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
Until recently, I like many Christians was proud to say “Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship.” However, I’m coming to the realization that while Christianity is a relationship with Jesus it is also a religion. That is not to diminish the importance of the relationship because it is the thing that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. It is the relationship with the Creator of the universe that sets Christianity apart. It is a personal relationship with the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God of the universe. It is a relationship with the creator of life and the only One who guarantees the eternity of that life.
The thing that really caused me to take a good look at the part of the statement “Christianity is not a religion” is the fact that the Bible says that there is something called “true religion”. “True religion” as opposed to vain religion. So religion itself is not necessarily a bad thing.
James 1:26-27 (NKJV)26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
The word “religion” comes from the Latin word religare which means “to bind” or “to tie.” The root of the word is lig-, from which we get our words “ligament” and “ligature.” So religion is, in general what holds everything together.
Now let’s look at the word covenant.
- the conditional promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture.
- the agreement between God and the ancient Israelites, in which God promised to protect them if they kept His law and were faithful to Him.
A covenant is an agreement that holds a relationship together, much like marriage is a covenant which binds a man and women together in a relationship.
There was an Old Testament covenant between God and the descendants of Abraham (Israelites), and a New Testament covenant (New Covenant) between God and those who believe on His Son Jesus and his sacrificial death on the cross on their behalf.
Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Luke 22:20 (NKJV)20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
Hebrews 7:20-22 (NKJV)20 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The LORD has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek' "),22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV)6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Paul, in Ephesians describes the relationship between Christ and the Church as the type relationship that a man and woman have in marriage, a covenant.
Ephesians 5:30-33 (NKJV)30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Religion Is A System
A second definition for religion is that it is a particular system of faith and worship.
Christians do have a particular system of faith and worship. For Christians our faith is in God and in Him alone and without this faith we can’t please Him.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
While the system of worship varies between denominations, congregations, and individuals Christians worship the same God. There is no commandment that Christians come together to worship, but we are encouraged to do so in order to encourage each other. The meeting of Christians in worship is also important because members (parts) of Jesus’ Body, the Church.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (NKJV)27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NKJV)11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12, talks a great deal about church gatherings and the fact that they must have some system and ritual so that they are orderly. An orderly gathering allows Christian to experience the relationship with Jesus and each other with some structure, and it not be just “hanging out together”. That structure can facilite a more spiritual experience and not a place of confusion.
John 4:23-24 (NLT)23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
1 Corinthians 14:29-33 (NLT)29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
Jesus And The Disciples Were Organized
I have also come to realize that Jesus had an organization of some sort which is proven by the fact that He needed a treasure to keep track of the organization’s funds (he was a thief but the treasurer) .
John 13:29 (NKJV)29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
John 12:4-6 (NKJV)4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
The Early Church Was Organized
The early church was organized enough to have leadership meetings and made decisions for the church.
Acts 15:5-6, 22-23 (NKJV)5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Paul gives instructions for public worship, which is organized and in some cases ritualistic, in chapters 11 and 12 of 1 Corinthians.
Yes Christianity Is A Relationship But It’s Also Religion
Christianity is religion but it's religion that depends on relationship. That relationship is one with Jesus Christ. It is a covenant relationship that causes us to do the works of what James describes as true religion.
James 1:26-27 (NKJV)26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
That’s religion based on love, a love that brings everything together.
1 Corinthians 13:8,13 (NKJV)8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I have also come to realize that Jesus had an organization of some sort which is proven by the fact that He needed a treasure to keep track of the organization’s funds (he was a thief but the treasurer) .
John 13:29 (NKJV)29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
John 12:4-6 (NKJV)4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
The Early Church Was Organized
The early church was organized enough to have leadership meetings and made decisions for the church.
Acts 15:5-6, 22-23 (NKJV)5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Paul gives instructions for public worship, which is organized and in some cases ritualistic, in chapters 11 and 12 of 1 Corinthians.
Yes Christianity Is A Relationship But It’s Also Religion
Christianity is religion but it's religion that depends on relationship. That relationship is one with Jesus Christ. It is a covenant relationship that causes us to do the works of what James describes as true religion.
James 1:26-27 (NKJV)26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
That’s religion based on love, a love that brings everything together.
1 Corinthians 13:8,13 (NKJV)8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
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