Do you consider yourself religious? Do you have a faith? I often hear people describe me as a religious person but that is not really what I am. I have made it a point to follow the Bible, making my focus on Christ and His instructions rather than traditions of any particular church.
I have heard religion defined as man’s attempt to reach God. Seems so many religions have set instructions and traditions in belonging to their practice. Some religions are more strict than others striving toward holiness by sacrificial acts and good deeds.
Christianity, on the other hand, I’ve heard described as God’s attempt to reach man through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus, who is God and Man became that bridge between us and God. He is our Mediator. Having the Spirit of God in Him and flesh of a man, He dwelt among mankind to show us that salvation can only be achieved through Him. He became our sacrificial lamb so that if we should receive Him, we could have eternal life (please refer to John 3:16).
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Now this certainly doesn’t mean that we as Christians are not to work at our faith. When we have sought a relationship with Christ out of faith, we should desire to do good works. This alone doesn’t save us, but I believe it is a fruit of our faith. I think this is why in James 2:14-18 it says, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
When I look back at the life of Christ, I don’t see a religious Man but rather a faithful devoted Man. He saw the hearts of men and saw through the selfish deeds of the “religious” Pharisees. I worry sometimes that those who are very religious may lose sight of what Christ really wants for them, getting more wrapped up in their religion than a relationship with our living God.
All scripture references have been quoted from the NKJV.