A few weeks back, two of my Facebook friends were in a back and forth about being religious. The one, who is a follower of Christ, stated that she is not religious. The other, who is not a follower, asserted that if you believe in Jesus that by definition you are religious. So it got me to thinking, am I religious?
I firmly believe that being a follower of Christ is more about a relationship that it is about religion. I understand how this may be hard to differentiate but let me explain. I went to church for years without having a relationship with Christ. I said the prayers I was supposed to say, I prayed when I needed bailed out of a bad situation, I sang hymns and I liked going to church. It was not until I made the decision to follow Christ that I really started to have a relationship with my creator. In that moment, I genuinely asked for forgiveness, I understood that Jesus is God’s son and I asked Him into my life. That was the day I began to have a relationship.
In my understanding, what most people who are offended by the Christian faith think of when they say “religious” is that there are hypocrites in the church, of which I am sometimes one. That there are people, who in the name of religion, spew hate at others who do not believe exactly as they do or are quick to lay down a hammer of judgment. I would argue that as a Christ follower, I am offended by these very same things. I recognize that it would be impossible to have a church that did not have hypocrites because the church is filled with human beings. We are not prefect and fall short time and time again. As for the hate spewing and hammer of judgment, these things should deeply hurt the heart of every Christ follower because when we behave in this way we are not representing Jesus accurately.
In scripture, Jesus encounters sinners (of which we all are) with grace, compassion and love. Scripture says about judgment, “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12.
So I have a relationship, but am I also religious? I looked through scripture and found this:
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27
By God’s definition in the Bible I am a part of religion. I do care for orphans and widows and I strive (although not always successfully) to not get distracted by worldly things like focusing on money, status or seeking my own self interest first. In thinking through this, I recognize that it all started first with relationship. Out of the overflow of love, grace and compassion through this relationship it becomes my honor to live out James 1:27 religion.
