8 Comments
User's avatar
Dave's avatar

Great. “ never let religion get in the way of your relationship with God”

Expand full comment
Rodney Howell's avatar

Christianity is a religion with its over 3500 denominations. Christ never came to make Christianity, that was made by man.Christ came to bring back his Hebraic people back to the father and welcome gentiles into the family by faith. By gentile pagans created Christianity to once again separate gentiles from the Jews. Which Scripture says Christ broke down the wall to make the two “ONE”. We are adopted/ grafted into Israel not Christianity.Christianity is not of God or Christ but man who wants a title. God Bless.

Expand full comment
Kent Chevalier's avatar

I agree. It was never intended to be a religion. It was a move of God towards people. It led to a movement.

Expand full comment
Bartholomew's avatar

Thank you for bringing us your perspective, Kent. I'm curious about why you are defining "religion" in this way. Could you elaborate?

Expand full comment
Kent Chevalier's avatar

I’ll try. Religion is man’s attempt to reach or connect with God. Man-made vs God-initiated. Doing things for God is not bad, but doing things for God to be accepted by Him is impossible. Good works flow from relationship, but cannot earn you a spot in Heaven.

How would you define religion?

Expand full comment
Bartholomew's avatar

Man-made vs God-initiated. Okay!

I would define it as a way of life that a person binds themself to. I think it could also just simply mean "reconnection" - to build links with. The word has historically been used to refer to connecting with spiritual beings.

I asked for clarification because what you were describing in your post as religion was closer to my understanding of idolatry (i.e., controlling a god. Babel is a great example of what happened when mankind attempted to do that to the Most High God); how you described Christianity (a relationship) fit very closely with how I understand the word religion.

So, if you say that you start a relationship with God by professing belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I'd say you've given a religious framework. Christianity is the Way (Acts 24:14) and the Way is something to which you bind yourself/follow. I don't think there is a problem with calling Christianity a religion because relationship is inherent in the definition.

Expand full comment
Pam's avatar

I will never get tired of hearing/reading about the clear truth of “religion” v “Christianity”! Thank you so much!

God Bless you and yours.

Expand full comment
Kent Chevalier's avatar

My privilege! Thank you, Pam!

Expand full comment