CHRISTIANITY - A RELIGION OR A RELATIONSHIP?

by Patrick Taylor                                                                                         Vol. X, No. 7, August 1997

Beloved, how often do we get into a rut in our Christian lives - going weeks without praying or reading our Bibles, fighting to make it through each day of the week, stressed out and complaining about every little problem in our lives, forcing our ourselves to attend church on Sunday mornings out of "duty"? How often do we feel that our lives as Christians are somehow lacking that peace, joy, and love of which the Bible speaks?

I was speaking to a dear brother in Christ just recently, and we ended up in a discussion on the daily disciplines of leading a meaningful and victorious Christian life. May I be straightforward with you? Christianity was never meant to be a religion. There's a popular song that many of us sing in church "Gimme that old time religion, for it's good enough for me". May I boldly state that it is not good enough for me! Nor should it be good enough for you! Simply having a "religion" that consists of: a set of beliefs, a set of "do's and don'ts", a set of several memorized verses of Scripture that you learned as a child, a set of favorite hymns, a "good" preacher, a weekly attendance at Sunday School and church for several hours to see friends and family - these things are all good -but by themselves they are not, in essence, true Christianity. They are merely part of" religion".

True Christianity is not a "religion" to be acted out, it is a "relationship" to be lived out. It is not primarily belief of the mind, but an affair of the heart! Why is it that so many who call themselves "Christians" lead such defeated, depressed and dejected lives? Why do they live each and every day for themselves, living in the power of the flesh, instead of the living by faith? Why do they live in bondage to sin, instead of bearing fruit in the freedom of Christ? Dear ones, I believe that there are several reasons.

First of all, many who claim to be "Christians" in fact have a "religion" instead of a personal and authentic relationship with Jesus. My friend, just because you "walk the isle and say the prayer" doesn't mean that you're saved. Being "Born Again" means that you have turned from sin through repentance, and turned to Jesus through faith.

Secondly, many who are authentic Christians do not live a disciplined Christian life. If Jesus has saved you, the Bible says that He has entered into your heart and desires to occupy the throne. But, He can't take His rightful seat on the throne of your life while you're still sitting there! And here is where personal discipline comes in. For living out the Christian life in victory and experiencing the peace, joy, and love that come from a personal relationship with Jesus, can only occur through personal discipline.

How is this personal discipline accomplished? Through two words: Surrender and Obedience. Surrendering your self to the Lord Jesus each and every moment of every day through prayer, praise, and personal sacrifice to His will, not yours. And through living a life of obedience to His holy Word - the Bible. So many never experience the victory that is theirs in Christ because they have not fully surrendered to Him, or have failed to be obedient to His Word. Let us strive for a meaningful relationship with our Lord and King, leaving our "religion" behind.

[Reprinted from the newsletter of Mountain View Baptist Church, King George, Patrick Taylor, pastor.]