Guest Week: Jared Skelton

 

Religion vs. Relationship

Recently my thoughts have been on Religion vs. Relationship.  Our works do not define our Salvation, our Faith in God does.  I believe it's the difference between Religion and Relationship:

-Religion is what you do only when people can see you, Relationship is what you do when no one is watching.

-Religion requires little, Relationship requires your all.

-Religion is what you do based on your circumstances, Relationship is what you do regardless of your circumstances.

Consider the "Rich Young Ruler.” The young man only followed the commandments that related to his fellow man and the ones that could be seen and praised and not the commandments related to God. He held his possessions and his works at a higher value than God. The only way he was going to "have eternal life" was to quite literally "Sell Out” and follow Jesus. However, he went away sorrowful because he wasn't willing to be fully committed. Daniel was carried away to Babylon and “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself", I love that! Daniel was away from his home, away from his country, away from influence, away from the temple.  No one would have known that he ate of the King's meat...except God. See, Daniel had a Relationship with God, not Religion, and because he was faithful in the small things, when no one was watching, God blessed him. Joseph is another example of having a Relationship with God and not Religion.  He was faithful to God even though he was sold into slavery in a foreign country, betrayed by his master's wife, and thrown into prison. Joseph was faithful in the small things, so God blessed him and gave him favor.  Do we come to church so others can see our attendance? Do we read our bibles so that we can have something to say over the pulpit?  Would you still come to church even if there was no one else there for you to “see”?  Would you still serve God even if everyone you knew denied Him?  We can't just go through the motions and expect God to bless our lives.  God doesn't want our Religion, he wants our Relationship.

 In terms of marriage, he doesn't want a hyphenated last name.  He requires full commitment.  His standard is to completely let go of ourselves.  Another good example is Saul/Paul.  Saul had Religion but Paul had Relationship.  If we have a Relationship with God then we desire to read our bible, attend church, tell others about his goodness to us, and to be faithful to Him, regardless of our circumstances.