Making Christianity More Than What God Intended

You have heard it said that Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship.

I happen to feel that is very true. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, religion is defined as:

“the belief in a god or in a group of gods. : an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.”

As a Christian, does anything in here strike you as unsettling, besides the multiple gods idea?

It is the word RULES.

I believe that Christianity is based on a relationship with our Creator, our Sustainer, our Deliverer. What I get stuck on, is that my life can reflect everything BUT. I fall into that definition of religion. I put “rules” and stipulations on Christianity. I set up my own standards of living. If I do “this”, then I am either a better or worse Christian. I look at others and bind rules on them and rank them on my Christianity-o-meter. Everything I do, is matched up to this worldly, human-oriented, false religion.

Don’t get me wrong. I think with the Christian life, there are standards to live by. Look no further than the Bible, and you will find the moral code on how to live. There are even specifics laid out in the 10 commandments. God made it even EASIER, but summing up the commandments by saying:

Luke 10:27 says: Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.‘”

God knew we wouldn’t get it. He knew we would try and create something that wasn’t there. He knew that we would try to make our own rules. He plain knew. That is why He had to SUMMARIZE the law (basically reiterate it). All we have to do is what verse 27 says, and we will live.

But we make Christianity so much more.

We make it about we should and shouldn’t do on a given day. We make it about what radio station we should be listening to. We make it about how we look. We make it about what we can and can’t do on Sundays. We make it about rules. The ironic thing is, every single person has a different human standard. Have you ever met anybody EXACTLY like you? Exactly how you think? I can think of some close ones, but even in the closest, I am sure we have some differing thoughts when it comes to human standards. I have been in situations and conversations that if you thought differently from someone, you were wrong and judged. It can be so hurtful; especially when they end up judging your faith. Holding binding rules and regulations can be so damaging not only to the person, but the church itself.

Do I think the Bible calls us to holy and pure living? Yes. Do I think God cares about what we do with our lives on a given day? Absolutely. Do I think God is bothered by how we tend to condemn people because of a certain action that has no impact on their salvation? Yes.I have to take this time to insert that I stopped writing this post because I got “stuck.” I wasn’t sure why, but then I went to church this morning and I know why God gave me a road block in my thinking. Our pastor preached on this exact thought. He talked about the idea of Christianity being a set of rules (like the Judaizers) vs. looking at everyone as being a face of promise. How well said, pastor!

At the foot of the cross, we are ONE. One body of Christ. One family. When I look over at my fellow brothers and sisters, I should see them with a face of promise – the way our Creator and Father looks at them. So why do I make Christianity about rules, when God makes it about everything but? Why am I not loving the way He has loved?

I have a lot of work to do – to see each person with a face of promise. I am so thankful that God stopped my thought process as He had waiting, a sermon that would be challenging and humbling.

How do you look at Christianity? As a relationship or religion? As rules or freedom?

Love God. Love people.
I am thankful God has not made salvation more than that.