A church for people like us

Crabtown..., I have a hard time with the word, "Religion".

You know, a person can be "religious" over a restored 1957 Chevy Convertible. One can be "religious" over a career in the Marine Corps.

To me, being religious indicates one follows the teachings of a man made organization. One who follows the rules and regulations created by said organization in an attempt to look and act Godly.

Being a Christian on the other hand is one who follows the teaching of Jesus the Christ. "If you love me keep my commandments", is His instruction to us.

If you look around you'll find the Muslim Religion; the Catholic Religion; the Mormon Religion; this "religion" and that "religion". Believers who have accepted Jesus and believe upon Him do not need a "religion". They live by and with that blessed Hope and have Faith in Him.

Case in point, the one thief hanging on the Cross was told that, "...today, thou shalt be with me in paradise". The man did not have the opportunity to be baptized, engage in communion or perform any other function as required by many "religions".

No, hanging on that cross that man admitted he was a sinner and was receiving his just rewards but he also acknowledged that Jesus was Lord and asked Jesus to remember him. The Plan Of Salvation!

No religion involved at all.

 

Pure religion and undefiled is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to remain unspotted from the world. In truest of sense, we were the fatherless until Jesus came to bring us salvation and to redeem us from sin so we could have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. Pure religion is different than the general definition, but without salvation it produces the same end result of eternal death vs eternal life.

 

Pure undefiled religion sets you apart from the world. You are in the woeld but not of it.

 

Personally, I'm not religious; I'm born again.

 

Don't forget James 1:26-

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless.

 

Religious is a word that has always bothered me too. I feel someone who's religious, does what he does out of a sense of duty and not out of love. IMO

 

Being "religious" reminds me of the Pharisees that Jesus called "hypocrites" and other derogatory names.

 

Edith Bunker was no Christian. She was fictitious character created by unregenerate Jews. She is what they believe Jesus should have been. Archie is what they think of the Jesus presented to us by the four evangelists.

 

Yes, and there was a time in this country where the terms 'religion' and 'Christianity' were synonymous.

But that began to change in the 20th century, and radically so in the last half of the century. Today, it seems religion(s) is often the term used to describe faiths other than Christianity and is identified with their chief characteristic, which is to do something in order to earn or achieve salvation from God, a works-based approach.

So, in today's context I would not consider a disciple of Christ a 'religious' person at all, but rather someone who walks in grateful acknowledgment of the salvation Jesus Christ paid for, a simple sinner fortunate enough to live in the grace and liberty He has provided.

I always relish the moment when someone mentions 'religious' or 'religion'. I always respond with something like, "I hate religion", or "there's nothing religious about Christianity, or "I love God, but hate religion." Often that will open a door to talk about the grace of God and His gift of salvation.

In this day and hour, most everybody thinks we have to do things that make us 'Christian', lumping the precious, blood-paid, gift of salvation and the free Christian life with the works-based faith of the world religions. To me, that is not acceptable.

:flower:

 

Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship with Christ.

 

I've read the OP 3-4 times. Hmmm.

That's 5 minutes of my life I'll never have back... :laugh:

 

I never liked that show. Archie Bunker was a bigot who openly expressed his dislike for anyone who was not white and American. On the other hand, they had another show with a black man who was the same way about anyone who wasn't black. Those shows were considered funny? I thought they were offensive.

 

It might be helpful to post the following well know statement here ......

"Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship."

Oops someone else already beat me to it.

 

More experience but no scripture.

 

Where did you get that information? That take on the show seems interesting to me.. I would like to read more.

 

..and the writer's silly, and probably very biased and cynical interpretations are what made the show a "comedy". Can't say I appreciate what I would pecieve as attempts at put-down, but the innocense through the portrayed ignorance of the characters which showed similarities through stereotyping was kinda funny. I think the atheist son-in-law let his character permanently get into his head. :laugh:

 

My comment was based on the premise in the OP. The creators of the sitcom weren't thinking of Christ or anything beyond the two-dimensional image on the TV set (unless it was their own liberal agenda). Spencer Marsh is simply projecting.

 

Oh, I see.. thanks Aaron.

 

AMEN! :1_grouphug: