Christianity IS A Religion!

G.K. Chesterton rightly observed that "A heresy is always a half-truth turned into a whole falsehood" (America, November 9, 1935).  Or elsewhere he wrote that "every heresy is a truth taught out of proportion" (Daily News, June 26, 1909).  I wrote the article below in 2012.  I keep hearing this fallacy from dear Christians over and over again.  They say, "Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship." This half-truth is leading the Church to disastrous results.   Here's my former article.  See my conclusions at the end. 

________________________________________________

I have heard (and probably said) on many occasions that Christianity isn't a religion, it's a relationship.  Unfortunately that's only a half-truth.  We better stop bashing religion because we will soon learn that the wound is self-inflicted.  Jefferson Bethke has a blog post and one of his YouTube videos went wild as he bashed religion. The huge problem for us if we decide to run down this road is that Jesus was very religious.   As Kevin DeYoung intuitively writes: 

Jesus was a Jew. He went to services at the synagogue. He observed Jewish holy days. He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matt. 5:17). He founded the church (Matt. 16:18). He established church discipline (Matt. 18:15-20). He instituted a ritual meal (Matt. 26:26-28). He told his disciples to baptize people and to teach others to obey everything he commanded (Matt. 28:19-20). He insisted that people believe in him and believe certain things about him (John 3:16-18; 8:24). If religion is characterized by doctrine, commands, rituals, and structure, then Jesus is not your go-to guy for hating religion.

Not only was our Lord, Teacher and Savior very religious, His Word commands us to be "religious":  

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:26-27, ESV).

The adjective in this quote from James (religious) is the Greek word θρῆσκος [threskos]. It actually has ideas of fearing and trembling before God in worship.  The Scripture is replete with those ideas.  James is pretty clear: a managed tongue; a care for the needy in mercy and compassion; and a pursuit of holiness is God's idea of religion.

So, before we bash religion, let's define our terms.  Yes, Jesus did say hard things to the religious leaders of Judaism; and Paul did condemn self-made, man-made religion.   But Jesus was religious and His Word commands us to be religious.  We better define what we mean when we bash religion.! Religion bashing is not the kind of sport we should engage in readily.  I'm tired of hearing it.  It's simply not intellectually coherent to suggest that a Christian has a relationship with Jesus but no religion. 

___________________________________

We live in a world where Christians are highly individualistic and are driven by consumerism.  WHY?  One of the causes is due to this incredibly erroneous statement that Christianity is simply a relationship with Jesus.  The popular chorus goes like this, "Me and Jesus got a good thing going."   Indeed, you come to Christ on your own.  You repent and you believe.  And yes, when you are saved your new identity is to be in union with Christ. But guess what: you share that union with every other believer. And together you express your newfound relationship through the Church -- the local church.   A scant reading of the New Testament reveals the "corporateness" of the Christian faith.  We don't even pray the Lord's Prayer without saying, "Our Father . . .."  

A Christian will shrivel and die without a connection to the means of grace, the disciplines of the Spirit, all experienced through the local Church.  If it's just "Me and Jesus" you will shipwreck your faith because your Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.  Those that are in union with Jesus will soon find that they have an interdependent, accountable, caring relationship with others who are in union with Jesus. And all these relationships are fostered, nourished and built-up in the local church, using the ordinary means of grace. 

By definition a religion is a system of worship and faith.  Christian if you're not religious, you're in trouble.

The Road to Thanksgiving (An Exposition of Psalm 116) - Pt.2

Psalm 116 is definitely a personal song of thanksgiving for God's deliverance.  It's a song where the expression of gratefulness is extended to a commitment to a life of worship. Although the Septuagint divides the psalm into two, the structure is more complicated than that.  In fact there is little consensus about the structure.  This is my understanding of the structure.  It is neither dogmatic nor authoritative, but I believe the form does give a message.

The basic premise of my suggestion is found in verses 7 and 12.  At these two points the author breaks away from the recitation of God's goodness and his commitment to be loyal to speak to himself.   This forms an outline that could be described as:

• Circumstance
• Contemplation
• Commitment

Except for the "introduction" (vv1-2), that pattern seems to emerge. For example,notice the diagram to the right.   If this is the pattern that the human author and the Divine author intended (and I believe it is), then the structure of the message is in itself a message to us.  Not unlike the famous quotation from Marshall McLuhan: The medium is the message.

What is the message?  Is it not:

When God intersects with our lives in redemptive grace we ought to consider thoughtfully our response and seriously commit to a life worthy of that mercy.

So as we enter Psalm 116, this is the framework which guides our meditation and study.  "Look what God has done!"  "What does that mean to me?"   "What should my response look like?"   My "thanksgiving" ought to be thoughtful and expressive.   Let me give a practical example:

Let's assume I am praying for the a certain circumstance to change.  I need a new job.  God gives me just what I ask for.  It seems to fit the bill.  Casually we often with deep sincerity publicly and privately say to God, "Thank you!"  But what if I stop and think.  What should my contemplation of this answer to prayer look like?  What if following the pattern of the psalmist, I counsel my soul regarding its finding rest and peace in God, both now and in the future?  What if I ask myself, "What does a thankful life look like now that God has mercifully met my need?

Thankfulness without thoughtfulness is trivial.  Response without resolution is irrational.  We don't deepen our thankfulness in order to pay-back God.  We respond with this depth of genuine gratefulness because that it is the natural follow-through of true thanks.  One might argue that there really isn't true thankfulness unless there is that careful consideration and commitment.

Father, how can I say thanks?  This is the question.  I know that a fast and furious kiss on the cheek doesn't say thanks.  I know that a thoughtless, mechanical, habitual word or thought in passing doesn't say thanks.  Father, you have done so much for me.  You have given Your life that I might be redeemed and free.  Grant me the grace of this psalm to carefully consider the implications of this for my life; and to live a life worthy of Your great love for me.



_____________________________________________

A. Part 1 of this article is found HERE.