Scripture speaks of "pure religion" in James 1:27 and also in Acts 26:5 Paul mentions being from the so-called strictest sect of his religion, in Galatians Paul mentions the Jew's religion. James says that if you cannot control your tongue, your religion is vain. It has been said that Christianity is not a religion: Is this a contradiction? A contradiction violates the law of noncontradiction, which states something cannot be something and no be something at the same time and in the same manner of speaking. If two people say the same thing that seems contradictory but use different dictionaries, they are not violating the law of noncontradiction!
We say that Christianity is not a religion, in the sense of contrasting it with all other religions; they all involve reaching up to God and trying to gain His approbation by good deeds or works done in the flesh. Christianity alone deals in grace without merit and salvation by faith without works alone for salvation! There is such a departure from works religion that Christianity should be called a "faith," for we walk by faith and not by sight; our faith is given and not achieved, for then it would be meritorious--and we believe that salvation is by grace alone without meriting it (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). James mentions "pure religion" and even if one had pure religion and didn't have faith it would be vain; for without faith, it's impossible to please Him (cf. Hebrews 11:6).
It is an insult to say that we "got religion" when trying to explain away our transformation of character and conversion experience. Being born again is a miracle in itself and is evidence of the truth of the gospel message. But note that our experiential knowledge is also based on the objective, historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus, which has "many infallible proofs" according to Luke 1:3. It is not "pie in the sky," nor wishful thinking, but based in reality. What He's done for you, He can do for others! It is our job and calling to spread the Word and win souls (Proverbs 11:30 says that whoever wins souls is wise). Our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, as well as live by the Great Commandment, and to practice the Golden Rule as our ethic.
Religion says "do" while Christianity says "done." It's that simple, and you can never know whether you've done enough in religion and therefore, you can never know for sure if you are saved or will enter Paradise, Nirvana, or Heaven, or wherever you aim to go. It's not religion that saved us, but Christ. The Bible doesn't save--even believing it or admitting it's the Word of God--and faith doesn't save, for it can be misdirected and the object of the faith is what's important. It's Christ alone who saves and He accomplishes it by grace through faith. Religion is largely a man's achievement, while Christianity is God's accomplishment. It also isn't the amount of faith that saves, but merely the object that saves us, when it's placed in Christ alone.
And so Christianity shouldn't be referred to as a religion, but a relationship with God via a walk of faith with God in fellowship. According to the dictionary, it's a religion, but Christians use a different dictionary for spiritual words, and it is to make a point that this contrast of the use of the word is made. You can have all the religion in the world, and you won't please God unless you have faith in Christ! The good works you do in religion are in order to please God, gain His approbation or good graces; while in Christianity you perform good works out of gratitude because of God's salvation of your soul and works are a "therefore," not an "in-order-to," like religion, strictly speaking in my definition. Note that Christianity is the only "religion" with a knowable God that wants to have a relationship with us and we can personally know, trust and believe in.
If you don't worship the Lord, you will find something to worship, your job, your possessions, yourself, your lover, fame, fortune, power, success, careers, relationships, celebrities, heroes, entertainment, material goods in general, what have you. John Stott has called man Homo religiosus, or a religious being--we were made for the worship of God and can only become fulfilled doing that. Dostoevsky has said, "We cannot live without worshiping something." Worshiping anything or anyone besides God is idolatry!
We say that Christianity is not a religion, in the sense of contrasting it with all other religions; they all involve reaching up to God and trying to gain His approbation by good deeds or works done in the flesh. Christianity alone deals in grace without merit and salvation by faith without works alone for salvation! There is such a departure from works religion that Christianity should be called a "faith," for we walk by faith and not by sight; our faith is given and not achieved, for then it would be meritorious--and we believe that salvation is by grace alone without meriting it (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). James mentions "pure religion" and even if one had pure religion and didn't have faith it would be vain; for without faith, it's impossible to please Him (cf. Hebrews 11:6).
It is an insult to say that we "got religion" when trying to explain away our transformation of character and conversion experience. Being born again is a miracle in itself and is evidence of the truth of the gospel message. But note that our experiential knowledge is also based on the objective, historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus, which has "many infallible proofs" according to Luke 1:3. It is not "pie in the sky," nor wishful thinking, but based in reality. What He's done for you, He can do for others! It is our job and calling to spread the Word and win souls (Proverbs 11:30 says that whoever wins souls is wise). Our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, as well as live by the Great Commandment, and to practice the Golden Rule as our ethic.
Religion says "do" while Christianity says "done." It's that simple, and you can never know whether you've done enough in religion and therefore, you can never know for sure if you are saved or will enter Paradise, Nirvana, or Heaven, or wherever you aim to go. It's not religion that saved us, but Christ. The Bible doesn't save--even believing it or admitting it's the Word of God--and faith doesn't save, for it can be misdirected and the object of the faith is what's important. It's Christ alone who saves and He accomplishes it by grace through faith. Religion is largely a man's achievement, while Christianity is God's accomplishment. It also isn't the amount of faith that saves, but merely the object that saves us, when it's placed in Christ alone.
And so Christianity shouldn't be referred to as a religion, but a relationship with God via a walk of faith with God in fellowship. According to the dictionary, it's a religion, but Christians use a different dictionary for spiritual words, and it is to make a point that this contrast of the use of the word is made. You can have all the religion in the world, and you won't please God unless you have faith in Christ! The good works you do in religion are in order to please God, gain His approbation or good graces; while in Christianity you perform good works out of gratitude because of God's salvation of your soul and works are a "therefore," not an "in-order-to," like religion, strictly speaking in my definition. Note that Christianity is the only "religion" with a knowable God that wants to have a relationship with us and we can personally know, trust and believe in.
If you don't worship the Lord, you will find something to worship, your job, your possessions, yourself, your lover, fame, fortune, power, success, careers, relationships, celebrities, heroes, entertainment, material goods in general, what have you. John Stott has called man Homo religiosus, or a religious being--we were made for the worship of God and can only become fulfilled doing that. Dostoevsky has said, "We cannot live without worshiping something." Worshiping anything or anyone besides God is idolatry!
But our souls are restless, according to Augustine, until they find their peace in God. Pascal said we all have a God-shaped blank only He can fill. Secular Humanists claim they aren't a religion; however, the courts have ruled otherwise: they are a religion without God, and they are, by definition, very religious too. Freud has called religion a neurosis, or even psychosis, but this doesn't explain the power of a changed life that testifies to its reality. By the way: Even atheism has been declared a religion by the Seventh Court of Appeals!
We were made for God and will only find happiness and fulfillment in doing His will and in knowing Him! And so all believers ought to strive to have "pure religion" as our standard (perfection is the standard, while the direction is the test per Matt. 5:48), though we'll never achieve it (cf. Psalm 119:9:96) it's an ideal because the Christian life itself is not hard, it's impossible! In sum, Christianity is so unique that it shouldn't be classified as a religion, but in contrast to it as faith or relationship with the living God! The reason religion is so popular and widespread is that people are incurably addicted to achieving something to get saved! We tend to be "works-oriented" and put pride in ourselves and our achievements. Soli Deo Gloria!
We were made for God and will only find happiness and fulfillment in doing His will and in knowing Him! And so all believers ought to strive to have "pure religion" as our standard (perfection is the standard, while the direction is the test per Matt. 5:48), though we'll never achieve it (cf. Psalm 119:9:96) it's an ideal because the Christian life itself is not hard, it's impossible! In sum, Christianity is so unique that it shouldn't be classified as a religion, but in contrast to it as faith or relationship with the living God! The reason religion is so popular and widespread is that people are incurably addicted to achieving something to get saved! We tend to be "works-oriented" and put pride in ourselves and our achievements. Soli Deo Gloria!
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