tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4606880031785493596.post8077427490858446636..comments2023-05-15T23:25:27.826+10:00Comments on -E- is for Elissa: Relationship not a religeon!Lisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06262472181225088962noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4606880031785493596.post-69118174848996473262011-05-05T15:12:46.096+10:002011-05-05T15:12:46.096+10:00Nicely said xxNicely said xxLisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06262472181225088962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4606880031785493596.post-56192130007135659642011-05-04T22:19:51.904+10:002011-05-04T22:19:51.904+10:00(cont.)
4. Religious people focus on the things ...(cont.)<br /><br /><br />4. Religious people focus on the things that don't matter: Those Pharisees I told you about, you know what their two favourite topics of conversation were? Money and the Sabbath. In the grand scheme of things, if your life was an exam (which it sort of is), these two areas would be worth less than 5%. Having rest and respecting the Sabbath is a law, but the Sabbath was made for the man and not man for the sabbath, which translated means 'It doesn't necessarily matter which day in seven you observe, if you have to work Sunday that's okay as long as you leave out one day in seven to honour me'. The sabbath isn't really a big deal in most churches any more, but boy is money ever? Roughly one-in-four of Jesus' gospel messages are focused on money, but do you know why that is? Because people continually asked him about it. The son of god did not come to earth as some kind of supernatural accountant, come to give the world financial advice. But you'd be surprised how quick religious people are to major on the little things.<br /><br />Relationships are different because: they focus on the major things without neglecting the little ones. Tell me, why would God need a billion dollars? Who needs money when you can make anything happen? The reason we give is to honour God first, then as a practical way of continuing the survival of the church. The two greatest commandments are to love God and love each other. Giving God his own personal GST ranks pretty far below those items in hindsight.<br /><br /><br />5. Religion never leads to joy or humility: Religion only encourages two trains of thought.<br /><br />a) I'm a Godly person because I don't drink, swear, smoke, have pre-marital sex or punch women. I'm saved!<br />b) I'm a screw-up and a failure, I've tried and tried too many times, God's given up because I just can't do this and I'm not even going to try anymore.<br /><br />Pride or defeat, that's where religion leaves you. Even if you're a non-Christian, you'll be pleased to hear that we too, as Christians, have seen people we'd like to punch in the face (or rebuke in love, whichever's easier) for being puffed up with pride and gloating, either verbally or in the way they behave, their superiority over the likes of you. It's these puffed-up church-goers who in effect create the B-types. They only believe they're a screw-up because they see how well everyone else is doing. The irony is, those puffed-up people, they're not doing fine. Just remember, not everyone who takes a seat in the pew on a Sunday morning will take a seat at the Lord's table.<br /><br />Relationships are different because: there is always joy. Not in the sense that we are always happy, and not even because we know there is hope for life eternal. We take joy in the fact that God is with us, whether it's a blessed season, whether it's a season of trials. A person who's religious will whip you in a game of Bible Sale of the Century, but not understand the meaning behind all that knowledge. A person who's in a relationship will love, struggle, fall, laugh, cry, panic, get angry, get frustrated, repent, share moments and experience a time with God, whether it's seconds, days, months, years or decades until they die that's like any marriage - it's not all sunshine and roses, there'll be hard times, there'll be times when you want to throw in the towel and walk out, but it's a relationship that completes you. It's not without hardships. But it's not without joy.rcoll_rorscharchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17099145539751772632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4606880031785493596.post-61679006489916369152011-05-04T22:19:36.744+10:002011-05-04T22:19:36.744+10:00To clarify for all those reading, the term 'Ch...To clarify for all those reading, the term 'Christian' doesn't appear in most translations of the Bible because the term wasn't founded until the 4th Century AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who became the first Pope. Before that, well, maybe the peoples had a name of some description, but mostly I guess they referred to themselves as followers/disciples of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Leaving other religions aside for now, many people ask 'what's the difference between a religion and a relationship? Are they actually any different, or is it just terminology?' Religion and relationship is a common expression of segregating the two types of Christians - those who are truly saved, and those who call themselves Christians but aren't. It's not for me to judge souls, but generally, religious people are in far graver danger of hell.<br /><br />Religious people have the following traits in their "walk" with God:<br /><br />1. They love rules - how many Bible bashers do you know who love to condemn people with the word? Who say that things must be done this way, and only this way. Who love to criticise rather than help? This is the hallmark of religion, they love to pick out the sins of others and never correct their own hearts.<br /><br />Relationships are different because: true believers love God. They fear and respect his word, and will correct others in love, but never use the word as a weapon on other Christians, never criticise or condemn to make themselves feel taller. There was a group of church leaders in Jesus' day called the Pharisees who were like this. Jesus' harshest words were reserved for them.<br /><br /><br />2. Religious people hate change: It's funny what divides churches. There are countless stories of church meltdowns not because sin was rampant, but because one group wanted the church organ gone and the other group fought tooth and nail for it to stay. Perpetual change isn't pleasing to God either - that's just trying to be 'hip' and pleasing yourselves. But religious people hate change. They like things to always remain the same, they like to control the environment around them instead of adapting to the times.<br /><br />Relationships are different because: those people accept that the church needs to stay modern in order to feel comfortable to the greatest number of people. The church is made up of the people, not the buildings. Trying to keep the buildings stuck in an old time period ensures that more people will feel stuck in the wrong time period when it comes to church. Church and fellowship is a natural part of our lives, the more we deviate with what's "normal" for us, the more weird and alien a relationship with our father becomes.<br /><br />3. Religion cares about your birth: This doesn't apply to every church, but some Christians seem focused about everything you did. Did you go to a Christian school? Were you raised in a Christian household? Did you go to Sunday school? Did you hang out with Christian friends?<br /><br />Relationships are different because: all that matters is your new birth. Are you in step with Jesus? Are you having fellowship with other Christians? It's not about who you were, it's about who you are and keeping in continual step with God through prayer and repentance.rcoll_rorscharchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17099145539751772632noreply@blogger.com