Church: Are You Led by Religion or GOD? Is there a difference?

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”—John 4:24

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Heb 10:23-25

Topic of Debate

Many Christians feel strongly about attending a church regularly as part of the Christian calling. Some believe this so strongly they consider those who do not attend a church to be ‘lesser’ in their Christianity/even weaker in their faith.

Let’s Catch up from the beginning

The Christian Church began on Pentecost in the year of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The three and a half years leading up to that beginning was a core group of called individuals who are known as Christ’s Disciples. At the time of its initiation, Jesus called 12 men to come along with HIM. Jesus' ministry traveled to different areas with HIS disciples. Jesus taught the crowds who came to listen and some who would become followers. They were comprised almost exclusively of the Jewish folks of HIS day. Jesus went to the synagogue and taught; HE observed Jewish traditions based upon what HE knew to be acceptable according to the scripture of HIS day. HE taught crowds out in the open, on Mounts, in a boat, a cemetery, in private homes, at a resurrection. HE was ‘religious’ in HIS worship and demonstrated to those who observed what HE believed acceptable.

On Pentecost, there was 120 believers gathered together in a meeting place – per Jesus departing instructions, in Jerusalem, on Pentecost.

The Apostle Paul was converted to ‘The Way’ from being a ‘religious’ zealot for the Jewish ‘religious’ leaders of his day. After conversion, Paul, like Jesus, preached and taught in town centers, in the Synagogues, in prison, on ships, and in believer’s homes.

After a few years of Paul’s ministries, he had started ‘congregations’ and ‘church homes’ where they received instruction as to their faith.

What do all of these statements have in common. Jesus used any place to congregate people to hear HIS teachings, receive HIS blessings, exhort the religious leaders, demonstrate HIS love for and reliance on HIS Heavenly Father. HIS disciples, like HIM did the same. Jesus’ Apostles, including Paul, preached in the same fashion, Synagogue, town center, believer’s homes, jail, prison, before Governing Authorities including the leading Jewish Religious Zealots. During trials and persecution, Christians practiced the caution by meeting surreptitiously. Some would be couriers of messages of encouragement, information, instructions to the homes of church members in a specific territory or neighborhood.

So, practicing religion for them was purposeful. Down through history the church has known troubles in the practice of its faith including missionary works. Some martyred themselves for their faith; others chose to practice a stealthy faith by being as inconspicuous as possible. Martin Luther sequestered away from everyone -- in a monastery under a pseudonym -- in order to accomplish the work he felt led to do which was to translate the entirety of the Bible into the German language so the lay person of his day could read and study it themselves and be freed from the oppressive religious and national leaders who used precepts not found in the Bible to extract taxes, tithes and obedience. He was not shy in standing for his beliefs and Biblical exposition but at a time he wanted to be unreachable to accomplish a task for GOD he opted out of the larger community into anonymity.

Today, there are churches everywhere teaching and preaching some Christian message or another. Many find alliance in ‘organized’ religion because it provides extrabiblical structure, beliefs, routines, etc. Most find a church they feel comfortable for any number of reasons. Other’s find online ministries they prefer to be their ‘church’ experience some for safety, some because it is difficult for any number of health reasons to go to church, and others have not found a church that meets their spiritual needs. Where two or more are gathered in Jesus’ name there HE is also.

So now the question: Are Religion and GOD mutually exclusive?

What is Religion

The dictionary has several definitions for ‘religion’ and can be found here: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion?s=t

Let’s take #1,2 and 6 for the purpose of this post.

1-a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.—Dictionary.com

          Self-explanatory

2-a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. -- Dictionary.com

          Self-explanatory

6- something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice. -- Dictionary.com

          Under this definition we depart from the idea of a religion and it’s tenets in a ‘spiritual’ sense and move into the arena of ‘causes’ like fighting prejudice, or Climate Change, or other causes where emotion sometimes denies facts for a carefully constructed ‘truth’ that is not based in total facts. So, we can make this the matter of another post but for this post #2 is most germane. It can be an altogether honorable cause someone feels passionately about like child sex trafficking, abortion, various Constitutional issues.

Question: Are Religion and GOD mutually exclusive? Clearly, they are not mutually exclusive because some believe strongly in their faith and live it ‘religiously’ which includes meeting regularly at a place to worship in response to the exhortation of Paul to the Hebrew Congregation as cited above. And for those so inspired then they must follow their conscience or run the risk of what James wrote: “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” [James 4:17] For those who do not feel that the exhortation is ignored if they gather as a family and participate in online ministries and are edified, encouraged to do fine works, etc. then again, it is not mutually exclusive.

However, the danger is when a church membership in any Christian body requires your attendance, requires your volunteerism, requires you meet regularly with the church leadership for some formality or ritual, THEN, YES, Religion or GOD becomes mutually exclusive because the body who demands such obedience generally also equates obedience to them is obedience to GOD and likewise disobedience…you get the picture.

One may ask is ‘membership’ in any church required by GOD? YES! But only ONE. The body of Christ, the CHURCH. That requires membership and that by way of belief in Jesus as having died and rose to life and HIS sacrifice for our sins is satisfied with our confession of sins then belief in HIM. Sometime thereafter, baptism both by water and the Holy Spirit, typically follows. Primarily, you must be born again and that can happen in a church but in those places where a church is forbidden by the government the new believer can be submerged in any body of water in the name of the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT. Yet, last, and most important to remember, your belief in Jesus. [see NOTICE after this article] your new heart and transformed mind and your obedience to GOD whether or not you can be baptized, or attend a place to worship, is actually known by GOD as well as the circumstance of conversion and most importantly the relationship you begin and enjoy with GOD.

Remember in all of this to adhere to the wise counsel from Jesus and Paul.

“Judge not, that you be not judged 2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”—Jesus :Matt 7:1-2

“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”—Paul :Rom 2:1

If Church attendance is your routine then no, religion and GOD are not mutually exclusive. However, those who do not attend church regularly are free to worship as their conscience allows without judgment by anyone but GOD.

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

NOTICE: If you are feeling inclined or feeling led to want Jesus as your Savior, your leader, your King, your source of Peace and Joy but are feeling woefully inadequate, uninformed on how best to get to know HIM, or find yourself at wit’s end because you believe yourself trapped and in need of GOD, please know Jesus stands ready to welcome you with HIS Holy Spirit. Believe these words: “¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “—John 3:16

^“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send ^[c]Jesus Christ, who was ^[d]preached to you before, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since ^[e]the world began.” – Acts 3:19-20

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:3-8

If you need help, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.  †

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DISCLAIMER: The thoughts published on this blog, in total, are the opinions, thoughts and considerations of the writer/author of every post published. It is assumed that research by the reader will lead the reader to their own conclusions. It is not the writer’s intent to make a judgment of anyone but to allow GOD’s Word to do what it does. “For the word of GOD is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:12 [NIV]

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