Beth-El Baptist Church

06/05/2011

Greg Tomlinson


Why do some Christians say they are not religious?


Many Christians I know when others make statements about them being religious, the Christian is adamant that they are not religious but they are in a relationship with God. Many do not understand what the Christian means by this.


  1. What does it mean to be religious?

Acts 26:4-6 cmp Romans 7:7-10 Galatians 1:13-14

James 1:26-27 Matthew 7:21-23; 15:5-9

Acts 15:10-11


Being religious is being entangled with performance. Performing rituals, acts of penance, acts of service or other criteria that can be seen by others in order to (hopefully) obtain favor or acceptability with God.


  1. How is Christianity like a religion?

Matthew 5:18-20 John 14:15; 15:10-11

1 John 5:1-3 James 2:18-22

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 3:12-15 1 Peter 4:17-18


Obedience to the commands of God is of great importance. The Christian is called to be obedient and called to perform. The Christian is to identify those who refuse to obey the commandments of God and separate ourselves from him. The salvation state of a man is associated with his works and his obedience to God and His commandments.


  1. How is Christianity unlike a religion?

Galatians 3:10-13; 3:23-27 Hebrews 6:1-3

Romans 4:4-5 Romans 6:16-18

Philippians 3:8-11 John 10:27-30

Acts 16:30-32


Unlike religion, biblical Christianity is not based upon what one is able to do nor is it based upon what one has already done. Christianity is based upon faith in what Jesus Christ has done. The whole issue of salvation is “who do you actually know.” To the Christian, obedience to the commands of God is not accomplished in order to be acceptable in God's eyes but being obedient to God is directly related to having already been saved. Christianity is all about relationship. The relationship of the Christian to the person of Christ and the relationship between the person of Christ and God the Father.