“I Am Not Religious – I’m a Christian!”

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” - Colossians 2:20-22

Many times when I talk about being Christian, people respond back to me about being RELIGIOUS.  They think they are the same thing.  But you can be religious and not even be a Christian.   

RELIGION AS DEFINED BY MOST MEANS:
YOU BELIEVE IN A BEING HIGHER THAN YOUSELF, AND A SET OF RULES YOU MUST FOLLOW TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THIS HIGHER BEING OR FANATICAL BELIEFS THAT DICTATE YOUR LIFE.

That is NOT a good way to define a Christian. Plus ALL man-made religions have a set of rules you MUST follow.  YES, we have guidelines, commands, etc., in Christianity; but the big difference, hopefully, is that we obey God's Word; not because we have to, but because we WANT to. Sure, there are things this flesh of mine wants to do, and God's Word commands otherwise.

In time, we WANT to live by God's Word; not because we have to, but because we WANT to.  I see it being like a child told by his parents to NOT touch a HOT stove.  They are telling him for his own good.  SO GOD DOES WITH US. But I hope that child matures enough where he knows his parents are correct, and he has NO DESIRE to touch the HOT stove.

It is possible to be a Christian and BIBLICALLY religious (James 1:27), but most who use this term aren’t even thinking of TRUE, PURE and UNDEFILED RELIGION as spoken here in James; but rather of VAIN/WORTHLESS RELIGION as mentioned in James 1:26 and SELF-MADE RELIGION as mentioned in Colossians 2:20-23.

I WANT to obey God, as I know HE KNOWS BEST; plus MY HEART wants to not do ANYTHING that would displease God.  

It's not because I'm religious, but because I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY LORD AND SAVIOR.

Be blessed in the LORD,
Jim (BibleFood@aol.com)