Remnant

What would you call a marriage? A religion or a relationship? Revelation 19:7

What would you call being born again? A religion or a Relationship? John 3:3-7

What would you call it when God is our Father and we are His children and Heirs to the throne? A Religion or a Relationship? Hebrews 1:5

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Glomung

The difficulty is describing an idea without letting the words get in the way. I think you all mean more or less the same things but get hung up on your particluar understandings of the words.

Religiosity- those who are apparently religious, go through the motions but have no love of God or of Mankind -- always bad in all it's forms. Often called "dead faith", "dead religion", etc.

Shallow faith- a plague these days, "oh yeh, I believe in God, I don't go for that church stuff and what not, silly rules, misses out on what God is really about" that is their motto. They have no more belief than the basest of athiests, but the attitude makes them feel better about themselves.

True faith - desire to follow God's will, wherever it leads. Willingness to work hard and endure suffering merely because God asks. They have a "relationship" with God. They treat Him as if He were real. They have a "not my will but thine be done" attitude. Read commentaries by various Saints to get a better idea.

A shallow faith is like a mud puddle, if not rained upon it will dry up and disappear.

daniel_1012

I don't believe that God, in Christ, has called us to be deeply religious about anything.

He simply wants us to love, obey, and trust Him at all times, in everything we do, as we WALK WITH HIM...

Micah 6:8

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.

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Daniel 10:12 [KJV]


Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

Born2LoveYou

Religion is mans way to get to heaven... Christianity is Gods way to reach us.

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Boanerges

In one sense of the word that is true but there is biblical religion pleasing to God or the scriptures would not have said it was so.

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Anything that dims my vision for Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps me in my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it. – J. Wilbur Chapman

Fluffy

Yes. Let us please define and agree on the definitions of the words before we get too deep in this discussion. It could save alot of headaches and misunderstandings.

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Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

Dusty

Whether some call it religion or relationship seems to be immaterial to me. If for some reason some one wants to call me religious.that doesn 't bother me. I just smile and tell them why I love Jesus. I know in whom I believe and no one can take that away from me. Idol words are frivolous and pointless . It is what I do to display my love for my Saviour , Jesus Christ that counts and I am not here on earth for a popularity contest.

So whether people say I am religious or have a relationship with Jesus Christ to me both can be right. I am flattered that they think of me that way.

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Trials prove a Christian

Love confirms a Christian

But death crowns a Christian

J. Damascene

I did not say that we did not have a relationship, I said that all religions, are, at their core, relationships as well. The relationship between the God of Christianity and Christians is quite different than the relationship between the gods of other religions and their followers.

Religion had helped many people (myself included) to focus their minds on God. I feel God's presence more completely in Church, especially during a service. Religion is meant to help us in our relationship with God. They are not mutually exclusive terms.

Sorry if it seems like I'm being contrarian, but give me a break- I'm a teenager

NearertoGod

Oh, Dusty, that is so true!

I feel that many "non-Christians" and other people who aren't in any religion at all want to put all people who do practice a religion into one box and call us "religious people".

I believe in God not because it makes me popular or special or different, I didn't jump into Christianity because it was the latest fad or every one is doing it - I did it for other reasons that a lot of other people can't understand.

Sure, I have faith, but my Faith starts with a capital "F" and is the best thing since sliced bread and salad forks.

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As a Helper at CFS I am here to assist the members. I will try to help you as best as possible so please do not hesitate to come to me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Jesus came here not condemn, but to save.

Nature is God's gift to us. He loves it as much as He loves us, and we should give respect to Nature because believe it or not - it takes care of me and you more than you know.

J. Damascene

That is a possible problem with focusing on ritual, that we can forget about our relationship, and forget that God is omniscient.

We have to have a relationship with God, and that is the purpose of religion. To try to have a relationship without religion, or religion without a realtionship really doesn't make sense to me

Chrsitainity is anything but a fad. Jesus told us that it would be so, that He came not to bring peace, but a sword. (if you give me a minute, I could find that verse)