Most Christians have at one time had to contend the idea that Christianity is just like any other religion, other times too atheist, in trying to discredit the idea of the existence of god, bags all religions, including Christianity, into one sack and throw it onto the garbage. This write-up seeks to clarify the idea that Christianity is not just any other religion or better still, Christianity is not a religion and also address the ways by which the organized church makes it a religion.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION
The whole idea of Christianity not being a religion starts with the originator of the group, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When one reads the gospels, you come to an understanding that Jesus most of the time had problems with the elders of the existing system, Judaism. The problem Jesus had with the traditional authorities were that, they had established a system which followed from the rules and directions Moses, their spiritual leader, had established and added their own set of principles to help them gain some more prominence among the people. With this Jesus tried to set them right by challenging some of the things they did all ‘in the name of God’. He saw through their actions and questioned them, opposed them and set to make things right, which is to liberate the people from the religion and return them back to God. It can be quoted from Matthew 15:3 and 6b
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? …Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Jesus took to himself disciples and a lot of followers as well in order to teach them the things of God and through his actions he demonstrated to them the requirement of God. This was so different from the status quo; he touched the very essence of the traditions and taught his followers not to behave like them. At one time he instructed them that:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:25-28.
His teachings were so different from the existing rules and it was with authority he taught. He warned his followers from behaving like the teachers of the law do and also instructed them to obey what he taught them. This is why most Christians insist that Jesus did not establish a religion but a relationship [with God]. They call it the life, which is the way a person truly ought to live as contrasted to religion which forces people to behave in a certain way. They insist it is not a religion because they believe there is a lot of hypocrisy in religion and also people do a lot of negative things in “the name of God”. With this, it is believe that is what Jesus came to fight. With this understood, let’s turn and look at ways Christianity becomes a religion.
CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION.
As Christ died his disciples started meeting together, winning people to join in their belief and teaching them to obey what Jesus taught. The numbers of the disciples kept on increasing and like any human institution, they had leaders call the Apostles; as people who were handpicked by Jesus to follow and assist him. They were 12 in all and by now one had left and another had been selected to replace him (Acts 1:12-26). They formed the nucleus of the Church. Yes Church, Jesus never referred to them as Christians. The work of these leaders was very simple like as it is done in every work, a job description is given to the employee. The core mandate they had was recorded by Matthew
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20, Emphasis mine.
The message of these leaders was the foundation upon which the group grew (Acts 2:42). Like any other human institution, the Apostles were faced with the challenge of organization of the people since they (the people) had different backgrounds. In order to overcome this challenge, the Apostles had to institute structures and systems to help solve the conflicts that aroused day in and day out in order not to disrupt their main mandate (Acts 6:1-7). Now the Church was becoming more and more organized. The followers who had been converted started living by the set of principles they were taught and practiced it where ever they found themselves. People could now distinguish them from other members of the society; it started taking the shape of a religion. Out of these observable works, people named them Christians.
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11:25-26, Emphasis mine.
Definitely all religions can’t be true. Why do I say this? All religions seek to make different claims about certain issues. A true religion should make true religious claim. Put differently a true religion should be based on the truth. For example, both Christianity and Islam make certain claims about Jesus Christ which are different. Definitely the two can’t be true. Christians believe that Jesus died and resurrected but Moslems believe that he never died not to talk about resurrection. Definitely both claims can’t be true, for both to be true we will end up in contradiction. This is the reason why one has to follow religious claims careful in order not to be led into deception. There is also the danger of teaching human principles as if they were that of God’s. This has led to a lot of abuse and exploitation of people and to some extent the destruction of lives and properties. People are therefore cautioned to examine whatever they hear from people who claim to be men of God, it requires great amount of discernment to be able to distinguish between the message of God and that of men. It is prudent for one not to be led away by the charisma and gifts of the messenger who claim to be men of God. In order to avoid this, people are to subject men of God to two tests; test of character (fruit) and test of motive. One should look out for the behaviour and works of the person (Matthew 7:15-20) and also watch why the person does what they do, what they seek to gain (Philippians 1:15-17, 1 Timothy 6:5).
Does it really matter as to whether Christianity is a religion or not? Well what can be said is that, one has to be responsible for their behaviour not that of the entire group. Each person receives certain rewards and punishment based on their actions which may be independent of that of the group. The group may be right but the individual wrong, on the other hand the group may be wrong but the individual right. There is one thing that should be a person’s focus in his or her Christian walk. That is to take the words of Jesus more serious than any other. Like the Bereans, Christians are to make sure they individually study the Bible and try to confirm whatever they are told from the scripture (Acts 17:12). We are required to obey the commands of God wholeheartedly without question or delay, but we are to be wary of the commands of men disguised as that of God. This is by no means to say we shouldn’t listen to advise, it’s just saying be careful. God expert us to eschew any form of evil regardless of whoever it’s coming from.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
1 John 4:1-3, Emphasis mine.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Emphasis mine.
In all this one should let love be their guide in the pursuit of God.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40
Any command from a group or personal conviction which goes against these is definitely not the will of God. James summarises this in these few words.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:26-27, Emphasis mine.
Photo credit:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/wouldn-t-you-be-a-hindu-if-you-were-born-in-india-how-to-answer-this-hard-question.html
https://foundationaidorphans.wordpress.com/
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