I have had it said to me that as Christians we should avoid being called “religious” even if it means gently rebuking those who label Christians as “religious.” I had never really understood why this should be the case. Although I never went to great efforts to ask questions in order to gain an understanding.
It took an experience at work with a “religious Christian” as well as the acquisition, and multiple viewings, of Mark Driscoll’s “Burn Your Plastic Jesus” talk on DVD. Perhaps I had to experience being “religious” first hand to understand what it is.
I had a colleague at work that professed to be a Christian. This being the case I thought it would be fun to work with him, as we should both be on the same page. There was the possibility to have some positive conversations that would have been encouraging to each other in our respective walks with Jesus. Boy, how far from the truth could I have been?
There was a moment when instantly I not only realised we weren’t on the same page, we weren’t even in the same book. The instant came when he rebuked me for liking clever church signs. He went on to proclaim FM 1032 as offensive because it isn’t explicitly Christian. Later he went on to preach about the methods of baptism and why his church’s way is right for about twenty minutes. Any mention of Sunday activities would get knocked on the head with his strong belief in “keeping the Sabbath holy” whatever “holy” might mean to him. I could go on forever. He was all about the rules, meanwhile forgetting about Jesus.
Mark Driscoll touched being “religious and how it is very different to how we should view Jesus.
On Religion:
They are not just different, they are diametrically opposed!!
So when someone asks me am I religious, I can have an answer. Perhaps, “No, I’m a follower of Jesus!”
It took an experience at work with a “religious Christian” as well as the acquisition, and multiple viewings, of Mark Driscoll’s “Burn Your Plastic Jesus” talk on DVD. Perhaps I had to experience being “religious” first hand to understand what it is.
I had a colleague at work that professed to be a Christian. This being the case I thought it would be fun to work with him, as we should both be on the same page. There was the possibility to have some positive conversations that would have been encouraging to each other in our respective walks with Jesus. Boy, how far from the truth could I have been?
There was a moment when instantly I not only realised we weren’t on the same page, we weren’t even in the same book. The instant came when he rebuked me for liking clever church signs. He went on to proclaim FM 1032 as offensive because it isn’t explicitly Christian. Later he went on to preach about the methods of baptism and why his church’s way is right for about twenty minutes. Any mention of Sunday activities would get knocked on the head with his strong belief in “keeping the Sabbath holy” whatever “holy” might mean to him. I could go on forever. He was all about the rules, meanwhile forgetting about Jesus.
Mark Driscoll touched being “religious and how it is very different to how we should view Jesus.
On Religion:
- Something you’re born into – Eg: Protestant, Catholic
- About what you do – Eg: Tithe, Pray, Mission
- If you obey God then he will love you
- Results in pride or despair – Pride – ticking the boxes, self righteous, worst sin of all; Despair – tried but not any good, walk away from church
- Someone you are born into – Second birth is spiritual
- About what he has done – Dying on the cross
- Because He loves you, you will/should/can obey me
- Results in love
They are not just different, they are diametrically opposed!!
So when someone asks me am I religious, I can have an answer. Perhaps, “No, I’m a follower of Jesus!”
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