Religiosity

Growing up, I would be asked ‘what’s your religion?’ and today many people may look at me as being “very religious” or say that I’m “true to my religion”. The word ‘religion’ is a funny word: it means having a ‘belief’ and what we believe concerns how we live. For centuries Christianity has been seen as a religion and yet there is more to it then that because it is based on a relationship.

Every religion in the world tells us how to act and those actions are done in the hope of a good eternity. Some give the hope of a ‘middle’ place that says you aren’t good enough for Heaven but not bad enough for Hell. Regardless, all of these are based on how we live. But there is no certainty to it, because a person lives not really sure of where their eternity lies.

Christianity is different from all these because it gives the surety of Heaven. But this comes from the basis of Faith, and a relationship with the Lord.

As we enter the season of Lent, we are reminded that Jesus came to pay a high price for us to have a right relationship with our Creator. His sacrifice on the Cross was necessary because sin cannot enter the presence of a Holy God. Only One who was perfect could die for the sin of mankind. It was when Jesus was on the Cross, that He carried all the sin of the world and received the Just wrath of God for it.

Rising three days later, Jesus showed that God accepted His sacrifice for us: But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. (Acts 2:24).

Those who come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior then receive forgiveness and are redeemed from the eternal consequence of sin. But they also enter a relationship with Jesus, where He is Lord and friend. As with any relationship, a change takes place in our lives. Our attitudes and actions come from a place of thankfulness and love. A Christian wants to serve, to follow the example Jesus gave. Not to earn anything, but instead out of a desire to give, and to live in a way that pleases and honors Christ.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17