The Difference

There is a lot of talk about the difference between "religion" and relationship". I grew up in a church that focused much more on religion than relationship. It was all about following the rules. Many of you have been there. If you talked about having a relationship with God, it was seen as weak. That wasn't enough. It couldn't be that easy. You had to do something in order to gauge how "Christian" you really were in comparison to others. It was "salvation through moral effort". That seems to be what Isaiah is saying about the people of Jerusalem.  

Isaiah 29:13 says, “And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote".

Religion doesn't engage the heart, but relationship does. Just going through the motions of "going to church, praying, giving money, teaching Sunday school, etc" can't earn a special place in God's heart. We already have it because of what Christ first did for us.

In Timothy Keller's book, The Reason for God, he says, "Self-salvation through good works may produce a great deal of moral behavior in your life, but inside you are filled with self-righteousness...you are miserable. You need a complete transformation of the very motives of your heart". Keller is saying that as long as we focus on the outside rules, we will never experience the internal change from the free grace that God offers. "Religion operates on the principle "I obey - therefore I am accepted by God." But the operating principle of a grace-filled relationship with God is "I am accepted by through what Christ has done - therefore I obey", says Keller.

Following the rules might make a difference for awhile, but following Christ and having that relationship based on what He has done will make a difference for eternity!