Christianity IS a Religion

As an English teacher, when I see terms used incorrectly, they glare at me. I can’t help but notice them. This has recently followed me into the spiritual sphere, because it is common now to hear Christians saying “I don’t believe in religion, I believe in Jesus.” Is this really what someone means when he says this? Because everything Jesus did speaks of religion.

Let’s start with a definition of religion: “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.”*

Now, let’s see how Jesus lines up with this definition. Did Jesus give us a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe? Yes. Read John 1. Jesus came to testify that he created the universe, that it was made in an orderly manner by him and that its purpose was to find fulfillment in him as the light.

Did Jesus call his followers to devotional observance? Yes. Jesus prayed all the time and when his disciples asked him how to pray he gave them the example (Luke 11).

Did Jesus call his followers to ritual observances? Yes. He instituted communion and baptism (Luke 22, Matt. 28:19).

Did Jesus give us a moral code to follow? Yes. His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 is Jesus’ call for believers to act in a moral manner to the depths of their hearts.

So, did Jesus promote a religion? YES! Christianity is the religion of following Christ.

So, why are Christians so hesitant to use the term “religion?” I think there are two reasons.

1) We have seen the backlash against “religion” in our time and don’t want to associate ourselves with the term. We want non-Christians to somehow think that we ourselves don’t follow a religion. However, this is dishonest. We do follow a religion. We don’t have to be ashamed that we follow a religion. What we need to do is be able to cogently explain our religion and its truth.

2) We don’t understand what we are really saying. We have fallen into the secular world’s view that religion is something suffocating and evil. Thus, we use the term the way the world at large (well, really the West) use the term and thus agree that religion is a stuffy, constraining thing. However, the definition of religion (see above) is not “that which suffocates its believers.”

How about we change the term? When Christians say they don’t believe in religion, what they mean is they don’t believe in legalism. Let’s define legalism: “strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit; the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works, the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.”* How does Jesus measure up against legalism?

Did Jesus promote following the letter of the law and not the spirit? No. Take a look again at the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus in fact goes beyond the letter of the law straight to the spirit. It is our heart attitude that matters in our moral actions he asserts. (See also his direct attacks on Pharisees and their lack of spirit in Matthew 23. Jesus does not support hypocrisy).

Did Jesus say that salvation was gained through good works? Not at all. Early on in his ministry he made it clear that salvation comes through simple trust, not anything I do (John 3:16).

Did Jesus give a set of precise laws that need to be followed to be a Christian? No. The gospels are the extolling of who Christ is and the assertion that to follow him is the way to life. They are not a list of rules.

So, Jesus did not support legalism, but he did support religion. As Christians, we don’t need to be afraid that we follow a religion. It’s okay to say Christianity is a religion. If we want to live truly Christlike lives, then what we do need to do is take a stand against legalism. We need to be clear that anyone can follow Christ, anyone can come into our churches, and anyone can have a conversation and fellowship with us. Jesus taught that he reaches out to all and so should we.

Addendum

Some might be confused how Jesus can give us a moral code and yet not a precise set of laws. This is what the Old versus the New Covenant is all about. The Old Covenant was an agreement the Jewish people made to follow the laws God gave them. They did follow a precise set of laws (and they agreed to do this of their own volition!). When Jesus comes, he reveals that God’s desire goes way beyond a precise set of laws. Remember that the Old Covenant was made between God and the Jews, not God and all of humanity. I don’t have the time or the room to explain in complete detail the covenant of the Jews; suffice it to say that this covenant had a specific purpose for a specific time and a specific people. Jesus makes it clear through his institution of a New Covenant that God is concerned with the hearts of humanity. Jesus calls all humanity to acknowledge and trust the God of the universe. He also makes it clear that those who love God will act like they do. Thus, a moral code, a code that is followed out of love, not out of compulsion (and it doesn’t save, Jesus does!).

*Definitions from dictionary.com, however, Merriam-Wesbter would work as well. I chose to use dictionary.com because its definitions were more detailed.

P.S. It is also interesting to note that James calls following God a religion in James 1. In this chapter, he clarifies what religion for a Christian should look like.