In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. He created and He created more and all of it was good. Then He created man and woman and it was very good. He so relished His creation that He walked with them and He talked with them. Man didn’t have to imitate the Real (religion); He was friends with the Real (relationship).
Then, man did the unthinkable. Man rejected God. God didn’t reject man. Man rejected God. God was still there walking in the garden, but Man was hiding from God. He rejected the Real (relationship) and chose to worship himself by seeking to be like God(religion).
God was distressed. God didn’t have a rod of correction ready to punish man; instead, He was there, in the garden, looking for man: “Where are you?”
The result of this choice? Death. Separation. Separation from what? Separation from relationship with the Real.
When we choose anything rather than God, when we seek first anything but the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, we are putting the imitation, religion, over the Real, which is relationship with our Heavenly Father. It really is all about God, not our own personal preferences or the imitation of Who God Is.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” In short, may God, your provider, enable you to glorify God by accepting your brothers and sisters just as God accepts you.
“I can’t work together in church with him. He believes you can baptize by sprinkling. I choose religion, not relationship.”
“I can’t accept her. She drinks wine. I choose religion, not relationship.”
“We can’t allow him to be a missionary. He has a prayer language. I choose religion, not relationship.”
“I’m first and foremost a [insert denomination] because they believe the Bible. I choose [denomination] over relationship.”
Can anyone explain how any of this conforms with the Word of God? With God’s design? With God’s desire to promote relationship over religion? Relationship over separation? Life over death?