Monday, April 26, 2010

Word Study: Religious

Religion shouldn't be simply an organized system that we adhere to or an exclusive social club. Dictionary.com ascribes several definitions to the word "religious," one being, "scrupulously faithful; conscientious: religious care." If we consider ourselves to be religious people, we should be very conscientious about how we live our lives and very faithful to the religious practice we claim to adhere to. In other words, it should be the way our core beliefs shape how we live our daily lives.

In the Christian religion, I would say this has just as much to do with what we DO in our daily lives and not just what denomination we follow. Some denominations say that you will not be admitted into heaven unless you are a member of their denomination but in reality, it's not an exclusive social club where we must meet certain requirements (ie. membership class, etc.) so we can say that we belong to their group. It doesn't matter if we're in church every weekend. What matters is how God sees us trying to get closer to Him. It all starts with our belief but is much more all encompassing than that. Do we listen to His Word and do what He says? Being scrupulously faithful and conscientious is how we live in relationship with Him at home, at work and at play. In an article titled, "Rest for the Spiritual Seeker," Good News, May-June 2010 by Gary Petty, the author so aptly put it, "Christianity has plenty of believers. But what Jesus wants are committed disciples."

1 John 3:1-7, "See what love the Father has lavished on us in letting us be called God's children! For that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it has not known him. Dear friends, we are God's children now; and it has not yet been made clear what we will become. We do know that when he appears, we will be like him; because we will see him as he really is. And everyone who has this hope in him continues purifying himself, since God is pure. Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him. So no one who remains united with him continues sinning; everyone who does continue sinning has neither seen him nor known him. Children, don't let anyone deceive you — it is the person that keeps on doing what is right who is righteous, just as God is righteous." Let's put our words and beliefs where our hands and feet are!

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