GOD created us as human beings filled with His Spirit, to be in relationship with Him. He saves us today for relationship. He wants a relationship between us with Him, and since mankind’s disobedience which led to the Fall of man, GOD has worked a way to re-build His relationship with us.
There is religion which man creates to try to get back to GOD. There is GOD’s way of obedience, to draw us to Himself. Religion v Obedience: Is there a difference? Yes, indeed there is…
The Gospel
Jesus came, died on the cross, was buried and was resurrected. That’s the heart of the Gospel that restores us to GOD. For those who believe, our relationship with GOD is restored.
Salvation by grace
Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”. GOD has made a way. GOD calls us. We can choose to respond.
Salvation by works
While faith without works is dead (James 2), salvation doesn’t come through our works, but through our GOD-given faith. If that’s the case, how do we know the difference between works to preserve us v works as an attempt to save ourselves?
How do we spot the difference?
It isn’t actually that difficult to recognise the difference between works to save ourselves and works that are a delight to GOD.
If He’s asked us to do something and we do it, that’s obedience. (If we don’t, that’s disobedience.) The result is that we are grateful to the LORD for His salvation.
If the observation is in the Bible, we do behave accordingly out of obedience. Nevertheless, that isn’t what saves us. What saves us is our faith. We obey out of faith in Him.
– Our action is out of love for and faith in GOD.
– Although faith without (any) works is dead, when we “put our money where our mouth is”, aka when we do what we promise to do, then we are following through with our commitment, acting in faith and obedience, loving GOD.
But when we act (or react) out of fear, when we count on rules to save us — rather than GOD, when we do what the rules say, not trusting GOD but our behaviour to save us, that’s religion. And that isn’t what GOD wants for us.
Religion v Faith
Religion is empty. Faith is full. Obedience is a demonstration of our faith.
Religion is action to save ourselves. Faith is belief in GOD who saves. Obedience is action led by the LORD, either through His word, or in HIs personal request to us.
In 1 Peter 4, Peter has written, “that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” and likewise we do all things through Him.
Let us look at obedience as Faith in Action. Conversely, Religion is Action to get us saved. One is by GOD’s grace. The other is through our will. One is life-giving, the other is following religious rules. The behaviour might be similar, but the motive completely different. Let’s aim for life… and His love… every time:)