IS CHRISTIANITY A RELIGION?

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Written by Pastor Fidel Aduaye-Odiete

The general notion in the world is that Christianity is a religion.

This is also the notion of several Christians, that Christianity is a religion. Some of these use this text as the basis for their conclusion:


" If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
James 1:26-27 NKJV

MY TAKE:

While Christianity contains elements of pure religion, Christianity is MORE THAN a religion.

James, in the text given above, defines pure religion as something that contains two fundamental elements:

1- Genuine Love for those in need.

2- Keeping oneself from worldly filth.

That is religion as defined by James. Christianity is evidently much more than that. The definition does not capture the most fundamental aspect of Christianity which is: FAITH in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, which makes one to become Christ-like in nature.

You will notice that while the early brethren referred to Judaism as a religion, they never 'mistakenly' called Christianity that. They referred to the later as, THE FAITH.
Eg:

" For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the JEWS' RELIGION, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:"
Galatians 1:13 KJV

" But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth THE FAITH which once he destroyed."
Galatians 1:23 KJV

" Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for THE FAITH which was once delivered unto the saints."
Jude 1:3 KJV

Sometimes those early brethren also referred to Christianity as, THE WAY. They never referred to it as a religion.

So I submit that Christianity is more than a religion. SHALOM

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