I'm Not Religious.

I have a confession.

I’m not religious. Not in the slightest bit.

Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean I’m abandoning my faith or views. It doesn’t mean I’ve “lost my way” or have changed myself. Actually, I have been like this for a long while. My faith still resides in Christ.

I first must proclaim this: it’s not that I don’t believe in the churches or denominations. Truthfully, any area that professes the word of God I feel myself called to. I feel no barriers between “denominations”. Each and every person who has or hasn’t been born again through Christ I consider my brothers and sisters.

We label ourselves Christian, yet, there are still running jokes between each other… Why?

This is where I feel the most worried. There are multiple doctrines and beliefs, building from the Bible. When I take this into mind, I paint a picture that looks something like this: The Bible is at the ground, spread open on the pages that reveal the word of Christ. From there, there are extra pages glued in and piling on top of each other. From there, a mountain has been built, covering the Bible. Which of these doctrines are true? Which are not? And why can’t we just get back to the basics of the Bible?

There are a few Bible verses that I believe easily show what I am trying to explain:

1 Corinthians 1:10

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Ephesians 4:4-5

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism”

And finally:

1 Corinthians 1:12-13

“What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

Here is how I myself define religion and spirituality: religion being a manmade business, while spirituality is a relationship with God and your brothers and sisters in Christ. I feel spiritual because I am focusing on my relationship and building on Christ’s teachings.

I have no disrespect or ill feelings toward Christianity and churches, my only concern is the religious factor of so many separate entities. Is one denomination meant to be better than another? We are all the same under God’s eyes.

I understand that we align with whatever denomination we feel is closest to our own interpretations of the Word (would this make nondenominational a denomination in itself?). However, I think we should be wary of traditions that don’t feel close to the Bible. We should be guarded against manmade influences that do not have the Word at heart.

I will leave it with this:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”