Christian Living

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Defining Biblical words with secular definitions is to humanize God’s Word as just another form of literature. To use Webster’s dictionary, or any other explanatory publication, to address the meaning of a Scriptural word is to open the door to misinterpretation. There are many Hebrew and Greek words that have little or no English equivalent. Yet, we strive to produce an almost endless array of translations that attempt to transpose the Bible into a modern language that is easy to understand. I have no problem with attempting to make the Bible a more user friendly book, but not at the expense of redefining its intended meaning. The farther we travel from the original era of Biblical publications, the more we seem to have distanced ourselves from the intended purpose of God’s Word. Recently, I wrote about “generation hopping,” which is taking Scripture intended for a specific time and purpose and reading it as if it were written for our generation. It can be applied to us, but only through the Holy Spirit’s direction and leading. Too many Christians are using the Bible as a self promoting book to cater to their every whim. Well meaning Believers can find Scriptural support for both sides of an issue. The use of the Bible to proclaim interpretive truth has caused many to mock the Holy Book. The Bible has become a book that sits in the majority of American homes, but is read less than the daily newspaper. So many translations conflict with each other, and as a result, more and more confused Christians don’t know what to believe.

We have all heard the phrases, “I am tired of religion,” “I am not a religious person,” or “I desire a relationship, not a religion.” To so many, religion has become a set of rules and regulations. If that is what religion is all about, I would probably be leading the chants. Instead of adopting a secular definition of religion, what does the Bible say religion is? The words religion or religious are used only seven times in Scripture (King James Version), and only in the New Testament. Basically, RELIGION IS AN OUTWARD IDENTIFICATION OF WHAT ONE BELIEVES. It is the exhibiting for all to see what has transpired as a result of accepting God’s invitation to be part of His life. As water baptism displays the inner grace that one experiences in the new birth, so religion exhibits the same evidence. Religion is walking the talk. James states that “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World.” (James 1:27) Religion is not a liturgy and ritualistic performance, but an outward action for others to see. It is the exclamation point of what you believe. If there is no action, one’s religion is non-existent. The Apostle Paul told the Galatians that in the Jewish religion he had persecuted the church and tried to wipe it out. (Galatians 1:13) What we see is Paul demonstrating what he believed at that time to be Truth. Later, Paul took it upon himself to demonstrate his new life in Jesus. Religion was an action that evidenced what he believed. Paul’s life was a journey of revelation, from persecuting Believers to developing Believers. To see his growth and action is to see his religion displayed.

The Encarta College Dictionary defines religion as, “People’s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature and worship of a deity.” If we are to base our lives on this definition, we could easily say that the United States is a religious country. But if we are to use the Biblical understanding, then our supposedly Christian nation is not very religious. Just as faith without works is dead, religion without action is not religion at all.

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