What to think of claim that "Christianity is not a religion"?

[JohnD]

12 minutes ago, Heleadethme said:

Well, I would just call it what the bible calls it...........a way......the Way......to life.  Jesus being that Way, that we now are to follow.  It is a way of life, the way of life to life, rather than a religion per se.

God didn't give His way a name, but men have done that.......same with ancient Israel, He didn't give them a religion per se, He simply gave them His word, His instructions/laws that they were to follow in simplicity, without giving it a name.  To my understanding, JudaISM came later and was heavily influenced by the Babylonian captivity, is that correct........I'm guessing you know more about those things than I do, if you're a studious type of person.

Have you studied the Old Covenant? Particularly Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy?

God used it for prophetic purposes and a means toward the end (Christianity). But it was and is most definitely a religion (Judaism / the Old Covenant).

[Heleadethme]

10 hours ago, JohnD said:

Have you studied the Old Covenant? Particularly Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy?

God used it for prophetic purposes and a means toward the end (Christianity). But it was and is most definitely a religion (Judaism / the Old Covenant).

Fully agree that God meant it for prophetic purposes and a means towards the end, Christ being the end of the Law...amen.  But "religion" is a carnal kind of mindset that man has towards spiritual things, it's of the flesh.....and God never errs......so I don't think HE intended it to be a religion, but only that the Israelites would follow what He commanded in simplicity and open their hearts to learning the substance of what it all meant, what it stood for.  Though He knew it would get turned into that, because of flesh.....but just that this wasn't HIS intention in giving them the ordinances.  King David is one who saw through the Law to it's meaning, it's spiritual substance, its end....and that is why BEING IN FAITH, he didn't fear to give the showbread to his men (when they were in genuine need, not in order to be disrespectful) because he understood the showbread was just a shadow of the substance that was to come.........just a living parable pointing to the truth.......and David was called a man after God's own heart......because unlike the religious Pharisees he didn't fail to combine it with FAITH, ie, in spirit.

I believe that where it is written "pure religion is this, to visit the widows and orphans in their affliction in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world", it was another way of saying pure religion isn't a religion at all, it's a way of being and living, of being like Yeshua/Jesus, living out His way in spirit and not a carnal mindset.  It might seem like I'm splitting hairs........but that's because the difference between flesh and spirit.......is sometimes  just a fine line.    Anyway, it's a good topic, this question of religion, and important too, I believe.  Bless you.

[JohnD]

On 11/28/2017 at 8:03 AM, Heleadethme said:

Fully agree that God meant it for prophetic purposes and a means towards the end, Christ being the end of the Law...amen.  But "religion" is a carnal kind of mindset that man has towards spiritual things, it's of the flesh.....and God never errs......so I don't think HE intended it to be a religion, but only that the Israelites would follow what He commanded in simplicity and open their hearts to learning the substance of what it all meant, what it stood for.  Though He knew it would get turned into that, because of flesh.....but just that this wasn't HIS intention in giving them the ordinances.  King David is one who saw through the Law to it's meaning, it's spiritual substance, its end....and that is why BEING IN FAITH, he didn't fear to give the showbread to his men (when they were in genuine need, not in order to be disrespectful) because he understood the showbread was just a shadow of the substance that was to come.........just a living parable pointing to the truth.......and David was called a man after God's own heart......because unlike the religious Pharisees he didn't fail to combine it with FAITH, ie, in spirit.

I believe that where it is written "pure religion is this, to visit the widows and orphans in their affliction in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world", it was another way of saying pure religion isn't a religion at all, it's a way of being and living, of being like Yeshua/Jesus, living out His way in spirit and not a carnal mindset.  It might seem like I'm splitting hairs........but that's because the difference between flesh and spirit.......is sometimes  just a fine line.    Anyway, it's a good topic, this question of religion, and important too, I believe.  Bless you.

God did not err in purposely creating a religion to prove its futility.  

[KiwiChristian]

Well, it's not.

 

Jesus never preached a religion but a relationship.

 

He said " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

 

For me, "religion" is man trying to reach God. Christianity is God reaching man.