Defining Christianity as a Relationship Rather Than Religion
Christianity is often understood as a relationship with God rather than merely a religion, emphasizing a personal connection over a system of rules or rituals. This perspective highlights the believer's direct interaction with God through Christ [7, 10]. The concept of "religion" can refer to a "modus Deum colendi" (a way of worshipping God), encompassing various systems like Pagan, Mohammedan, or Christian religions [8]. However, the subjective experience of religion is described as a state of mind induced by faith in God and an awareness of one's relationship to Him [8].
The biblical understanding of reconciliation illustrates this relational aspect, signifying a change from enmity to friendship [2]. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, believers are implored to "be reconciled to God," which implies laying aside hostility [2]. Romans 5:10 further clarifies that this reconciliation is not primarily about a change in human disposition toward God, but rather a change initiated by God Himself [2].
Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, argues that Christianity is fundamentally a "life" — specifically, the life of Christ [5]. one tradition states that the "ground and central point of Christianity is the oneness of Deity and humanity effected through the incarnation of God, and deification of man" [5]. The incarnation, where Christ took on human nature in union with His divine person, is central to this understanding, making Christ both God and man [3]. This union is described as "hypostatical," meaning personal and perpetual, without the two natures being mixed [3].
For Paul, a believer's relationship with God is defined by "knowing Christ" and nothing else, rendering all other achievements or religious observances as "worthless" in comparison to gaining Christ and receiving eternal salvation [7, 10]. This emphasis on a personal connection is further supported by the idea that the attributes and promises ascribed to the Church in Scripture are fulfilled only to true believers, who are considered the "children and heirs of God" and the "body of Christ" [4].
While "religion" can denote an external profession of gospel doctrines and subjection to Christ's laws, forming a visible society dedicated to God [6], the deeper meaning points to an "inward necessity of union with God" [8]. This union is characterized by faith working through love, as seen in Galatians 5:6 [1]. The "kingdom of God," which can be equated with "Religion" in a broad sense, is not about external practices like "meat and drink," but rather "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," representing a comprehensive view of living Christianity [9].
Sources
- Galatians “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. -- Galatians 5:6”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Reconcilation — A change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both parties who have been at enmity. (1.) In Col. 1:21, 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Cor. 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay aside their enmity. (2.) Rom. 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconcile”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Incarnation — That act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:8; Heb. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4, etc.). The union is hypostatical, i.e., is personal; the two natures are not mixed or confounded, and it is perpetual.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: the Spirit, so that the gates of hell should not prevail against them — he means his sincere or his nominal disciples, — believers or unbelievers? These questions admit of but one answer. The attributes ascribed to the Church in Scripture belong to true believers alone. The promises made to the Church are fulfilled only to believers. The relation in which the Church stands to God and 138 Christ is sustained alone by true believers. They only are the children and heirs of God; they only are the body of Christ in which He dwells by his Spir”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 42: them, too, the ground and central point of Christianity is the oneness of Deity and humanity effected through the incarnation of God, and deification of man.” 114 114 Studien und Kritiken, 1845, p. 59. Christianity, therefore, is not a system of doctrine; it is not, subjectively considered, a form of knowledge. It is a life. It is the life of Christ. Ullmann again says explicitly: “The life of Christ is Christianity.” 115 115 Studien und Kritiken, January 1845; translated in The Mystical Presence, by Dr. J.W. Nevin. God in becoming man di”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 64: an external profession of the doctrines of the Gospel, and subjection to the laws and ordinances of Christ, appear as a society separated from the world, and dedicated to God and his service. In this view, in the present imperfect state, the Church comprehends branches that are withered, as well as those that bear fruit. Now the covenant of grace subsists between the blessed God and the Church, as such a visible Society, 567 567 To this sentence Mr. Blair appends the following note: “In no other way can we conceive the covenant to subsist”
- Phil (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Phil 3:7: 3:7-8 As a Christian, Paul now regarded these things (3:5-6) as worthless because of what Christ has done: A believer’s relationship with God is defined by knowing Christ (cp. 3:10; John 17:3) and nothing else. The only important thing is to gain Christ, thus receiving the gift of eternal salvation (cp. John 3:16; 1 Jn 5:11-13). By comparison, all other things are meaningless garbage (or excrement).”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 11: to God. Subjectively, it is the inward necessity of union with God. Commonly the word religion, in its objective sense, means “ Modus Deum colendi ,” as when we speak of the Pagan, the Mohammedan, or the Christian religion. Subjectively, it expresses a state of mind. What that state characteristically is, is very variously stated. Most simply it is said to be the state of mind induced by faith in God, and a due sense of our relation to him. Or as Wegscheider expresses it, “ Æqualis et constans 21 animi affectio, qua homo, necessitudinem s”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 14:17: For the kingdom of God--or, as we should say, Religion; that is, the proper business and blessedness for which Christians are formed into a community of renewed men in thorough subjection to God (compare Co1 4:20). is not meat and drink--"eating and drinking" but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost--a beautiful and comprehensive division of living Christianity. The first--"righteousness"--has respect to God, denoting here "rectitude," in its widest sense (as in Mat 6:33); the second--"peace"--has respect to our neighbors, denoting ”
- Philippians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Philippians 3:7: 3:7-8 As a Christian, Paul now regarded these things (3:5-6) as worthless because of what Christ has done: A believer’s relationship with God is defined by knowing Christ (cp. 3:10; John 17:3) and nothing else. The only important thing is to gain Christ, thus receiving the gift of eternal salvation (cp. John 3:16; 1 Jn 5:11-13). By comparison, all other things are meaningless garbage (or excrement).”