by Diana Peyton

Created on: September 29, 2008   Last Updated: October 01, 2008

In the world of real estate, everyone knows it's about location, location, location. In Christianity, it's about relationship, relationship, relationship. If you don't have it, you ain't got it! If the relationship is missing, it isn't Christianity it is religion.

According to an ABC News poll more than eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christian; (

http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=Most%20Ameri cans%20Say%20They%27re%20Christian&type. Most define themselves that way because they are not Jewish. However, calling oneself a Christian comes with a high price tag, that of faith in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for one's sin. Perhaps the throngs who now call themselves Christians in the broader sense may wish to redefine their identity. By the looks of our societal woes, few seem to demonstrate a relationship to anyone but him or herself.

A relationship with Jesus Christ transcends religion. Religion in itself is not wrong, but one must first have a relationship with the God whom the religion purposes to worship. The term, Christian comes from the Bible, but how does the Bible define a Christian? In the original Greek language, it is defined, "as in a follower of Christ." A follower of Christ need first establish a relationship with Him, because Christ taught the whole purpose of His life here on the earth was to lead men to salvation through the propitiation of His death on the cross for their sin, as individuals.

Jesus promised that he would send man a "helper" to teach him all that he should know. That "helper" is the Holy Spirit. What links man to God in relationship is the gift of the Holy Spirit in one's life. Without faith in Christ's death on the cross for one's sin, man is merely practicing religion.

In the days of Christ, religions, whether pagan or to the one true God, (Judaism) kept men and women captive to a catechism if you will, of dos and don'ts impossible to keep. The whole purpose of Judaism was show that man is unable to keep all that God commands. Promised early in Scripture, in Genesis 3:15 Christ was sent to free man of the bondage of sin through His death. In Isaiah 53 details are given about the kind of death Christ would die for humankind to be able to have a relationship with God, one without guilt or penalty. Christ promised to come into man and to dwell in him. This relationship transcends religion.

A Christian is one who identifies with the One crucified on behalf of every individual. A relationship with God is not found in traditions or rituals. Those actions cannot make one holy. What can, is realizing that one must believe by faith that Christ died on the cross for ones sin, that He rose on the third day conquering death and is now with His Father in heaven, preparing a place for every one who believes in Him. He said He would go to prepare a place for those who believe in Him to live with Him forever.

The meaning of stories, parables, and wisdom from the Bible are illumined to those who believe through the Helper, the Holy Spirit who He promised to send, to dwell in every person who by faith agrees with God on the issue of their sin.

Sadly, though men try, they try in vein to have a relationship with God through religion. Practicing religion may only complicate and becomes a barrier of the truth of God's hand reaching out to man through Christ.

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