Religion or Spirituality : which is the right way
to heaven?
What is the difference between religion and
spirituality?
Before we explore the difference between religion and spirituality, we must first define the two terms.
Before we explore the difference between religion and spirituality, we must first define the two terms.
Religion can be
defined as “belief in God or gods to be worshipped, usually expressed in
conduct and ritual” or “any specific system of belief, worship, etc., often
involving a code of ethics.”
Spirituality can be
defined as “the quality or fact of being spiritual, non-physical” or
“predominantly spiritual character as shown in thought, life, etc.; spiritual
tendency or tone.”
To put it briefly, religion is a set of beliefs and
rituals that claim to get a person in a right relationship with God.
And spirituality is a focus on spiritual things and the spiritual world
instead of physical/earthly things.
The most common misconception about
religion is that Christianity is just another religion like Islam, Judaism,
Hinduism, etc.
Sadly, many who claim to be
adherents of Christianity do practice Christianity as if it were a religion.
To many, Christianity is nothing
more than a set of rules and rituals that a person has to observe in order to
go to heaven after death.
That is not true Christianity. True
Christianity is not a religion; rather, it is having a right relationship with
God by receiving Jesus Christ as the Savior-Messiah, by grace through faith.
Yes, Christianity does have
“rituals” to observe (e.g., baptism and communion).
Yes, Christianity does have “rules”
to follow (e.g., do not murder, love one another, etc.).
However, these rituals and rules are
not the essence of Christianity.
The rituals and rules of
Christianity are the result of salvation.
When we receive salvation through
Jesus Christ, we are baptized as a proclamation of that faith.
We observe communion in remembrance
of Christ’s sacrifice.
We follow a list of do’s and don’ts
out of love for God and gratitude for what He has done.
The most common misconception about
spirituality is that there are many forms of spirituality, and all are equally
valid.
Meditating in unusual physical
positions, communing with nature, seeking conversation with the spirit world,
etc., may seem to be “spiritual,” but they are in fact false spirituality.
True
spirituality is possessing the Holy Spirit of God as a result of
receiving salvation through Jesus Christ.
True
spirituality is the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in a person’s
life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control (Galatians
5:22-23).
Spirituality is all about becoming
more like God, who is spirit (John 4:24), and having our character conformed to His image (Romans 12:1-2).
What religion and spirituality have
in common is that they both can be false methods of having a relationship with
God.
Religion tends to substitute the
heartless observance of rituals for a genuine relationship with God.
Spirituality tends to substitute
connection with the spirit world for a genuine relationship with God.
Both can be, and often are, false
paths to God.
At the same time, religion can be
valuable in the sense that it points to the fact that there is a God and that
we are somehow accountable to Him.
The only true value of religion is
its ability to point out that we have fallen short and are in need of a Savior.
Spirituality can be valuable in that
it points out that the physical world is not all there is.
Human beings are not only material,
but also possess a soul-spirit.
There is a spiritual world around us
of which we should be aware.
The true value of spirituality is
that it points to the fact that there is something and someone beyond this
physical world to which we need to connect.
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of
both religion and spirituality.
Jesus is the One to whom we are
accountable and to whom true religion points.
Jesus is the One to whom we need to
connect and the One to whom true spirituality points.
Would you want to have a
relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ?
God will
grant us the ultimate gift, eternal life in His Kingdom through His grace if we
repent of our sins and obey His commands .
To
experience God as a personal, caring, loving Father, you have to receive Jesus
Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. You will become a child of God and
begin the fulfillment of the reason you were created by God.
Say the following prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.
I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past
sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me, and help me avoid
sinning again.
I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ
died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my
life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Thank You that
according to Your Word, I am now Your child, and I am born again.
Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. I promise to study Your
Word – the Bible.
Please use me for Your glory.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.”
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https://www.gotquestions.org/religion-spirituality.html
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