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Relationship Not Religion

Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Amen!  I just keep thinking of Mom's words to Dad, "If we cower at death, what have we got that's so special?"  Right on, Mom.  Paul said so too.  This entire chapter of scripture is bringing out Jesus' sacrifice as an atonement, once for all.  And then Paul ends with a call to perseverance in the faith.  His last line is what you read above.  So powerful.  As followers of Jesus, we have something that no other religion has, a living Savior.  Our leader is alive and well, and he is living in each of his followers to bring about change in the hearts of men and women to continue his impact on the world.  I do not like to call Christianity a religion for that very reason.  Religion to me is a set of rules and morals to follow and achieve.  It is a specific standard with certain rituals to be followed.  Christianity is not a religion in that sense.  Oh, we do have a way that we are called to live and we do have standards and I suppose even rituals, one might say.  The difference is that in Christianity, we depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to do all of these things in us.  It is not our job to achieve anything.  And in order to allow the Holy Spirit to do the work, we must have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  I have a relationship, not a religion.  I follow Jesus because he loved me enough to come to earth to die on a cross to atone for my sinfulness.  And not only his death draws me to him, but more so his resurrection.  He descended into Hell in my place and came out victorious over the grave.  I follow Jesus because he is alive and he lives in me.  I need not cower because I am not destroyed.  I am victorious through the cross of Christ and I live in his resurrection now and for eternity.  Hallelujah!

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