HELEN SANDERS
1-21-2026
RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP

As we study the Old Testament, we see that God set into the lives of the Jews laws regarding religious rules and responsibilities. The Holy Spirit only came on the prophets, the priests, the kings, and occasionally on just an individual. If the people wanted a word from God, they had to go to a prophet to hear what God had to say. You could say that this was their religion. Individuals did not have a one-on-one relationship with God. Everything was done by works of the flesh to please God.

In the New Testament the Jews were waiting for their “Messiah” who would come and set up his kingdom so they would no longer be under the dictatorship of the Roman government. The Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees dictated the religious activities of the people. They felt they were the only ones that could dictate religious dogma. They believed their “religious works” made them superior to others.

Then Jesus came on the scene and talked about relationship. He came to set people free from works to know God. After his resurrection and Pentecost, the people were filled with the Holy Spirit and had a relationship with God.They were like Adam before the fall in the Garden of Eden. They could talk to God individually.

Paul wrote in Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified [forgiven of sin] by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified [forgiven of sin] by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Jesus came to reconcile us back to the Father through his sacrifice. Once again, we can have a relationship. We are no longer doing things as religious acts to appease God. We have received Jesus by faith.

The choice is ours to be religious; believing we are justified [forgiven of sin] by our works or religious deeds, or to have a relationship based on the work that Jesus did through his shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection.

A relationship with God is based on love, while religious works are based on duty. Religious rules, regulations, and good works will never bring us salvation. Works “follow” salvation because we love God and the personal relationship we have with him. We serve Him out of love and not out of duty.