How does religion vs relationship with God differ from one another?
Sometimes, a person can be actively involved in his belief but still remain ignorant about this.
On the other hand, having a personal relationship with God is like having a trusted friend always there for you.
The best place to start learning about building a relationship with God is through the best-selling book of all time, the Holy Bible.
If you need help navigating it, let Rob Bell’s book called What Is the Bible? guide you.
You will find it on Blinkist, an online platform offering book summaries from a wide range of categories.
What Is Religion?
In its simplest definition, religion is “the service and worship of God or the supernatural.”
Similarly, some scholars say that it is a collective system of practices and beliefs related to sacred things.
Humans created rules and religions for the people to follow, partnered with good works, to receive salvation.
Generally, religion teaches people what they need to do.
They believe they must serve a god because it is the right thing to do.
What Is Relationship With God?
Relationship in Christianity means you have to fully trust God for salvation.
You have to surrender your life and heart to Jesus Christ and obey His commands.
As a result, you serve Christ not because you are obliged to by rules, but because you want to please Him by doing His will.
If you decide to have a relationship with Christ, you must repent and confess your sins, surrendering everything to God.
Religion vs Relationship With God
For those who are wondering if Christianity is a religion, yes, it is.
However, believers would rather consider it as having a personal relationship with God.
To date, Christianity is the largest religion globally, focusing on the teachings and life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The followers, known as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah as predicted in the Old Testament and narrated in the New Testament.
God Wants a Relationship With You
Nevertheless, some Christians are more focused on religion with its rules and regulations created by their leaders.
The observance of their religious beliefs and traditions becomes routine to the point that they only go through its motions.
On the other hand, Christians who have a relationship with Jesus Christ practice their faith by studying the Bible instead of following human-made rules.
They don’t see prayer as a duty that they need to perform.
Rather, Christians use prayer to talk to God and be in His presence.
Don’t Miss Out on God’s Love
Some Christians think that God requires them to do something for Him so that He can love them.
In reality, what God wants is for His followers to have an intimate and personal relationship with him through genuine love.
He wants His people to understand the kind of love He is giving them and share it with others.
The people will not experience God’s true love if they will only obey their religion’s rules and regulations.
How Do You Connect With God Without Religion?
Some people call themselves spiritual instead of religious. They are the ones who lost their faith in religious institutions.
Nonetheless, they still long for the hope and mystery that these religious communities provide.
Undoubtedly, you can still connect with God even if you don’t want to affiliate yourself with a religious institution.
The people from the faith community you belong to can help you with your desire to connect with God.
Here are some ways for you to connect to God even without religion.
1. Be Grateful at All Times
People often forget to appreciate the things around them.
Being grateful for everything helps change and soften your heart.
It’s easier to connect to God if you know that what you have are blessings from Him.
2. Do Random Acts of Kindness
Small acts of kindness can cause a domino effect, inspiring others to do something similar.
It doesn’t have to be something big, too.
A simple smile you give a stranger is enough and can already uplift his spirit.
3. Focus on the Goodness of People
Always keep in mind that everyone has their good and bad side.
Make it a habit to focus on the goodness of the people you meet.
4. Love Yourself
God expects us to love and care for His creations, and that includes you.
Usually, people tend to look down on themselves.
You must keep in mind that no human is perfect. We all have flaws, and that is what makes us unique and different from others.
Do not feel guilty about loving yourself because, as you do, it will be easier to love God and others.
5. Learn To Slow Down
Experts constantly come up with technological innovations to make life easier.
And because people think they can do more, they take on more responsibilities.
If you want to connect with God, you need to slow down so that you can listen to what He wants you to hear.
Having a quiet mind and a calm heart allows you to recognize God’s love through your encounters and experiences.
Therefore, rest your mind and body if you feel tired. It’s God’s way of reminding you to appreciate His blessings.
6. Look Into the Eyes of Those You Meet
Sometimes, you can understand the other person better if you look into their eyes while you talk.
Eyes reveal the truth behind the words.
7. Meditate and Reflect
Learn how to meditate to quiet your mind and allow God to speak to you every day.
Look for the best option that will work for you.
8. Pray
Talk to God through prayers.
Open your heart and speak to Him with or without words as long as you can relay your feelings.
9. Sing
Sing! Some people can express themselves better through songs.
Find a piece that you can connect with deeply and offer that song to God.
Simple Ways To Develop the Habit of Hearing God’s Word
For Christians, the Holy Bible serves as their life’s instruction manual.
It is where they find answers and guidance from God.
Here are some techniques you can do to understand this complex book better.
- Set a specific time every day to read or listen to His words.
Make sure that you concentrate solely on understanding what you read.
- Pray as you read. Praying will help you reflect on the Word better.
Ask God for His guidance as you study His word.
- Read and meditate on one or two verses and try to digest God’s message for you.
Do not focus on finishing the Bible right away. Instead, decipher what God wants you to know.
- Take time to read a big portion of the Bible in a short amount of time so that you can interpret the whole story better.
- Listen to the audio Bible because you can get various parts while listening.
Quietly listen as you take the words into heart.
‘What Is the Bible?’ Book Summary
In Rob Bell’s book What Is the Bible?, he encourages the reader to look at the Holy Bible differently.
He wants them to view the Bible as a mixture of texts that deal with the varying challenges of their daily lives.
He suggests that people can understand themselves better if they read the Bible through the eyes of its human creator.
The Bible is a mixture of fairytales and violent stories. You will also find contradicting verses, making it more complicated.
Rob Bell suggests that the stories in the Bible indicate change and progress.
He then provided the adventures of Moses and Israel as an example.
Their story showed that every individual could leave the burdens of the past and become a new person.
He analyzed the language used by the authors in the Bible to find a deeper meaning of the story.
He said that whenever you read the Bible, remember who wrote it and what kind of life the author has during that time to understand better why the story is written that way.
Also, Rob Bell reminds the readers that the ancient authors who wrote the Bible have different sources for their stories, hence the contradiction.
In short, you have to be curious when reading the Bible to learn more as the stories have the power to transform the reader.
Learn More on Blinkist
You can find the book What is the Bible on Blinkist, an online platform providing the key ideas of this publication by Rob Bell.
You will also come across other books under the same topic if you want to explore more on this idea.
Moreover, there is a wide range of topics for you to check, too.
Generally, on Blinkist, you can read the summary of any book you are interested in within 15 to 20 minutes.
It is the perfect platform for people who are always in a rush.
Conclusion
Religion vs relationship with God is different in that one is focused on duty while the other is motivated by love.
The book What Is the Bible? by Rob Bell will give you a clear understanding of how to have a personal relationship with God.
You can also read or listen to the book’s key ideas on Blinkist, an online platform offering more than 4,500 book titles for your indulgence.