CHRISTIANITY IS MORE THAN A RELATIONSHIP
Recently an independent fundamental Baptist told his church, “The
foundation is not built upon tenants of God’s Word, but the person of
Christ.” I’m not sure if his church members even realized what was being
taught through this statement he made. This is always how the tentacles of
heresy worm their way into the hearts of good Christians.
It has become more and more popular for Christians to claim that
Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. In fact many will
downplay doctrine while making having a relationship as premier. Make no
mistake it is possible for someone to have a relationship with Christ, but
Christianity is not about having a relationship with Christ. Christianity is
about receiving, by faith, the gift of salvation and committing ourselves to
be disciples.
Having a relationship is a by-product not an end
Jesus did not say if any man will have a relationship with me, he said, “If
any man will come after me.” The three things that followed have nothing to
do with some kind of touchy-feely relationship. Look carefully at each one
of them.
Deny yourself
Now what does that have to do with having a relationship? In fact this
entire attitude of relationship Christianity is about pleasing ourselves not
denying ourselves. Jesus did not say follow me and I will make you my best
friends. He said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. The work of
being a Christian is exactly that work.
The second thing Jesus said is that we would take up our
cross daily.
We are to take upon ourselves that which we were called to do on a daily
basis. That is not about a relationship. That is about obedience. “Can two
walk together, except they be agreed?” the Bible asks. Philippians 3:10
says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Where
is the fellowship? It is in knowing or experiencing his suffering.
Finally Jesus said, “follow me.”
He did not say walk with me. He said follow me. A good general does not look
for soldiers with whom he can have a relationship. He looks for soldiers who
will follow him. A good boss does not look for employees that will have a
relationship with him. He looks for employees who will follow him. A good
leader is not looking for relationships. A good leader is looking for people
who will follow him. Jesus was looking for disciples. He was looking for men
and women who would be disciplined and come after him in the way he
described.
The fact is, we cannot even be the friend of Christ unless we are willing
first to be obedient to his commandments. John 15:14 says, “Ye are my
friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” That doesn’t sound like a
relationship comes first. That sounds like a person must obey and follow
first before there can ever possibly be a relationship.
One of the things that I have heard that is quite disturbing is that
salvation is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Let me make it
clear, that is totally false. Conviction precedes salvation which means that
conviction is more important than a relationship. Conviction for what? We
must be convicted of our sins. Show me one example in the Bible of someone
coming to Christ to have a relationship with him. Nothing even akin to that
is mentioned.
The Unsaved Can Have a Relationship
People who “enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ” may do so without
ever truly receiving him as their Savior. In other words it is possible for
someone to think they are having a relationship when in reality they are
still on their way to hell. How can that be you ask. Let me explain.
Throughout the years I have had individuals who have sought to have a close
relationship with me. There are some who have even claimed to be my good
friends, but I didn’t even know them. Quite frankly none of those people
have ever had a close relationship with me. The people with whom I have a
close relationship have always been the people who have been going in the
same direction I am going and doing the work that I am doing. A man doesn’t
come to work for me to have a good relationship with me. He comes to work
with me to do what I tell him to do. We will build a relationship but it
will be based upon his obedience to what I tell them to do.
The Bible does not say that if a man is not in a relationship with Jesus
Christ he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. It says that a man must
be born again. How is one born again. We are born of the spirit. We by faith
in what Christ did for us receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our hope for
heaven and as a substitute for our sins. Getting saved makes possible a
relationship with Jesus Christ. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is
not getting saved.
Now it all sounds good in this touchy-feely society in which we live but
it’s false. It is not about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is
about putting one’s faith in Christ and then being an obedient disciple of
Christ by doing exactly what Christ said we must do. Once we have become
obedient we become his friends. Jesus offers us an opportunity to develop a
relationship with him but that is not the main purpose. That is a byproduct.
We have made the byproduct into the end goal. We want to have a relationship
as our main purpose when in reality having a relationship is a byproduct of
our main purpose.
Jesus did not come to build relationships He came to save
the unsaved.
It is interesting to note that nowhere in our Lord’s life on this
earth did we see him talking about having a relationship with people. It
didn’t happen. He did not come to build relationships. He came to seek and
to save that which was lost. His goal was that those who are saved would
become disciples of his and live for him. Those who chose to do so are
called friends as a byproduct of their obedience.
When I got married I entered into a responsibility to be a husband to my
wife. I chose her to have a position in my life as my wife and I chose to be
in the position of her husband. We did not enter into a relationship. We
entered into a commitment. After 53 years of following that commitment we
have built a strong relationship. Many a marriage is ruined by trying to
have a relationship without fulfilling one’s responsibility. You will not
have a good relationship in any endeavor of life without being what you are
supposed to be within the parameters of that particular situation.
The Apostles never spoke about having a relationship with
Christ.
The Bible never speaks of Apostles having a relationship with
Jesus Christ. So who does? Well let me tell you. It is those who are
championing this new age, emerging church, anything goes false gospel. What
they’ are really trying to say is that being obedient is not all that
important as having a relationship is. It is their way of negating those
parts of the Christian life they would prefer not to live or obey. If it’s
about relationship than obeying God’s word is no longer as important. That’s
their way out. It’s their excuse. They are wrong and don’t fall for it.
Christianity is not about a relationship. It never has been.
If someone were to ask me what kind of relationship do you have with Jesus
Christ, my answer would be that I am a servant of Jesus Christ. I hope that
I have served him well. I hope as a byproduct that he recognizes me as His
friend. I hope that he sees my obedience and my commitment to do what he has
called me to do and considers me as His friend. I did not seek to be his
friend. I sought to be his servant and I hope as a result I have come to be
his friend. I am not seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ. I am seeking
to give my life to him because I owe it to him to do so. I hope that he will
one day say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” For if I am
faithful as His servant, then and only then can I be called His friend.
