Religious Like Me?

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma" (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Recently a good friend invited me on an outing with a couple of friends of his, telling me that I would like them a lot because they are "religious like you."  I'm pretty sure I know what he meant by that.  At least, I sure hope he meant what I think that he did!  But either way, his choice of words really set me to thinking.  Is that the image I present to those who know me, that I am "religious"?  Is an outward adherence to a set of dogma what I am putting on display before others?  Is that what a Christian is at heart?

Paul told the believers in Ephesus to "be imitators of God."  And in elaboration of that command he urged them to "walk in love."  He further presented to them the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the perfect example of such love.  He reminded them that Jesus "gave Himself up for us" as a once for all time offering for our sins.  His, then, was a truly sacrificial love.  Very simply, He put all of mankind ahead of Himself when He went to the cross and paid the price for our sins!

But let's get back to this "religious" thing for a moment.  Is that really what any one of us as Christians wants to convey to those who know us...that we act religiously?  How will that lead anyone to faith in Jesus Christ?  Being an imitator of the Lord Jesus Christ, beloved, is of necessity an attitude of heart made visible through a manner of life.  Because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, He lives within me.  And because He lives within me, I live Him outside of me for everyone to see!

In all honesty I must confess to you that I have definitely not mastered that last line just yet.  I find that it was a whole lot easier for me to write in this blog than it is for me to do day after day after day.  I'm still working on that part of it.  But that fact does not change for a single moment the need for me, for each one of us, to be more than just somebody's idea of "religious"!

What my good friend said to me today, and I am sure that he meant it in a very positive way, is something that I for one definitely want to change.  I don't want to be somebody's idea of "religious."  I do want to be somebody's idea of a person who clearly knows Jesus Christ personally.  Want to join me?

Ron