Christianity is not Religion 

According to the Bible, you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.

According to the Bible, there is no list of things you need to do to become a Christian.

According to the Bible, following certain rules doesn’t make you a Christian.

According to the Bible, being able to recite Bible verses doesn’t make you a Christian.

So what does it mean to be a Christian?

It’s Possible…

It’s possible that everything you think you know about being a Christian is all wrong.

It’s possible that some of the people you think are Christians are just putting on a show.

It’s possible that some of the things your church is telling you are wrong.

It’s possible that God has a much greater plan for your life.

What God Wants

God doesn’t want you to choose sides and pick a Christian denomination.

God wants you to follow His Son Jesus.

God doesn’t want you to pretend to be a Christian on Sunday.

God wants you to love one another every minute of every day.

What Matters

You can be a member of any church and still not be a Christian.

You can be a member of any church and be a Christian.

It doesn’t matter where you go on Sunday or Saturday.

What matters is what’s in your heart.

What the Bible Says

The Bible says Christianity is who you are not what you do.

The Bible says that how you treat others is your Christian calling card.

The Bible says there is nothing more important than your attitude.

The Bible says there is no church that can make you a Christian.

Every One of Us

Each and every one of us has a hard time living up to God’s expectations.

Each and every one of us is being pushed away from God by opposing forces.

Each and every one of us needs to care more about others than we do ourselves.

Each and every one of us needs the help of a Savior.

We Are Nothing Without Jesus

We are all incomplete without Jesus.

No church can complete us.

Following the teachings of Jesus is our mission.

Any church that teaches otherwise is pointed in the wrong direction.

Jesus Saves

Jesus came to save all of us.

Not only certain denominations.

Jesus came to save those who have no church.

Jesus came to connect us all to God through Him.

Jesus came for you.

What Has Value

God wants us all to gather in worship.

Where we gather to worship God is unimportant.

God wants us all to acknowledge Him as our Creator and the Creator of all things.

How we make that proclamation is unimportant.

The only thing of value is our sincere, heartfelt, love for God and the teachings of His Son Jesus Christ.

Christianity is about Love

Christianity is about understanding that we are nothing without God.

Christianity is about understanding that the only way to connect with God is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Christianity is about demonstrating our faith in Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbor.

Christianity is about knowing that the spiritual connection that holds us all together is love.

Don’t be Misguided

If someone is telling you there is a certain set of rules you need to follow to be a Christian, you are being misguided.

If someone is telling you there is a certain place you need to go on a certain day of the week to be a Christian, you are being misguided.

If someone is telling you there is a list of Bible verses you need to know to be a Christian, you are being misguided.

If someone is telling you that anything other than love for God and love for your neighbor is required to be a Christian, you are being misguided.

What Jesus Says

When Jesus was asked to describe the most important aspect of his teaching he said this:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”   Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said everything hinges on loving God and loving your neighbor.

Nothing is more important.

If you get this right, everything else follows naturally from within.

Nothing on the outside of your heart will make you a Christian.

Go Deeper Here:

All scripture references are linked to Bible Gateway so that you can read each verse in context.  Bible Gateway allows you to change the verse to your favorite translation and compare it side-by-side with multiple translations.  In addition, you can select to hear an audio version of any verse by clicking on the speaker icon.  Keep the Bible Gateway App on your phone so that you can visit the Word of God at any time during your day.

Find Rest in Jesus