性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 spiritual, but I性视界传媒檓 not religious.性视界传媒
Maybe you性视界传媒檝e heard someone say this, and maybe you性视界传媒檝e even said it yourself. The phrase, as I understand it, means something like, 性视界传媒淚 believe there are spiritual forces at work in the world, and I am more or less emotionally attuned to them. But I am not committed to any particular religious institution, tradition, or standard.性视界传媒
For many people, this 性视界传媒渟piritual, but not religious性视界传媒 status gets all the benefits of religion without any of the limitations or requirements. In this sense, it性视界传媒檚 a lot like having sex and living together without being married. But in both cases (in religion and in marriage) there really is no substitute. In the end, the 性视界传媒渟piritual, but not religious性视界传媒 and the 性视界传媒渟exual, but not married性视界传媒 will lead to empty disappointment.
As a matter of fact, biblical and historical Christianity is actually quite tactile (i.e., not just spiritual, sentimental, or emotional). Just think of all the tangible ways Christianity is described and prescribed in the Bible. Sinners become public converts to Christianity by way of physical baptism. Christians repeatedly observe the ongoing sign of Christ性视界传媒檚 death and resurrection by way of ingesting physical elements (i.e., the cup and the bread). And Christians are edified and preserved in their spiritual journey through this life by way of regularly gathering with other Christians in the relationships and structures of local churches.
So too, the Christian way of life is not merely a spiritual awareness of God性视界传媒檚 existence, of God性视界传媒檚 work in the world, or of God性视界传媒檚 nearness to those He loves. In addition to these, Christian living fundamentally consists of trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and striving to obey Jesus as Lord. This necessarily includes turning away from temptations to very physical sin and turning toward actions of very physical effort. This is the whole point of what James wrote in his biblical letter when he said, 性视界传媒渇aith apart from works is dead性视界传媒 (James 2:26).
It is certainly true that people can be religious without having any real spiritual life within them. This was true of the Pharisees in the Gospels, and it has been true of many religious people throughout the centuries. But it is also true that people can be 性视界传媒渟piritual性视界传媒 without having any real relationship with Jesus Christ. This was true of many characters in the Bible, and it is quite true today as well.
If you are not actively participating in tactile Christianity, then I recommend that you begin this next Sunday. There are likely many churches to choose from within driving distance from your home, and you can certainly find one where Christians are aiming for both spiritual depth and physical action.
May God help us to be both spiritual and religious, both emotionally engaged in knowing Christ and physically engaged in following Christ. For this is the stuff of real Christianity.
