Yesterday I opened this up with the
statement that religion is not faith.
I suppose that means I have to define
one before we get to the other to make things easier to understand.
So what is religion?
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n.
1.
a. The
belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers,
regarded as creating and governing the universe: respect
for religion.
b. A
particular variety of such belief, especially when organized into
a system of doctrine and practice: the
world's many religions.
c. A
set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a
spiritual leader.
2. The
life or condition of a person in a religious order: a
widow who went into religion and became a nun.
3. A
cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious
devotion: a
person for whom art became a religion.
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So it would seem there are a few
different definitions, of which these are only two examples. Rather
than argue about the meaning of a word, I'll give you my definition,
and base my comments on that.
Religion is a combination of
accepted lore or stories coupled with a hierarchy of steps taken by
those who practice it to achieve a relationship with God in
accordance to the accepted principles of their peers.
Most religions have a priesthood of
some sort, a group of individuals who devote themselves to the study
of these stories to interpret and define the way God wants you to
act.
The priesthood, by the authority of
their position, then determine the correct way for the adherents to
properly worship God. This includes ceremonies and rituals to
demonstrate the willingness of the individuals to follow the
religion. Communion, Baptism, Marriage, Confession and Ordination are
all rituals associated with religions. By participating in these
rituals and by attending regular services to worship, a person is
seen as religious.
But does being religious mean you have
faith?
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Out of the four definitions above, I
would have to go with #3. Simply put, it means you believe there IS a
God.
Now it's interesting to me that #4
places the word in an “either / or” situation, even if the two
might seem to be a combined form. But neither of the two definitions
appear to approach the Biblical meaning of the word.
The author wrote in Hebrews 11.1 : “Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen.
“
So
faith requires something more than belief, since belief implies
substance or factual evidence. And we all know there is no way to
physically or factually prove God.
I
also note with some amusement the word “institution” is a
prominent work in all three definitions. Institutions are man-made,
not divinely created. They have little to do with our ability to
discern God or His intentions. Institutions are about organizing and
planning and regimenting procedures. Institutions are about making
sure everyone is on the “same page”.
Now
certainly an institution, especially one that has existed for
thousands of years and has refined their principles down to the most minuscule detail can teach you its tenets and dogma. But can it give
you faith? Can any institution so thoroughly indoctrinate it's
adherents that they would be willing to march into the gates of hell
based on the tenets and dogma of the clergy?
Historically,
the answer is yes. We have seen war and prejudice leap out of
institutions supposedly intended to bring man closer to God. The
Crusades, the Jihads, even the Holocaust, all based on people being
told this is what God wanted, even when they were asked to do things
that directly opposed the principles of the religion.
Yet
faith, true faith, has nothing to do with religion.
Here
is my definition:
Faith
is living your life in service to God, regardless of the actions or
beliefs of others.
In
order to have faith, you must first acknowledge there is a God, you
must believe there is a way to enter into a relationship with that
God, and you must then devote your life to obtaining that
relationship.
Therefore,
if you are unwilling to live your life in service to God, you do not
have faith.
