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RELIGION

Webster Dictionary defines religion as:

1 - the belief in a God or a group of Gods

2 - an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a God or a group of Gods

3 - an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person a group (i.e., hockey is a religion in Canada.)

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WHAT DOES RELIGION MEAN TO YOU?�

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THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES IN THE SCRIPTURES WHERE CHRIST RIDICULED THE RELIGIOUS TEACHERS OF HIS DAY. HE CALLED THE PHARISEES, WHO WERE THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE JEWS IN HIS DAY, HYPOCRITES. �

Matthew 23:27

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed, appear beautiful outwardly. But inside, are full of dead men’s bones and uncleanliness. Jesus knew that the motives of these religious leaders was to manipulate the masses. Fear was their technique. He was not a friend of the religious crowd.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.”

This statement and truth was quite upsetting to the religious leaders.

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WHAT DO YOU SAY IN REACTION TO JESUS’ STATEMENT?

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RELATIONSHIP

Webster dictionary defines a relationship as:

1 - the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected or the state of being connected (i.e., the relationship between this and/or that)

2 - the state of being connected by blood or marriage (i.e., tracing a relationship to a common ancestor)

3 - the way in which two or more people or groups behave toward each other (i.e., the landlord/tenant relationship)

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According to a new survey from the UK, the top three elements that make relationships work are:

1 - honesty

2 - communication

3 - commitment

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HOW DO YOU THINK RELATIONSHIPS DIFFER FROM RELIGION?�

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LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT GALATIANS 3:24 – GALATIONS 4:6 �

3:24 Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

3:25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

3:27 For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

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LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT GALATIANS 3:24 – GALATIONS 4:6 �

4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

4:2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son; then an heir of God through Christ.

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ADOPTED INTO GOD'S FAMILY?�WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE AN HEIR OF GOD?�

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Being adopted in the God’s family and being made a joint Heir with Christ means that we have all the riches at our disposal that are indeed Christ's. We have a Father son / daughter relationship with God, the Father, because of what Christ did for us. Once we receive Christ by understanding who He is and what He did, we are His children by adoption. We can then experience all that God has given for us.

Note: Prior to this event in one's life, (becoming a Christian) the scripture in the book of Ephesians states that we are "at enmity with God" or at WAR with God. We do not have His spirit life within us. Once adopted, we are "Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE "SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE?"�

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God has brought us into a relationship in Jesus Christ by adopting us into his family and sealing us with the Holy Spirit of promise. We are no longer at “enmity with God”, but we are in God's family. The ultimate RELATIONSHIP! God fills all those empty pieces of our life. He fulfills all our core needs of love. acceptance, security, value & worth.

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CONCLUSION

According to Wikipedia, there are 10,000 religions of the world. Jesus did not come to bring religion. He came so that we might have a relationship with the Almighty God. Jesus had many interactions with individuals in the scriptures, where He displayed the love and empathy that he had for humankind. This love was described as agape love or unconditional, nonprejudicial love. It was most vividly displayed by Him by giving his life so that anyone receiving Him might have eternal life. His sacrificial act of love allowed us to be reunited with God, the Father, and to have a relationship with him.

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