Religion vs. Relationship?

"I am not religious, I have a relationship with God."

I don't know about you but I have said this over and over.

I have told people this very thing many times.

This is true right? 

Religion is everywhere.

Mormonism, Hinduism, Sikh, etc..

The list could go on. 

A while ago I did a Bible study by Beth Moore on James and I learned something.

Pure undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 1:27

Pure undefiled religion isn't bad.

Yes, you heard me right.

Pure undefiled religion isn't bad.

I was completely thrown off when I heard that religion isn't bad.

Something I have said for years was a saying based off of a skewed view of pure undefiled religion.

When I look at other religions I see a lot of what other people see in me.

As a Christian I see that they witness, obey the law, treat people with kindness, spend time reading their  equivalent to the Bible, and pray.

I do all of these things too.

That's religion.

Religion serves a purpose. 

It is an action out of devotion.

1 Corinthians 12 talks about spiritual gifts and moves into chapter 13 to talk about how without love these are useless.

Religion is the same way.

We can be good, obey the laws, treat people kindly, read our Bible and pray but without love these do nothing.

That is what separates religion from pure undefiled religion.

It is so easy to get distracted and think that we have to tell people they are wrong in what they believe.

That religion is evil and condemns them.

James called us to be religious though.

He speaks about how important it is. 

But love is the key.

The Lord loves for us to be kind, read His word, pray, obey His commandments and share His heart with people.

He desires it out of love.

But above all these things put on love, 

which is the bond of perfection.

Colossians 3:14

When you take religion and the heart of the Father,

love is what bonds them together in perfection.

The Father is love. 

Love perfects religion.

It brings religion back to its pure undefiled purpose.

When I love something I want to express it somehow.

Worship, prayer, obedience, etc.

Pure undefiled religion is a display of love for our Father.

I have a relationship with my God that brings love into religion.