Spiritual or Religious

1. Spiritual or Religious

2. Spiritual or Religious An important distinction exists between spirituality inreligion and spirituality as opposed to religion. Spirituality inreligion often carries connotations of a believer having a faith more personal and less dogmatic. Not to be deceived when some speak of spirituality as opposed to religion they generally believe in the existence of many "spiritual paths" and deny any objective truth about the best path to follow.

3. Spiritual or Religious An objective fact or truth means a truth that remains true everywhere, independently of human thought or feelings. In other words, it is true always and everywhere. A subjective fact or truth is a truth that is only true in certain times, places or people. The adherents of this definition emphasize the importance of finding one's own path to whatever-god-there-is. In summary, the path which makes the most coherent sense becomes the correct one (for oneself). People of this new age disposition tend to regard spirituality not as religion per se, but as the active and vital connection to a force/power/energy.

4. Spiritual or Religious To disciples of Jesus Christ, referring to one's self as "more spiritual than religious" implies relative deprecation of rules, rituals, and tradition while preferring an intimate relationship with God. The basis for this belief is that Jesus Christ came to free man from those rules, rituals, and traditions, giving them the ability to "walk in the spirit" thus maintaining a "lifestyle” through that one-to-one relationship with God. We regard spirituality as an expression of our one-to-one relationship with God and not in terms of secular "worldliness" or the ritualistic expressions of religion.

5. Spiritual or Religious Therefore, during this discussion we will regard spirituality as an expression of our one-to-one relationship with God and not in terms of secular "worldliness" or the ritualistic expressions of religion.

6. Spiritual or Religious Webster defines a tradition as an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom). However, … Biblically, traditions refer tothe teachings of the rabbis and interpretations of the Law.

7. Spiritual or Religious The Torah(Hebrew: doctrine, teaching) is the revered inspired words of God, as revealed to Moses by God. The Torah is sometimes referred to as the (written) Law or written Torah (unlike the oral Torah called the Mishnah). The Torah is the first part of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, and is made up of five books. For that reason it is also called the Pentateuch, or "the Five Books of Moses". The five books of the Torah are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

8. Spiritual or Religious Many Jewish laws are not directly mentioned in the Torah, but are derived from textual hints, which were expanded orally. This was called the oral tradition or oral Torah. Jewish tradition holds that the written Torah was transmitted in parallel with the oral tradition. Jews point to texts of the Torah, where many words and concepts are left undefined and many procedures are mentioned without explanation or instructions. After many years of effort, the oral traditions were written down by Rabbi Judah haNasi who compiled a written version of the Oral Law, the Mishnah.

9. Spiritual or Religious How the Mishnah (613 commandments) is organized: Zeraim deals with prayer and blessings, tithes and agricultural laws Moed pertains to the laws of the Sabbath and Festivals Nashim concerns marriage and divorce, oaths and the laws of the Nazirite Nezikin deals with civil and criminal law, and the functioning of the courts Kodashim regards sacrificial rites, the Temple, and the dietary laws Tohorot pertains to the laws of purity and impurity, including the impurity of the dead, the laws of ritual purity for the priests, and the laws of "family purity"

10. Spiritual or Religious The Mishnah and Gemara together are called the Talmud. The Gemara (Aramaic: "[to] study" or "learning by tradition") is the part of the Talmud that contains rabbinical commentaries and analysis of the Mishnah.

11. The Religious • Religion Is Something To Believe And Do! (Religion is believing in God, attending religious services, being baptized, and receiving communion.) Matthew 15:1-9; Isaiah 1:13 • Religion Doesn’t Change Hearts! (Religion gives an outward appearance, only Christ can change hearts.) Matthew 23:27-28 • Religion makes Much Of Little! (Religion has a passion for detail.) Luke 11:42

12. The Religious • Religion Offers The Approval Of Men rather Than God! (Religion uses its spiritual reputation to get social attention and honors. Opinions and the attention of man is more important than the approval of God.) Matthew 23:5 • Religion Makes Hypocrites of Us! (What looks good may have an evil heart.) Matthew 23:28 • Religion Makes Life A Hard Life Harder! (Because religion cannot change a heart, it tries to control people with laws and expectations that are not even kept by the religious who interpret the rules.)

13. The Religious • Religion makes It Easy To Deceive Ourselves! (Religious people don’t see themselves as the God-rejecting people they are.) • Religion Holds The Key Of Knowledge! (Religious people are those who trust the beliefs and actions of their religion to do what only Christ can do.) • Religion Leads It’s Converts Astray! (Converts of religion are in jeopardy. They bring a lot of enthusiasm to their new way of life, and they put themselves in the trust of people who exchanged a system of rules and traditions for the one-to-one relationship with an infinite Savior.) Matthew 23:15

14. The Bottom Line… • (Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter!) • Christ Is Someone To Know And Trust! • (Jesus is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father.) Hebrews 7:25

15. The Spiritual When God created Adam, He created him to be in a one-to-one relationship with Him. But, he chose to disobey God. The result of man's sinfulness and God's holiness is alienation, because God is perfect in all His ways, and He will not tolerate sin nor will He enter into sin’s presence. Therefore, man is not worthy of a relationship with a holy God because of Adam's sin (Romans 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:22). But God …

16. The Spiritual • “God so loved the world that he gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). • Jesus came so that each of us could know and understand God in a personal way. So, we begin our personal relationship with God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. • Pursue intimacy (build a loving relationship) with God that we might give a clear picture (evidence) of how God wants to produce a real demonstration of a spiritual relationship within us.

17. Proof of Spirituality SUBMIT & OBEY GOD! HEAR FROM GOD ! MEDITATE ON GOD , HIS WORKS, AND HIS WORD! PRAY: RESPOND & INTERACT WITH GOD! WORSHIP & PRAISE GOD!

18. Submit & Obey God When the Bible uses the word “submit” we as believers are to subject ourselves and obey (Matthew 5:5) In its use in Scripture, “meek”has deeper significance than in non-scriptural writings. It consists not in a person's "outward behavior” only, nor in his relations to his fellow-men. Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us without disputing or resisting; it is closely linked with the word humility. The meek are those who submit themselves to God, His word (directions), and His will.

19. Hear From God In order to hear from God, we must first “receive” teaching. The idea is that we must be open to instruction and ready to listen to it. “Hearing from God” provides us both knowledge and the ability to use the knowledge in daily living. Therefore, in the Bible “hearing from God” means a manner of thinking about life’s experiences that results in skillful handling of life.

20. Hear From God • Soft Heart Toward Him • Willing; Obedient: (Isaiah 1:19,20;  1 Samuel 15:22-23) • Teachable; Listening (Isaiah 55:8-9; Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 4:12-13) • Read God's Word That He Might Personally • Speak To You (John 1:1, 14) • Don't Just Quickly Read God's Word • (Psalm 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:15)

21. Meditate MEDITATE ON GOD, HIS WORKS, AND ON HIS WORD (JOSHUA 1:8) Meditate implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on God, His works, and on His Word so as to understand it deeply.

22. What are you saying to me? • - How Does My Circumstances • Confirm What I Hear From God's Word? • How Does What Godly People Are Saying • Confirm What I Hear From God's Word? • How Does What I Sense In Prayer • Confirm What I Hear From God's Word?

23. Pray When you “pray” ask with the intent "to call to one's aid” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Prayer is to be offered in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 14:13), that is, the prayer must be in accord with His character, and must be presented in the spirit of dependence and submission upon Him. The Holy Spirit, being the sole interpreter of the needs of the human heart, makes His intercession therein; and inasmuch as prayer is impossible to man apart from His help (Romans 8:26), believers are exhorted to pray at all times in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16).

24. Respond & Interact with God • Communicate With God About What He Is Saying To You Or Showing You! • Ask Him To Help You Do It , Then Commit To Do It!

25. Worship and Praise God “Worship” of God is regarded as the direct acknowledgement to God, of His nature, attributes, ways, and claims, whether by the outpouring of the heart in praise and thanksgiving or by deed done in such acknowledgment. Worship then is understood as showing reverence and respect for God, and who He is. “Praise" is to be ascribed to God, in respect of His glory, which is the exhibition of His character and operations. Praise then is better understood as glorifying God for what He does.

26. Confess & Reconnect to God • (John 14:21-23) • God will enhance your relationship (v. 21) • God will show Himself and His love to you (v. 21) • God will be free to “capture” your heart, • fill you with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), • and live and work through you (v.23)

27. Confess & Reconnect to God • Be intimate (one) with God! (John 15, John 17) • Go from doing to being! • Allow God to increase and decrease you! (John 3:30) • Allow God to expand your life for Him!

28. Confess & Reconnect to God • Be abundant and have full life! (John 10:10; Matthew 16:25) • Be a true disciple! (Luke 9:23) • Be more and more like Jesus! (Romans 8:29) • After all it is all about God working in • and through you ! (Philippians 1:6)

29. Spiritual or Religious? Bottom Line! "Religion is not identical with spirituality!” Jesus is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father (Hebrews 7:25).

30. Are You Spiritual or Religious?You make the call!!!

31. Spiritual or Religious • Am I Spiritual or Religious? • Do I have a sober understanding of my God-given responsibility? • Am I faithful to my calling? • Am I more concerned about what others think of me than what God thinks of me? • Do I have a clear conscience? • Am I hiding anything? • Are my motives pure?