Is Religion More Important Than Relationship?

 

God Simply Wants a Relationship
We often talk about the fact that it is a relationship that God is desiring, not a religion. When asked, most Mormons would agree with this idea. They would tell you that they DO have a relationship with Jesus. But what is the key element that defines relationship? Think about it for a minute. Think of your closest and dearest relationships. What turns a casual association into a deep and meaningful relationship? How do you know when an acquaintance has turned into a dear friend?

It’s a Matter of Trust
You only trust the people with whom you have the deepest relationship. Trust is the defining ingredient. You can’t trust strangers, and the people you do trust are generally those with whom you are the closest. Trust is, in fact, the foundation of true relationship, the very thing that God is calling us to have with him. God hates it when we trust anyone other than him, because he knows that we will eventually worship what we have come to trust:

 
Matthew 15:8-9
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 
Are We Simply Trusting Ourselves?
God doesn’t want us trusting in the commandments of men, because when we do this we start to trust in our own ability to successfully accomplish and honor these commandments, and this kind of work based system does not honor God. In essence, when we worship and trust in our ability to follow the rules, we fail to worship the Rule Maker. When we focus on our ability to be “good”, we simply begin to place our trust in ourselves, rather than in the God of the universe:

 
2 Corinthians 1:9-10
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us

 
The Christian Perspective
God commands us specifically in this area. Stop trusting in yourself. Stop trusting in your own good works. When you do that, you are developing a relationship with yourself, not with God. And you’re fooling yourself. Your own works can’t save you, but more importantly, you’re obsession with good works is robbing you of a relationship with God! When you are focused on your own righteousness, you are, in essence, denying the righteousness of God:

 
Philippians 3:1-9
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith

 
Christians know that relationship is built on trust, and trust is a key element of faith. There’s not a single thing you can present to God to earn your salvation. There’s not a single thing you can present to God that will impress him. In fact, your efforts to earn your salvation, even the slightest fraction of your salvation, are absolutely offensive to God:

 
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 
A Very Different Mormon Perspective
Yet Mormons continue to trust someone other than Christ for their salvation. They may recognize Jesus' value in making the resurrection possible, but they do not trust him for their SALVATION. Mormons continue to trust themselves for this:

2 Nephi 25:23
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

  
When you begin to believe that the Grace of God only begins when all your hard work ends, you are saying, in essence, that my relationship and trust in you, Lord, begins only when my relationship with myself ends. I’ll trust you only when I’m done trusting myself. I’ll love you enough to have that kind of relationship only when I’m done loving myself. Mormons have clearly been taught to trust their own good works and have redefined this trust in ‘works’ as a relationship with God:

 
Mosiah 4:6
I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body

Mormons believe that there salvation is dependent upon their own good works. In fact they believe that perfection is required to be saved to eternal life.

Relationship Verses Religion
But trusting your own diligence in keeping God’s commandments does not bring you closer to God. It pushes God away altogether. Religions trust in good works and rituals; relationships are never defined by these behaviors. It’s because I know that God has done so much for me, offering me the free gift of Salvation even when I don’t deserve it, that I have a grateful heart and am more than willing to serve and obey him. But I never for a minute believe that my works save me.

And I know that whenever I see a faith system that requires good work for salvation, I am in the presence of a religion, not a relationship. The Pharisees understood religion and missed a relationship with God. Only orthodox, historical Christianity offers the opportunity to TRUST God for everything and move back from religion to relationship.