“Rather, the real Jew is the person who is a Jew on the inside, that is, whose heart has been circumcised, and this is the work of God’s Spirit, not of the written Law. Such a person receives praise from God, not from human beings” – Romans 2:29 

Reflection

We can clearly get the difference between Christians and religious people by simply reading from Romans 2:29 and more insight is received by reading the whole of Romans 2 with the help of the Holy Spirit. We clearly hear how Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans is trying to turn away the hearts of men from focusing on human teachings and instead welcoming spiritual teachings from Jesus Christ.

He did address the people who considered themselves Jews and keepers of God’s commandments. We hear him reproaching them for thinking that they are keepers and teachers of God’s Laws when they themselves haven’t understood neither do they put what they teach into action. While the Jews believed that they were set aside for everlasting life through physical circumcision and other physical rituals, Apostle Paul rather calls Jews anyone who puts God’s commands into action and has had his heart circumcised by the Holy Spirit.

This short passage teaches us much on the difference between following Jesus Christ and being a religious person. The Jews whom Apostle Paul had to reproach were considered as religious people by their time. They were the first people to read God’s laws yet did not seek to truly understand what it meant. They were in error yet believed that they knew everything and that no one could teach them. They saw themselves as righteous guides to the blind as well as light to those who were living in darkness.

These people taught that they had the full knowledge about the Law and could act as better teachers for the ignorant and foolish. The things they were asking others to do were done the other way round by them. This is to say that they did not teach with examples since they said a thing and did the contrary. Yet this did not stop them from being the first people to run to the Synagogue and take leading places. They valued human praise than that of God. And even when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, they remained in their blindness and refused to listen from Him. Rather they chose to kill Him and remain in ignorance.  Unfortunately, while the world is believing in Jesus Christ to be saved, most of them are still dwelling in ignorance up to date.

All the above mentioned facts are characteristics of religious people. They believe that it is by regularly going to church that they are saved. For more information, read our article on why going to church does not make you a Christian. Religious people are more focused on religious rituals than learning and obeying the teachings of Jesus Christ. Religious people prefer to do it the way their ancestors did rather than welcoming the Holy Spirit and allowing it to work within them. Religious people are always listening to God’s words but they neither put these words into action nor even believe from their hearts. Religious people prefer to remain with what they know rather than learning the truth. Religious people will prefer religion which is a set of ritual routines over spirituality which is allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in pleasing God through Jesus Christ.

Prophet T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue Church of all Nations did pour more light on the difference between Christians and religious people where he emphasized on the fact that religious people lack spirituality. True Christians humbly accept that they are poor sinners in need of help from Jesus Christ. In addition, they are more focused on learning and practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ rather than playing the hypocrite like the religious people.

True Christians are fully adopted by the Holy Spirit while religious people are not. Christians are made worthy before God by living the words of Jesus Christ and also allowing these words to live within them. The purity of the heart through Jesus Christ is what actually makes us Christians.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ may you purify our hearts and make us yours forever.