It is often said that Christianity is not a religion but rather a living relationship between God and His people. While 'religion' might evoke the thought of man trying to reach up to God, Christianity reveals how God has reached out to humanity in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Just thinking about this 'reaching out' from God and how it affects our lives, here are a few interesting things to bear in mind.
God with us
The prophet Isaiah tells of God's sign in the prophecy of salvation. 'Behold', he says, 'the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isaiah 7:12). Matthew points out that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, and notes that the name Immanuel means 'God with us' (Matt. 1:22-23).
What does it mean in practical terms to you as a Christian that 'God is with you'? Not only is it comforting to know that God is with us no matter the circumstances, but also that He promises to be with us forever (Matt. 28:20).
God for us
Not only is God with us, but He is also for us. After having solidly laid down the basis of our salvation in his epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul boldly declares: 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Rom. 8:31).God is not out to accuse those He has saved in His Son; nor is He out to condemn us. His desire was to be 'with us' (Immanuel), and He has pledged to be ‘for us’ also. Who then shall bring any charge against God’s elect when it is God Himself who justifies (Rom. 8:33)?
How then does this apply to us in real life? If God does not accuse or condemn His children, dare we as Christians be happy at any time to accuse one another? Indeed, it is painful to come under the accusing tongue of one who proclaims to be a ‘Christian’; however, we are not called to return railing for railing, but to inherit God’s blessings (1 Pet. 3:8-11).
God in us
The amazing thing about the Gospel for Christians is the reality of God ‘in us’. God is not so far out of reach that man should ever be struggling in his best efforts to reach out to Him. Herein is the most profound reason why Christianity is more a living relationship than a ‘religion’ between God and His people: He has come to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit.
As the prospects of His death on the Cross drew near, Jesus revealed that the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit; but to His disicples the promise was that the Holy Spirit would both dwell with and be in them: ‘You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you’ (John 14:17). A living relationship - for God is in us.
God is with us. He is for us. And indeed, He is in us. But what do all these mean in practical terms? It would have been meaningless to have all these blessings stored up if people around us were to be mere spectators. This makes the fourth aspect absolutely important -
God through us
God is reaching the world through us; and through us as the Church, He is displaying His manifold wisdom for all the angels to behold (Eph. 3:9-11). This perhaps is the fruit of our relationship with Him.
The Gospel is the goodnews that God has reached out to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is with us, for us, in us… and through us He seeks to reach out to people in our world.
Do you long for this relationship? Come to Jesus - His promise to save and bless is still a reality even today (John 6:37).
