Religion or RelationshipReligion or Relationship

AFM Midrand ImpactAFM Midrand Impact

16 August 201516 August 2015

Br D Br D dennis.e@afmgnn.co.zawww.afmimpact.org

•Main text:Main text:

•2Peter 1:3 According as 2Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath his divine power hath given unto us all things given unto us all things that pertain unto life and that pertain unto life and godlinessgodliness, through the , through the knowledge of him that knowledge of him that hath called us to glory hath called us to glory and virtue: (KJV)and virtue: (KJV)

•2Peter 1:3 God's divine 2Peter 1:3 God's divine power has given us power has given us everything we need to everything we need to live a live a truly religious truly religious life life through our knowledge through our knowledge of the one who called us of the one who called us to share in his own glory to share in his own glory and goodness. (GNB)and goodness. (GNB)

•““The word godliness, ευσεβεια, The word godliness, ευσεβεια, here, and in several other places here, and in several other places of this epistle, signifies the true of this epistle, signifies the true religion, Christianity” (Clarke in religion, Christianity” (Clarke in eSword)eSword)

•KJV not religion but godlinessKJV not religion but godliness

•““θρησκεια, which we translate θρησκεια, which we translate religion” (Clarke in eSword)religion” (Clarke in eSword)

““A religion is: A religion is: an organized collection of an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate and world views that relate humanity to an order of humanity to an order of existence. existence.

Many religions have: Many religions have: narratives, symbols, and sacred narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that aim to explain the histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe.”life, or the Universe.”(Wikipedia)(Wikipedia)

•Isa 29:13 The Lord said, "These Isa 29:13 The Lord said, "These people claim to worship me, but people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, but human rules and traditions, which they have simply which they have simply memorized. memorized.

•1Timothy 6:3 Whoever 1Timothy 6:3 Whoever teaches a different teaches a different doctrine and does not doctrine and does not agree with the true words agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of and with the teaching of our religion our religion

•1Timothy 6:4 is swollen with 1Timothy 6:4 is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions, evil suspicions,

•1Timothy 6:5 and constant 1Timothy 6:5 and constant arguments from people arguments from people whose minds do not whose minds do not function and who no longer function and who no longer have the truth. They think have the truth. They think that religion is a way to that religion is a way to become rich. become rich.

•1Ti 6:6 Well, religion 1Ti 6:6 Well, religion does make us very rich, does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with if we are satisfied with what we have. what we have.

•2Peter 1:3 God's divine 2Peter 1:3 God's divine power has given us power has given us everything we need to live a everything we need to live a truly religious life through truly religious life through our knowledge of the one our knowledge of the one who called us to share in his who called us to share in his own glory and goodness. own glory and goodness.

•James 1:26 Do any of James 1:26 Do any of you think you are you think you are religious? If you do not religious? If you do not control your tongue, your control your tongue, your religion is worthless and religion is worthless and you deceive yourself. you deceive yourself.

•James 1:27 What God the James 1:27 What God the Father considers to be pure Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world. corrupted by the world.