My Thoughts on Winter Camp 2010

Each year, my church's youth group goes on a winter youth retreat (as many of you know) and this year we had a blast! There's usually some very exciting activities such as tubing, tobogganing, broomball, horseback riding, and, quite possibly my favorite of all, chapel. During chapel we worship and learn about, well, God of course. This year, one thing that the speaker addressed really hit me--Christ is not concerned with religion, he wants a relationship. I have heard this phrase before, but it seems like I hadn't really thought about it as deeply as I did this weekend.

First of all, let's define "religion". According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "religion" is defined as, "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices." Now for me, that doesn't sound like my faith. Nowhere in that definition does it mention a relationship with Christ; however, it mentions practices. Religion is an "institutionalized system". Religion is focused on good deeds, rules, and standards. If we are genuine Christians, we should not be focused on laws. Christ died so that we wouldn't have to live by rules, but by grace.

C o l o s s i a n s 2 : 1 3
And you, who were dead in your trespasses...God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Jesus canceled our "legal demands". Jesus lived perfectly so we would not have to be religious, he wants a real relationship with each and every one of us. So we don't have to worry about doing, doing, doing. What an amazing God we serve who wants to know us!

My last post was about how Jesus was hated by the Pharisees-- the religious group of people. I just find it interesting how the Pharisees were very prideful in their good works. This can relate to the religions of today and how they can cause people to be prideful in themselves because they teach that you can get to Heaven by your good works. If we live by grace, in a relationship with Christ, we don't point to ourselves for glory, but to Jesus.