Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Religion
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Within the spirit of the word "religion," any system of morality is an expression of religion because it is a way of life. Webster's Dictionary of the English Language defines religion as "a system of beliefs and practices relating to the sacred and uniting its adherents in a community." It is also "something which has a powerful hold on a person's way of thinking, interests, etc." Thus, religion does not need to be related to the divine, for Webster's proceeds to use the example, "Football is that man's religion." Devotion to anything creates a way of life. Webster's New World Dictionary adds, "the state or way of life of a person in a monastery, convent, etc." Combined, these dictionaries show that "religion," while most frequently (and rightly) understood in relation to God and church, can also indicate a secular devotion to a body of beliefs, values, and laws that effectively motivate one to live his life in a certain way. When applied to secular life, this has interesting ramifications. Any system of morality is an expression of religion because it concerns itself with values and the way we live. Law, therefore, is enacted, codified morality.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The First Commandment (1997)
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Some dictionaries define "religion" as the system through which one responds to deity. This definition applies to everyone because everyone, whether it is admitted or not, has a god. Some people's religion is more formal and systematized than others' are. However, one's religion, his system of responding to deity, is what governs how he conducts his life. In the Bible, God gives us an entire way of life within the commandments, statutes, judgments, testimonies, laws, precepts, and words. The New Testament calls it "the way" or "this way."
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Beast and Babylon (Part Six): The Woman's Character
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Isaiah 59:2
The word “religion” comes from the Latin re-ligare, meaning, “to bind fast.” Religion therefore requires a connection with God, and where it is lacking, true religion soon begins to fail. Sin violates the relationship—or the connection—we have with God. We can liken this to a deteriorating relationship between a headstrong child and parent. As long as the child remains unyielding, the likelihood of a mature and balanced relationship, and thus growth, is greatly diminished. The solution is found in the very nature of God: love. What is love? “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (ll John 6). “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).
Martin G. Collins
Admission of Sin
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Find more Bible verses about Religion:
Religion {Nave's}
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