Your "Personal Relationship with Christ" Examined

MahogonySnail · Oct 26, 2009

I have noticed a few people on here boasting about their "personal relationship with Christ" and I've done it myself at times in the past, but it like any catch phrase must be put into perspective.

First of all, if you word search the whole bible, you will soon find that no where does any apostle or disciple of Christ talk about their "personal relationship with Christ" in the way it is talked about today. Nor do they use it as a tool for evangelism. How do they evangelise? Well it's quite clear that they preach religion, they preach the Gospel, which is a set of fundamental beliefs about Christ.

Why is it not in the bible? Because it's a fairly modern catch phrase. The "personal relationship with Christ" idea came out of the evangelical movement, but apparently also has its roots in human psychology and individualism:

http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap100000.htm

What is wrong with the personal relationship with Christ approach? Well for example, I once spoke to a lady and I thought I'd try the "do you have a personal relationship with Christ?" approach in evangelism, to which she replied, "well yes, I do have a personal relationship with Christ, thanks for asking". But observing her living with a live in boyfriend and asking her further questions, it became quite evident that she did not believe the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Yet, she was adamant that she had a personal relationship, as she prayed to Christ. So you see if you try a "personal relationship with Christ" approach in evangelism you probably will find there's an awful lot of people who already do think they know God personally, He is their best buddy, and He's always looking out for them: But they do not believe the fundamentals of the religion.

Quite often I notice that people will use their "personal relationship with Christ" to define or set their own doctrines or agendas, and downplay the long established status-quo in doctrine and religion, which for the most part has been established for the past 400 years if you are protestant, and even more than that if you are not. Some use their "relationship with Christ" to think they have a right to change what is already established doctrine. Even worse, some use their "relationship with Christ" to think themselves as being "more christian" than others (I don't have anyone in mind here I'm just speaking in general).

However, this idea that your personal relationship with Christ is somehow better than or a replacement for religion, is very much a deception. How did you enter into your personal relationship with Christ? Hopefully you heard and believed the Gospel. What is the Gospel ? Basically, it is a set of fundamental statements and beliefs about the deity, death, burial and resurrection of Christ, in other words, the Gospel is religion, and therefore Christianity is a religion, which the dictionary defines to be:

"a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects"

So what does the bible say about how to become a Christian? Do you become a Christian through a personal relationship or through religion, as the dictionary defined above?

Well the bible really says you become a Christian by believing certain facts about Jesus Christ, not by having a personal relationship with Him:

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart"; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;
Rom 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

If you have not entered into a personal relationship with Christ through believing those certain facts, i.e. through religion, then you simply do not have a relationship with Christ. This runs contrary to the idea of a "personal relationship with Christ" that some in here suppose - that it means you "don't have a religion". This idea runs against the grain of everything which the apostles taught about believing certain facts about Christ to be saved. Yes, being saved is about relationship with God through Jesus Christ, but relationship with God aka being born of God from above, is a result of believing certain facts about Jesus Christ.

Here's the difference, your "personal relationship with Christ", does not come under the category of relationship, it comes under the category of fellowship. The sort of subjective and private idea of a "personal relationship with Christ" only makes sense in the context and framework of religion. To take it out of that context and apply it outside of a religious framework, is to become like the poor lady who thought she had a relationship with Christ, but obviously did not believe or live according to the religon.

I understand that some prefer to emphasise the relational and subjective aspects of being a Christian, in order not to be confused with the false humanistic and man-made traditions Sunday church-going-only culture which is prevalent in Western society today. However, stating that you have a personal relationship with Christ apart from religion, or that you don't have a religion as a Christian, is not only shown to be false when we examine what the bible teaches, it also makes one appear incredibly stupid or confusing to unbelievers, who know full well that Christianity is a religion that requires conversion to. At best, the unbeliever will understand what you are talking about (although that is unlikely unless they have personally and subjectively experienced Christ), at worst, you will make a false convert, who thinks Christianity revolves around a buddy buddy pal friendship with Christ and that fundamental beliefs and doctrines are only secondary in importance, or not important at all.

Thaddaeus · Oct 26, 2009

I agree with you on this post somewhat, For James defines religion within the scriptures

Jas 1:27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

and although it would appear that most take the first part of this, which could be defined as the love part, looking after one another and try to make a whole religion out of this because God is love, but however completely over look the last part, which we will call the holiness part. and then there are a few which will focus on the Holiness part and neglect the love part. which is what I am accused of alot in here, and maybe rightly so. because People don't want to accept that correcting or showing people the err of their ways, is part of the love part of the verse. If Jesus has just loved us, by helping us, then He could have been born and on the 3 day king Harold could have killed him and the Blood would had been shed and God could have raised Him fom the dead andHis work would have been completed, But His love was also to show us the errs of our ways, the key word in James 1:27 would be AND the word that connects the first part love with the second part Obedience. Now I am not accusing you of this but there is a Holier than thou religion, which is a puffed up version of a personal relationship, which says to others is that my relationship with Jesus is closer than anyone elses. so the AND part of the two holier than thou and my personal relationship with Jesus would be the other part Christian religion That Jesus tried to teach was "Those without Sin, cast the first stone" and with stones being thrown from both sides the holier than thou throwing at the Personal relationship by judging their obedience and the personal relationship throwing at the holier than thou judging their love, we have formed a really messed up religion, that leaves the ones looking in saying well if that is christianity I don't want anything to do with it. I am pretty sure that when Jesus said to be a light He meant a light that would draw wandering souls to a place of rest, not a light that would blind them from the Way. So to help you and anyone else, would be to advise you unless you are without sin then you should not use your friend with a live in boyfriend as an example, but rather to examine your own heart. and let them examine their own heart but then that would put it back to a personal relationship with Jesus wouldn't it????? and around and around we go where we stpo only God knows

Ps 26:2Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

MahogonySnail · Oct 26, 2009

Hopefully my post was clear that both religion and relationship go hand in hand together. You can't talk about your "personal relationship" aka fellowship with Christ unless you have religion, and you can't talk about religion unless you have a personal relationship aka fellowship with Christ.

I do fail to see the connection between using someone as an example, and stone throwing. Those with sin, or who haven't obviously come to true faith in Christ according to the Gospel, despite claiming to talk to God (yes many people claim to talk to Christ or God) aren't actually Christians. I know Taoists who talk to Jesus and read the bible, that doesn't make them Christian, nor does it mean they actually know Christ.

Graybeard · Oct 26, 2009

good post, has made me re-think.

Maddog · Oct 26, 2009

Good post Mr Snail.

Elijah23 · Oct 27, 2009

MahogonySnail said:

I have noticed a few people on here boasting about their "personal relationship with Christ" and I've done it myself at times in the past, but it like any catch phrase must be put into perspective.

First of all, if you word search the whole bible, you will soon find that no where does any apostle or disciple of Christ talk about their "personal relationship with Christ" in the way it is talked about today. Nor do they use it as a tool for evangelism. How do they evangelise? Well it's quite clear that they preach religion, they preach the Gospel, which is a set of fundamental beliefs about Christ.

Why is it not in the bible? Because it's a fairly modern catch phrase. The "personal relationship with Christ" idea came out of the evangelical movement, but apparently also has its roots in human psychology and individualism:

http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap100000.htm

What is wrong with the personal relationship with Christ approach? Well for example, I once spoke to a lady and I thought I'd try the "do you have a personal relationship with Christ?" approach in evangelism, to which she replied, "well yes, I do have a personal relationship with Christ, thanks for asking". But observing her living with a live in boyfriend and asking her further questions, it became quite evident that she did not believe the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Yet, she was adamant that she had a personal relationship, as she prayed to Christ. So you see if you try a "personal relationship with Christ" approach in evangelism you probably will find there's an awful lot of people who already do think they know God personally, He is their best buddy, and He's always looking out for them: But they do not believe the fundamentals of the religion.

Quite often I notice that people will use their "personal relationship with Christ" to define or set their own doctrines or agendas, and downplay the long established status-quo in doctrine and religion, which for the most part has been established for the past 400 years if you are protestant, and even more than that if you are not. Some use their "relationship with Christ" to think they have a right to change what is already established doctrine. Even worse, some use their "relationship with Christ" to think themselves as being "more christian" than others (I don't have anyone in mind here I'm just speaking in general).

However, this idea that your personal relationship with Christ is somehow better than or a replacement for religion, is very much a deception. How did you enter into your personal relationship with Christ? Hopefully you heard and believed the Gospel. What is the Gospel ? Basically, it is a set of fundamental statements and beliefs about the deity, death, burial and resurrection of Christ, in other words, the Gospel is religion, and therefore Christianity is a religion, which the dictionary defines to be:

"a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects"

So what does the bible say about how to become a Christian? Do you become a Christian through a personal relationship or through religion, as the dictionary defined above?

Well the bible really says you become a Christian by believing certain facts about Jesus Christ, not by having a personal relationship with Him:

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart"; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;
Rom 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

If you have not entered into a personal relationship with Christ through believing those certain facts, i.e. through religion, then you simply do not have a relationship with Christ. This runs contrary to the idea of a "personal relationship with Christ" that some in here suppose - that it means you "don't have a religion". This idea runs against the grain of everything which the apostles taught about believing certain facts about Christ to be saved. Yes, being saved is about relationship with God through Jesus Christ, but relationship with God aka being born of God from above, is a result of believing certain facts about Jesus Christ.

Here's the difference, your "personal relationship with Christ", does not come under the category of relationship, it comes under the category of fellowship. The sort of subjective and private idea of a "personal relationship with Christ" only makes sense in the context and framework of religion. To take it out of that context and apply it outside of a religious framework, is to become like the poor lady who thought she had a relationship with Christ, but obviously did not believe or live according to the religon.

I understand that some prefer to emphasise the relational and subjective aspects of being a Christian, in order not to be confused with the false humanistic and man-made traditions Sunday church-going-only culture which is prevalent in Western society today. However, stating that you have a personal relationship with Christ apart from religion, or that you don't have a religion as a Christian, is not only shown to be false when we examine what the bible teaches, it also makes one appear incredibly stupid or confusing to unbelievers, who know full well that Christianity is a religion that requires conversion to. At best, the unbeliever will understand what you are talking about (although that is unlikely unless they have personally and subjectively experienced Christ), at worst, you will make a false convert, who thinks Christianity revolves around a buddy buddy pal friendship with Christ and that fundamental beliefs and doctrines are only secondary in importance, or not important at all.

Jesus said the great and first commandment is that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart and with all of our mind and with all of our soul. To obey this commandment I think we need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, don’t you?

Elijah23 · Oct 27, 2009

Thaddaeus said:

I agree with you on this post somewhat, For James defines religion within the scriptures

Jas 1:27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

and although it would appear that most take the first part of this, which could be defined as the love part, looking after one another and try to make a whole religion out of this because God is love, but however completely over look the last part, which we will call the holiness part. and then there are a few which will focus on the Holiness part and neglect the love part. which is what I am accused of alot in here, and maybe rightly so. because People don't want to accept that correcting or showing people the err of their ways, is part of the love part of the verse. If Jesus has just loved us, by helping us, then He could have been born and on the 3 day king Harold could have killed him and the Blood would had been shed and God could have raised Him fom the dead andHis work would have been completed, But His love was also to show us the errs of our ways, the key word in James 1:27 would be AND the word that connects the first part love with the second part Obedience. Now I am not accusing you of this but there is a Holier than thou religion, which is a puffed up version of a personal relationship, which says to others is that my relationship with Jesus is closer than anyone elses. so the AND part of the two holier than thou and my personal relationship with Jesus would be the other part Christian religion That Jesus tried to teach was "Those without Sin, cast the first stone" and with stones being thrown from both sides the holier than thou throwing at the Personal relationship by judging their obedience and the personal relationship throwing at the holier than thou judging their love, we have formed a really messed up religion, that leaves the ones looking in saying well if that is christianity I don't want anything to do with it. I am pretty sure that when Jesus said to be a light He meant a light that would draw wandering souls to a place of rest, not a light that would blind them from the Way. So to help you and anyone else, would be to advise you unless you are without sin then you should not use your friend with a live in boyfriend as an example, but rather to examine your own heart. and let them examine their own heart but then that would put it back to a personal relationship with Jesus wouldn't it????? and around and around we go where we stpo only God knows

Ps 26:2Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Thaddaeus, I’ll tell you the same thing I just told Mahogony Snail:

Jesus said the great and first commandment is that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart and with all of our mind and with all of our soul. To obey this commandment I think we need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, don’t you?

MahogonySnail · Oct 27, 2009

Yes thats right Elijah but my point is not that we dont need a personal relationship, it's that the personal relationship is not distinct from and apart from religion.

suaso · Oct 29, 2009

My friends and I used to complain about the "Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?" phrase in the past. I think we collectively decided that our answer would be "No. Our Lord and Savior is not my personal Lord and Savior. I have accepted Jesus as the Lord and Savior of the world of which you and I are a part of."

Here in America, or just about any English-speaking nation, we are so accustomed to being individuals that I think we are tempted to see our salvation as purely personal. Granted, a large part of it is a personal commitment to accept the grace of God, but Jesus did become man and die for me alone, he did it for all of us. While I need a "personal" "relationship" in the sense of God-oriented internal conversion that occurs once and is maintained always, I also need a communal aspect that most of us call "church." Jesus gathered disciples; he preached to crowds; he shared the last supper with friends...heck, he exists as the 2nd person of the Trinity...there's 2 more persons with whom he "communes." We are meant to have a personal and communal relationship with Christ.

If the relationship is only personal, then I basically dictate to God how we're gonna interact. It's too easy to let it develop into "Jesus-at-my-convenience" that way. The Church (community) keeps us in check so that we aren't letting our faith express itself in a comfortable way for us that is bent to our will: we are called to conform to something greater than that.

pickles · Oct 29, 2009

I never liked the personal relationship jargon myself. My own children refured to that and how some speak as christianeese. More catch phraze than truth. But I do believe one can be close to God Our Father, Jesus and know the presance of the Holy Spirit. From what I have read in the bible all of this is possible through prayer, word and allowing God to bring you to obediance. I look to God Our Father as my father, he is the only father I have ever known, to Jesus as my savior, my Lord. But also as one with him. The Holy Spirit as my guide, my streangth, my comfort. Love being the greatest of all the gifts. Although some may say things that do not match scripture. I do see that most are just trying to share how they love Jesus, not so perfect but Jesus loves them anyway. It is important to correct in the word, but we all must make sure that we do not get to nit picky. smiles, No Im not saying any one here is. But scripture does say, ;come closer to God and he will come closer to you; So I do believe one can be very close to God. Unless there is scripture saying that we must keep our distance.
Again I do agree there are many catch phrases as you say, but history has shown that all generations have some kind of catch phrase or another. The important thing is that it does not separate us from Jesus.
God bless, pickles

iraasuup · Oct 29, 2009

Interesting read. Thanks

shad · Oct 29, 2009

Having a personal relationship with Christ is something we should cherish because it is God the Father's greatest desire for every person who believes upon His Son. This is not just an interesting read but the will of God in Christ. Before we personally accepted Christ we accepted what the world and the flesh of man had to offer, which offered us heartache, sorrow, the pleasures of sin, strife, the works of the flesh and corruption through lust. But Christ made us a new creature, offered us forgiveness of sin, cleansing, eternal life, His own righteousness, redemption, unconditional love , joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace that goes beyond understanding and promises that we can believe and trust God for. These are all very personal and given by grace to every believer.

When we take that personal relationship with Christ and gather with other believers, it becomes a corporate relationship with Christ who is the head. This corporate relationship is a fellowship of the Spirit with the Father, with His Son and with one another. This relationship and fellowship spills over into the work of the ministry that preaches the gospel, teaches the word and the commandments of Christ and makes disciples of all men. This is the undefiled religion that we are called to fulfill. A religion that starts with God and not man. A religion that receives grace from God and walks in the power of that grace to reveal Christ, the living God.

Phil 3:9-14 ~ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

This sounds like Paul is very serious about his personal relationship with the risen Christ. That personal relationship took him into many parts of the world, planting many churches and laying down the foundation of Christ for others to build upon. Thank God that Paul took his personal relationship with Christ seriously and didn't let his own personal relationship with the righteousness of the law get in the way.

Buddee · Oct 29, 2009

Great post, MahoganySnail.

Elijah23 · Oct 29, 2009

MahogonySnail said:

I thought I had posted this yesterday, but I can’t find it, so I’ll say it again:

I agree with this statement.

imoss · Oct 29, 2009

shad said:

Awesome post Shad! To me, my "personal relationship" with Christ began when in an instant every bad thing I ever did was lifted from my blackened charred soul and I became white as snow covered by the grace of my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Call all that catch phrases but there is no way to properly articulate the "amazing grace" that had me crying like a baby in front of my new boyfriend, his friends and 2000 other people. This is personal for sure. Now after that, there was no grounding in the word of God... occasional reading but no grounding. I've only began to benefit spiritually and feel the Lord truly present daily since I started after my mothers passing, to dive into the word of God. Now I have a hunger for the word & for understanding of the word. I still have problems with recall but thats ok cause i got bookmarks & highlighters. To me, my personal relationship with the Lord occurs every time the Holy spirit prompts me in the lives of others and it is BANG ON!!! (of course, this is the LORD!) I think one of the problems with having that amazing experience was the lack of followup from the Christians who were present when I was saved. I could tell you 9-10 awesome stories of the Lords work in my life but it would take up this entire thread. One thing to be noted is he definitely uses his Scripture to answer our questions. In prayer I've had passages come to my mind and they are referring EXACTLY to the matter at hand. Praises to our EVER PRESENT Lord!!! <3 in Christ's Grace & grounding in his word. <

))>< (another little catchy Jesus fish)

pickles · Oct 31, 2009

I have to wonder if the concern over the phrase personal relationship is siply a matter of how it is understood in the language of one culture verces another. Even though many speak english one word here means somthing very different there. Here in the U.S. personal relationship can mean one and only in whom you listen to. Anotherwords Our Lord God only. No other Gods before him. Our Lord Jesus is my one and only Lord and savior. Just thought Id share a different take on the phrase. Still the most important thing is that one accepts Jesus into their heart.
God bless, pickles

songster · Nov 1, 2009

After reading this post, I decided to respond, not necessarily with an opposing viewpoint, but hopefully to provide a little clarification from a different perspective. Christianity is most certainly a religion, which has been thoroughly defined in this post, however, in all fairness to those who use the term “personal relationship” in their witnessing efforts, this term should also be defined.

Personal = of, or relating to a particular person; individual; private, intimate

Relationship = Connection, affiliation, rapport, a bond, a link

I agree that these words do not appear anywhere in the bible as a method of introducing the gospel, however, after examining the definitions, I am convinced that, with regard to God’s original plan for man, these terms most certainly apply.

In Eden God desired to have a very personal relationship with His creation, Adam. God personally communicated with Adam and had deep concern for Him. There was a connection, a bond or link, between God and Adam.

If we examine the type of relationship God had with some of the Old Testament patriarchs, we see a common thread, once again revealing God’s desire for a relationship with his creation. Moses was much more than a spokesperson for God. Exodus 33:11 tells us that God spoke to Moses personally, as a man speaks to his friend. Abraham was also known as God’s friend,( Isaiah 41:8).

King David’s Psalms, and King Solomon’s writings in ‘The Songs of Solomon’, depict a very close relationship with God.
These men experienced considerably more than a religion, even without ever having known the finished work of the Savior. They knew God and interacted with Him the way a son interacts with a father. The reason for this is, that is exactly what God desired from the beginning, and is exactly why Jesus suffered, died and rose. We must remember that it was not God who changed man’s original state, it was man himself, through sin. But by removing the sin, which separated us from God, which Jesus did at the cross, we are now reconciled to the Father. We are not known simply as creations, servants or people of God, but Sons!

God’s desire is, and always has been, to welcome his people into a relationship, a very personal relationship. There isn’t a more personal relationship than the relationship between father and son.

Galatians 3:26 …you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus..

Romans 8:14 …all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God

John 1:12 …but to them who received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God..

IJohn 3:1 …beloved, now we are the sons of God…

God’s desire for His people is simple, that they might be saved, but saved for what? So that we might become the sons of God. This is a ‘personal relationship’ of the highest order! As we split the hairs of semantics, yes we must concede that Christianity is one of the world’s ‘religions’. But we must also concede that those within that religion most certainly have a very personal relationship with God through Christ Jesus (the mediator, ITim. 2:5).

The great commission in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel”, is not about witnessing on the premise of religion, its about spreading the ‘good news’!

What is the good news? Is it that Jesus came to earth? No! Is it that we have an opportunity to care for the widow and the fatherless (according to the biblical definition of pure religion)? No! Is it that we believe in a God? No!

The good news is that Jesus suffered and died in our place, and peace has been made between God and man, and all is forgiven, and that we can be welcomed and recognized as sons/daughters, even as Adam once was known.

Luke 3:38

…which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God…

I once practiced religion and had a belief system, and yes, someone more than likely taught it to me, but it was not until I heard the ‘good news’ (the gospel), that I became, born again, born into the family of God, and I will one day take my place at the banquet in heaven, not as one who believed on a religion or even practiced it, but as one who believed the ‘gospel’, which is the good news of reconciliation between God and man.

After never having had a relationship with an earthly father, I thank God for the ‘personal relationship’ I now enjoy with my heavenly Father.

MahogonySnail · Nov 1, 2009

great post songster, thankyou for that you say it much better than i can.

greatkraw · Nov 5, 2009

I am astonished! Perhaps there is some over analysing going on.

'Abraham was God's friend.'

We are not confused whether or not we have a personal relationship with a friend, relative or spouse. We spend time with them and get to know them. If we knowingly do something to offend them then we are aware, unless we are in some kind of denial.

If we claim to know God and our life or activities are inconsistent with that relationship then we should at least understand that we are responsible for putting a strain on the relationship. It is possible to be estrnged from someone because of outstanding offenses and there are millions of believers who are estranged from God. They are missing out on the great benefits of a close walk with him.

If you have NEVER experienced a relationship with Jesus Christ then how do you know you are saved?

Jesus HATED religion. That is why he chose to antagonise the Pharisees.

MahogonySnail · Nov 5, 2009

He didn't hate religion, in general, he hated false religion, which the Pharisees were part of.

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