The Chaplains Corner

The Chaplains Corner

Guest blogger, Chaplain Paul, is one of the most effective chaplains in America today. He is an emergency responder to every situation.


Hey, this is the Chaplain again.

Someone said trying to shop at Wal-Mart on Black Friday was enough to make a person lose their religion. Now I wasn’t there, and have no plans to ever be in that mess, so I really don’t know how hectic it was. But I was thinking about what they said, ‘it’s enough to make a person lose their religion.’

At first I thought, ‘that’s not true’ I didn’t agree with her statement. But after I thought about it a little bit I changed my mind. Those kinds of situations could be enough to make a person 'lose their religion'. The reason I say that is because religion is usually a long list of Dos and Don’ts. Things you can and can’t say.

Just look up the word religion in the dictionary and this is what you find: ‘An object, practice, cause, or activity that somebody is devoted to.’ Or, ‘An institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices.’ Or, ‘A set of strongly-held values and attitudes that somebody lives by.’ Don’t do this, and don’t do that, and try to follow the rules.; that’s religion. But it’s not Christianity.

I’m not a Christian because of anything that I do or don’t do. “Christ saved us because of his mercy, not because of any good things we did.” (Titus 3:5) Christianity is a one-on-one relationship between a person and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Religion is about what; Christianity is about Who. Religion is about walking the line; Christianity is about living life.

Jesus said, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10) Religion or Relationship – which do you have?