Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
11 12 2025
How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious
Have you ever noticed how some Christians insist they’re “not religious”? It’s almost a badge of honor. But what does that really mean? In truth, being religious isn’t about attending church, following rules, or showing up on Sundays—it’s about the condition of your heart. And this is exactly what Jesus was pointing to. Let’s look at what the Book says.
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:25–28
And then again, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Jesus opposed religion as a system because it often prioritizes rules over relationships, rituals over righteousness, and appearances over authenticity. The religious leaders of His day were meticulous about ceremonies, purity laws, and public recognition—but they were failing in the areas that truly mattered: love, mercy, and justice.
Consider the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25). The people on the left were “religious” by many standards: they followed the rules, performed the rituals, and even prayed. Yet, they missed the heart of God’s law. They ignored the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the imprisoned. Outward compliance wasn’t enough—God looks at the heart, and the heart’s measure is love in action.
Jesus’ ministry consistently challenged religious formalism:
- He spent time with the outcasts, sinners, and those excluded by society.
- He condemned hypocrisy and ostentatious displays of piety.
- He overturned the corruption in the Temple and exposed legalistic loopholes like the “Corban” tradition.
- He emphasized personal, relational faith over rigid rules.
In short, Jesus invites us to live a heart-centered faith—not a rule-centered religion. Christianity isn’t about being religious; it’s about being transformed, compassionate, and alive in relationship with God and others.
Ask yourself: Are your spiritual practices about God, or about how you look to others? Do your actions reflect genuine love for people in need, or are they just routine obligations? Are you embracing the heart of Jesus, or the appearance of being good? Look I am not talking about doing these things intentionally, but sometimes we drift and just know the right thing to do and our heart is not in the right place.
Today, let your faith move beyond religion:
- Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
- Look for ways to serve the “least of these” around you.
- Pray for a heart that’s more concerned with God’s kingdom than with your image.
Lord, help me not to be religious in the way the world defines it. Give me a heart like Yours—compassionate, humble, and devoted to You and others. Teach me to love beyond duty and serve beyond obligation, that my faith may be alive and pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
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I will sing of the goodness of God Carrie Underwood.
