Christianity is a relational faith because it is having a relationship with Christ. Most religions worship their gods out of fear, the fear of retribution if worshippers do not appease their gods well. The Christian faith on the other hand, believes God is love and He reveals His love through His Son who died for our sins on the cross. Thus we respond by worshipping Him in a loving and relational way.

Jesus not only taught this to His followers, but also attempted to revive this relational aspect in Judaism by correcting the legalistic practices of the Pharisaic teachers. The Jewish faith was initiated first through Abraham, the Father of Faith to whom He appeared personally and called to separate from those around to follow after Him. Later God also appeared to Moses and gave him the Law for His people to observe and obey.

Over the course of time, Judaism became “institutionalized” by the religious leaders into a legalistic system that was no longer relational but ritualistic. The rules and rituals were extensions of the Law, but they were stretched to the point of becoming burdensome and unbiblical. God is then worshipped by merely keeping the rules and observing the rituals. The loving and relational aspects were diminished as a result.

This is not to say that we should stop practicing our spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines should lead to a fuller revelation and understanding of God and His Personhood. It should also lead to a deeper and better relationship with Him and with people. The spiritual disciplines of praying and studying of scripture must result in the serving of God and others especially the evangelization of those who are lost in their sins. However, these things can only come through knowing God personally and responding to His love for us obediently. This is good doctrine.

Bad doctrines only lead to bad practices. They produce a cold and heartless form of religiosity. They do not build faith but dampen and even destroy it. On the other hand, relationship must be founded on truth. Love as an emotion does not mean it is irrational. Love must also be founded in truth or else it will suppress or even destroy truth. The word “Christian” may be used as an adjective to describe “faith,” but it does not make it any less relational. In fact, in describing “faith” it demands its followers to practice their faith the way God relates with them.

Modern Christianity may not be legalistic and cold like Judaism in Jesus’ time. Yet there is a subtle form of legalism and coldness in its practice today. An example of it is the upholding biblical truth. In upholding truth, if it hurts or harms another person it has departed in its intent or purpose as God intends for His truth to save and not destroy.

Though truth is important, it must be applied carefully by balancing it with grace. In describing Jesus, John in his gospel, John 1:14 describes the Lord as “a man full of grace and truth.” Luke, on the other hand, notes in his gospel, Luke 2:52 that Jesus was growing “in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and man.” Truth and grace are held in balance by the Lord. In holding them in a balance way, it will also deter us from falling into legalism and acting unjustly in the practice of our faith. We can then love God and our neighbors like God loves us.

Love is the first item on the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatian 5:22-23 by Paul. It is listed first because love stands above all. Without love, we can’t have the rest that follows. In fact, Paul says in I Corinthians that we will be just a noisy gong. Truth when applied in love reflects the true nature of God. He is just and true. Unfortunately it is often applied without love.  By sending His Son to die for our sins, God is acting justly and graciously. His Son paid for our sins in full because of His love for us.

When truth is applied without love or grace, legalism creeps in and it becomes cold and heartless. Many people are deceived into thinking that upholding truth is more spiritually or morally just thing to do than anything else. If we think like them, we have misunderstood the God we worship and we do not fully know Him, His nature and character. We have fallen into the same trap like the Pharisees. We have become legalistic.

It is an honorably and morally right thing to uphold the truth. However, it can become dishonorable and immoral at the same time when grace does not accompany it. In fact, it hurts the heart of God and harms the lives of others. A lot of our problems and conflicts are the results of having a wrong understanding of the roles of truth and grace in practicing the Christian faith.

In doing our devotion (Quiet Time), QT is meant for the purpose of knowing God and doing His will. Yes, it is for our spiritual growth, but if this is the only reason, it is still self-serving. God does desire that we grow in our faith, but He also wants us to be a blessing to others; and in knowing Him we are to make Him known as well. God’s desire is that we love Him by loving and living like Him. This is how a relational faith should be practiced.

The Christian faith is relational not only in having a personal relationship with God, but also having good relationships with our fellowmen and women. Maturity in faith is being…relational. This is how we find “favor” with God and also with man. Let us practice our faith relationally by balancing biblical truth with godly grace as to be a blessing to others and to glorify God!