Spiritual vs. Religious
Posted by Chilly | Posted in Christian Life, Discipleship, Quotes | Posted on 22-11-2009
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The spiritual differs from the religious in being able to endure isolation. The rank of a spiritual person is proportionate to his strength for enduring isolation, whereas we religious people are constantly in need of “the others,” the herd. We religious folks die, or despair, if we are not reassured by being in the assembly, of the same opinion as the congregation, and so on. But the Christianity of the New Testament is precisely related to the isolation of the spiritual man. ~ Søren Kierkegaard
- Are you spiritual or religious?
- What can you do to make sure the spiritual grows & religious shrinks?
Now, don’t get me wrong, isolation does not equal spirituality – it is, however, often a result of being spiritual (real). Some people choose to be loners and then try to spin it into something spiritual-sounding, that never lasts long…
Learning to turn loneliness into aloneness is key – God sometimes sets us apart to sharpen us, encourage us, correct us and invigorate us. He’s there when no one else is & He’s there when everyone is around.
Such isolation is needed in our growth.
I guess both words: religious & spiritual can be spun in various directions – perhaps it’s all semantics… Ultimately we must learn that part of Christian maturity includes times of isolation – sometimes you don’t have to make them happen, they just do. And, when they do, see God’s purpose. In addition, we also need times of aloneness with God – even Jesus (our role model & Lord) isolated himself to be with His Father.
It’s a heart thing… figure it out.
Turning loneliness into aloneness, Chilly
Spirituality to me is empty, because it is truly based on self gratification. I once met a girl that said..I am spiritual, next day she also told me she is a practicing witch…oh!
( Being Religious is sometimes a tricky one for me, because some believe that if I do all the right religious things to please God, then I am good. But thank God that he does not rate us on how Spiritual or Religious we are, but on our belief in His son and what He has done for us….His saving Grace 
The “religious” person makes all the right sounds and follows the “rules’. They lack a true heart change and become resentful of other’s who do not follow the “rules” .
They need the approval of the “herd” to keep them going.
The spiritual person cares more about what God thinks and realizes that He knows the intentions of their heart. There is a true heart change and they gain strength from their sometimes “isolation” and time alone with God.
I will for the rest of my life try to continue to be less “religious” and more truly “spiritual”.
I will be in the Word, ask God to show me how to work it out daily in my life.
Isolation does not equal spirituality. A truly spiritual person who “loves the Lord His God with all his heart, soul and mind and his neighbor as himself’, is spiritual in the assembly and in isolation and does not need religion to prove it to anyone.
i had a lot of quiet time to myself this weekend, both in the car and when i was working. it’s tempting to shatter the silence with music or an audio book or something, but I let it stay quiet for awhile. i kept thinking about my new house, and what God wants us to do with it and our future, while I was working on the old one.
I couldn’t decide if the old one is a chain or something I’m just not making the most of. I suppose it could be both. I managed to see a few of my old bandmates and see how their lives have gone, as well as their talents, so maybe that’s the connection.
Tt’s good to be back though. I’d rather have the body around me than not. I get a lot of strength from the strength of other believers. I don’t think that means I’m in need of “the herd,” but…maybe