{"id":637,"date":"2015-08-09T08:15:29","date_gmt":"2015-08-09T13:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=637"},"modified":"2025-03-27T08:19:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T13:19:25","slug":"religion-is-not-faith","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith","title":{"rendered":"Religion is not Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

DISCERNING BETWEEN FAITH AND RELIGION<\/strong>
\nReligion Detox Network will be of special interest to people who think that faith and religion are interchangeable concepts. Those who are willing to investigate the differences between faith and religion will learn that they are exactly opposite in meaning as seen in the following statements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\u2666 True faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.<\/a> And,
\n\u2666 True faith comes by hearing God’s spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But,<\/p>\n

\u2666\u00a0Religion<\/a> (i.e. fake faith<\/a>) is the substance of things that are seen, acted out, spoken, touched, tasted, heard, codified<\/a>, managed and repeated according to rules and traditions established by an historical succession of religious leaders.<\/a> And,
\n\u2666 Religion (i.e. fake faith) is learned by watching what other religious people do and listening to what religious people say.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Just to make this difference perfectly clear, we will rephrase these statements as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\u2666 True faith is a matter of the heart which only God knows and only God can see.\u00a0<\/a>And,
\n\u2666 True faith comes by hearing God’s word.<\/a>
\n\u2666 True faith is governed by spiritual laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But,<\/p>\n

\u2666 Religion (i.e. fake faith<\/a>) always involves use of the flesh<\/a> (i.e. physical body, mind, emotions) and material, visible things<\/a> (e.g. money,<\/a> buildings<\/a>, clothing<\/a>, incense, candles, music<\/a>, etc.) that can be seen, touched and heard, and which religious people value and praise<\/a> but God detests because it is usually acted out in public.<\/a> And,
\n\u2666 Religion (i.e. fake faith) is always governed by religious laws<\/a>. And,
\n\u2666 Religion (i.e. fake faith) includes beliefs and activities learned from other people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It is reasonable to expect that people who drop out of religion know, or at least suspect, that faith and\u00a0religion<\/a> are not the same. Many, perhaps most, of them believe that God exists and aspire to genuine faith. But doubts and uneasiness about these differences between faith and religion cause them to drop out of religion. That is a good thing to do because it resolves the inner tensions they have about the differences. It is not good, however, if they also leave God behind because they have no idea about a righteous alternative to religion.<\/a><\/p>\n

Most religionists entertain no thoughts of dropping out of religion. There is no doubt in their minds that God wants people to practice their brand of religion.\u00a0 They are convinced that faith and religion are identical. They have not considered the following differences between faith and religion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
CHARACTERISTICS OF SPIRITUAL FAITH<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGION<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is something you have in your your heart<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is what people do.\u00a0<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is perfectly manifest in the hearts<\/a> of New Covenant<\/a> disciples who hear God’s spoken voice and then act on what they hear.<\/a><\/td>\nReligious people listen to false prophets. They may, or may not, act on what they hear.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is a spiritual gift from God<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligion can be practiced by anyone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith comes by hearing God’s word spoken through messiahs<\/a> (i.e. New Covenant<\/a> disciples who are anointed<\/a> to speak for God).<\/a><\/td>\nJudaism and Christianity evolve from literal interpretations of natural events, natural places, and natural people reported in the Bible.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is the assurance of things not seen <\/a>— except by God alone who knows the heart.<\/a><\/td>\nRELIGION<\/a> is a collection of activities that people do with their bodies that can be seen by anyone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Evidence of faith exists in God’s spiritual laws<\/a> written on the heart <\/a>of New Covenant<\/a> disciples.<\/td>\nEvidence of religion exists in outward obedience to religious laws<\/a> made and enforced by men.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith involves spiritual sacrifices of the heart<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligion involves physical, material sacrifices at certain places at certain times.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is between man and God.\u00a0<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is a public matter that can be observed by anyone.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is an internal\u00a0 matter of the heart<\/a> which only God knows.<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is evident in external activity of the physical body (i.e. flesh)<\/a> that can be observed by anyone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is free of material cost<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligion usually involves a financial cost typically called a tithe or offering<\/a>.\u00a0God is opposed to religious commerce<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is spiritual, like the wind that cannot be seen with the natural eye.<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is always visible and usually happens in particular locations at set times.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith, being spiritual, is not predictable in terms of when, where or how it occurs<\/a>.<\/td>\nThe practice of religion is predictable because it is governed by written laws or long-standing traditions.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is governed by God\u2019s law written on the heart<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligion is governed by the following people:<\/p>\n
    \n
  • Theologians who interpret the Bible and report their opinions in various kinds of writings.<\/li>\n
  • Denominational leaders who choose the doctrines their denomination will follow and monitor denominational activities to ensure that those doctrines are followed.<\/li>\n
  • Local religious leaders who preach the chosen doctrines and lead congregations in practices which are consistent with those doctrines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The characteristics of true spiritual faith are all internal and do not include external practices done with the physical body.<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is always practiced using the physical body (i.e. flesh) in one way or another. In communal worship, custom predicts that worshipers will perform physical activities (e,g, stand up, sit down, sing, pray, read, dance, etc.) together at the same time.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is dependent only on hearing God\u2019s voice and does not require a human to teach it or supervise it <\/a>— except for true prophets.<\/td>\nReligion is always taught by and supervised by humans who are distinguished by titles, authority,<\/a> and often by clothing<\/a>, and whose position and income depends on a good personal reputation.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith does not have hierarchies of human authority<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligions always have leaders (e.g. pastors, apostles, Bishops, Popes, rabbis, etc.) to establish organizational policy and direct religious activities.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is trusting God<\/a> who is invisible.<\/td>\nReligion is trusting men and women<\/a> who can be seen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is practiced in the heart\/spirit<\/a> \u2014 not in a specific location at set times according to fixed ceremonial patterns.<\/a><\/td>\nReligion is typically practiced in a specified location on a regular schedule with more-or-less fixed ceremonial patterns.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith that comes from hearing God’s voice yields spiritual rewards.<\/a><\/p>\n

Faith always brings glory to God. <\/a><\/td>\n

The rewards of religion are pride<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Any praise that comes to the faithful person comes directly from God.<\/a><\/td>\nPraise that comes to religious people for their religious activity comes from other religious people.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith is a matter of the heart <\/a>that only God can see<\/a>.<\/td>\nReligion is always conducted by using the physical body<\/a> in some way and can be observed by anyone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

STUDY TIP: See this link for specifics of the Christian faith.<\/p>\n

God uses many words to symbolically represent the differences between\u00a0 faith and religion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Faith<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0Religion<\/strong><\/td>\nScripture References<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0New Covenant<\/a><\/td>\nOld\/First Covenant<\/a><\/td>\nThe entire Bible is about the differences between the two covenants and how the New Covenant replaces the Old\/First Covenant.<\/p>\n

Genesis 25:19-34; Romans 9; Hebrews 8; Hebrews 9; Hebrews 10; Hebrews 12:18-24; 2 Corinthians 3:1-13; Revelation 21:11 John 2:8; 1 John 2:17.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u00a0Life<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Death<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Deuteronomy 30:15<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tree of Life<\/a><\/td>\nTree of Knowledge of Good and Evil<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Genesis 2:16-17<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Good<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Evil<\/a><\/td>\n2 Samuel 14:17<\/a>; 1 Kings 3:9; <\/a>Hebrews 5:14; <\/a>Deuteronomy 30:1-15<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Spirit <\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Flesh<\/a><\/td>\nJohn 6:63<\/a>; Romans 8:1-4<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Blessings <\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Curses<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Deuteronomy 30:1-15<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Clean<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Unclean<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Ezekiel 44:23; Ezekiel 22:26<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0Holy<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Profane<\/a><\/td>\n\u00a0Ezekiel 44:23; Ezekiel 22:26<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Promised Land<\/a><\/td>\nLand of Canaan\/Egypt\/Babylon<\/a>
\n(i.e. Religion)<\/td>\n		The entire Bible is about the differences between and conflict between religion and the Promised Land.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kingdom of God<\/a><\/td>\nKingdom<\/a> of the World<\/td>\nRevelation 11:15<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Light<\/a><\/td>\nDarkness<\/a><\/td>\n2 Corinthians 6:14<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Righteousness <\/a><\/td>\nUnrighteousness<\/a><\/td>\n2 Corinthians 6:14<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Righteousness<\/a><\/td>\nSin<\/a><\/td>\nProverbs 13:6<\/a>; Romans 5:19-21<\/a>; Romans 6:13-21<\/a>; Romans 8:10<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Freedom<\/a><\/td>\nSlavery<\/a><\/td>\nGal 4:22-23<\/a>; Gal 4:30-31; <\/a>Gal 5:1<\/a>; 1 Timothy 6:1<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faith<\/a><\/td>\nWorks<\/a><\/td>\nRomans 3:27-28<\/a>; Romans 9:30-33<\/a> Galatians 2:15-16<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Abel’s Offering<\/td>\nCain’s Offering<\/td>\nGenesis 4:1-7; <\/a>1-John 3:11-15<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Right hand<\/a><\/td>\nLeft hand<\/td>\nEcclesiastes 10:2; <\/a>Matthew 25:32-46<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
David <\/a><\/td>\nGoliath<\/a><\/td>\n1 Samuel 17: 19-51<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mercy<\/td>\nJudgment<\/td>\nJames 2:8-13<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Light burden<\/a>\/yoke<\/a><\/td>\nHeavy burden<\/a>\/yoke<\/a><\/td>\nMatthew 11:28-30; 1 John 5:3; Isaiah 9:1-4; Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 14:24-28; Isaiah 58:6-9; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 5:5; Jeremiah 28:1-14; Jeremiah 30:8; Ezekiel 30:18; Ezekiel 34:27; Nahum 1:13; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 68:19; Isaiah 46:4; 1 Peter 5:5-7; Psalm 38; Luke 11:46; Acts 15:7-11; Matthew 23:1-9; Galatians 5:1-6<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rest (i.e. ceasing from all religious works\/labors.)<\/a><\/td>\nWorks (labors) done according to religious laws.<\/a><\/td>\nExodus 23:12;<\/a>Exodus 31:15;<\/a>Exodus 35:2;<\/a>Leviticus 23:3<\/a>; Deuteronomy 5:1-15;<\/a>Psalm 46:1;<\/a> Leviticus 16:29-31 <\/a> <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Considering the many different ways God differentiates between faith and religion, it is difficult to summarize the differences between the two concepts. It can be safely said, however, that all the contrasting terms in the above table point to two covenants (Old\/First and New). Therefore, we will offer this statement as a practical, working concept that helps distinguish between the two:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

STUDY TIP: Read more about the differences between faith and religion in RELIGION.<\/a> See\u00a0Two Covenants Part 1 <\/a>and\u00a0<\/a>Two Covenants Part 2 <\/a>for more about covenants.<\/p>\n

Also see THE HEART IS THE PLACE for <\/a>understanding of a heart that is fully devoted to God.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DISCERNING BETWEEN FAITH AND RELIGION Religion Detox Network will be of special interest to people who think that faith and religion are interchangeable concepts. Those who are willing to investigate the differences between faith and religion will learn that they …<\/span> Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":160,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-637","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13825,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/637\/revisions\/13825"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}