It's often said, 'Christianity is not a religion (or rules) but a relationship.'
Is this true?
Not entirely.
Of course, at the heart of the Christian faith is the truth Jesus Christ restores our relationship with the Father... as well as our fellow man.
And this restored relationship is central to living life as God designed it.
But it's a relationship that binds us to certain rules of conduct... making our faith religious in nature.
Consider the Ten Commandments...
... where rules forbidding adultery, stealing, bearing false witness and coveting govern our relationships.
Without these standards, relationships -- with God and others -- are meaningless.
This is why the Apostle Paul writes that loving relationships involve fulfilling the law toward one another (Rom.13:8-10).
So Christianity is a relationship...
... but it's a relationship given boundaries and protected by God-given rules that lead to blessings.
Blessings that transform individuals, families, communities and nations.