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[Note: <\/strong>This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles<\/strong> page.]<\/span><\/p>\n Some time ago a denomination in Dallas, Texas, advertised its aim as \u201crelationship, not religion.\u201d When I read it, I thought, \u201cAt last, truth in advertising!\u201d Actually, most of the religious groups that claim to be \u201cChristian\u201d have been placing \u201crelationship\u201d ahead of \u201creligion\u201d all along, but seldom do they advertise it. In fact, some of them may not even recognize that they are doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n What does their slogan mean? I infer that it means that their principal aim is to encourage good human relations. The slogan implies that the church members are free to believe and practice whatever pleases them in religion and to behave about any way they choose in their daily lives\u2014as long as they maintain good \u201crelationships\u201d in so doing. A further implication is that they will not be \u201cburdened\u201d with any dogma, doctrine, or requisite practices (especially if they are taught in the Bible, no doubt).<\/span><\/p>\n This \u201cversion\u201d of \u201cChristianity\u201d is one of the many sorry ends of the old slogan, \u201cIt makes no difference what you believe, as long as you\u2019re sincere.\u201d If \u201crelationship\u201d supersedes religion, one may keep his third wife who has had four husbands as long as the two presently have a \u201cgood relationship.\u201d In this creed it matters little what one believes about the Creation, baptism, the way God has directed men to worship Him, or the verbal inspiration of the Bible. Such are irrelevant as long as one knows how to \u201cget along\u201d with others.<\/span><\/p>\n The greater tragedy is that some congregations that wear the name, \u201cChurch of Christ,\u201d have adopted just such an emphasis. Some congregations now boast of being havens for those involved in adulterous marriages. If these groups were honest, they would no longer use Church of Christ <\/em>on their signs. We are beginning to see integrity in this regard in some. Max Lucado renamed his Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio \u201cOak Hills Church\u201d in 2003. Some of us have for years begged the elders of the North Richland Hills \u201cChurch of Christ\u201d near Fort Worth to take this step (which it now has, as “The Hills”). It was at least approaching <\/strong>honesty in this regard before the name change. Its marquee read on one occasion, \u201cIf you are looking for an independent community church, call ___-_____.\u201d To no one\u2019s surprise, NRH recently announced it would begin conducting a service on Saturday nights which will feature instrumental music and the \u201cLord\u2019s supper.\u201d Those apostates who are zealous to lead the church into fellowship with the denominations consistently soft-pedal doctrine in favor of an \u201cirenic (peaceful) spirit\u201d toward and relationship with men.<\/span><\/p>\n No one can deny the importance of correct relationships. However, even a neophyte in Bible teaching cannot miss its primary emphasis on the right relationship with God. <\/strong>It is not possible to be rightly related to one\u2019s fellow man if he is not rightly related to God. The correct order is always peace with God, then peace with man (Mat. 10:37; Luke 12:51\u201353; Acts 5:29; et al.). There is no peace with God without respect for the authority of His Son (Mat. 17:5; Heb. 1:1\u20132; 5:9; et al.). Only when one has the right religion <\/strong>(as defined by the New Testament) will he have the right relationship <\/strong>with both God and men.<\/span><\/p>\n [Note:<\/strong> I wrote this article for and it was published in The Lighthouse, <\/em>weekly bulletin of Northpoint Church of Christ, Denton, TX, January 15, 2017, of which I was editor.]<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 0[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles page.] Some time ago a denomination in Dallas, Texas, advertised its aim as \u201crelationship, not religion.\u201d When I read it, I thought, \u201cAt last, truth in advertising!\u201d Actually, most of the religious…<\/p>\n