Psalm 66:5 Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!
But let's talk first about the difference between Religious and Spiritual because there's a great difference between the two. A Religious Catholic or Religious Protestant is different from a Catholic Christian or Protestant Christian.
Religious definition as an adjective means 'devout, pious, godly'...etc. A religious person does everything to please GOD according to the precepts of the Church he is attending and serving. In short, a religious person is devout pleasing GOD. It's about his work/s for GOD.
On the other hand, Spiritual definition as an adjective is; ''relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things'. While the religious responds to the laws and precepts of the Church he belongs, the Spiritual person responds to the dictate of the Spirit in him, and glorifying the works of GOD in him. A true Spiritual person is seriously hooked on what GOD had done for him, what GOD is currently doing for him and in him, and what GOD is going to do for him and in him.
John 14:13-14 says, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
We take note of "And I WILL do" as future active phrase means that it is still in effect in our times. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8) The truth is that GOD is always working even now. Jesus is still at work and so the Father GOD in Heaven is still at work even today, ... at this very moment. Remember what Jesus had spoken in John 5:17? "But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” This is what we must be concerned about; what GOD has done, what HE is doing, and what HE is going to do. Even Jesus Christ had the same concern. John 5:19-20 says, "Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all He does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed." Jesus taught and showed us for us to do the same; know what GOD is doing and glorify HIM for His Work.
And at the end, the true Spiritual person will genuinely follow Christ; glorifying GOD for His Works instead of glorifying ourselves for what we as human have done or what we are doing and going to do.
Now, Protestant and Catholic are both classified as Religion. If Protestants and Catholics can be both called Christians although different in their teachings, Christianity therefore is not about what the believers do. For Protestant's doing is very different from Catholic's doing. These two major Religious Sectors called themselves Christians because they both believe what GOD had done to bring salvation to humankind. Therefore, Religious concerns is of his doing to GOD while Spiritual concerns is of what GOD's doing to man.
That's the essence of Christianity. True Christianity talks about what GOD has done specially on bringing salvation to everyone who believes. John 3:16 says, " For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Many religions believe in this. But even they believe, they still focused on their doings rather than focused in GOD's doings; in the Spirit doings and sayings.
Jesus said in John 16:12-15, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”
In this verse, Jesus informed us that He didn't said everything we should know. But He made the Holy Spirit in charge of the things He left unsaid. In our time, this is still the role of the Spirit. But not all believers listen to the Spirit. That's why not all believers are spiritual. They don't know and have no idea what the Spirit is telling them.
But at the end, it's not about what we have done, but what GOD has done for us. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Therefore the one that matters is not recognizing what we have done for GOD but recognizing what GOD has done for us that makes the big difference. AMEN
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