4 Myths About Having A Personal Relationship With Jesus (S1:E15 Show Notes)

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“Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.” “I can live how I want because my relationship with Jesus is personal.” Have you ever said or heard those things before? Sometimes people who are curious about Christianity or even people who are already Christians unintentionally draw wrong conclusions about what the phrase “personal relationship” means. So, in this episode we’re debunking four common misconceptions about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus and learning the truth. Here are four things you should know about having a personal relationship with Jesus.

See below for episode outline, key takeaways, and Bible passages.

Here are four things you should know about having a personal relationship with Jesus.

**#1: Christianity is both a religion and a relationship.**

It’s not wrong to say Christianity is a religion, because it is a system of faith and worship, as most dictionaries would define “religion.” And there are even instances in the Bible that use the word religion when talking about following Christ, and the word is not used in a negative sense (James 1:27). But we should understand and help others understand what is unique about Christianity as a religion/faith. Christianity is the only true faith. The God of the Bible is the only true and living God. And Christianity is a faith that is based on making a personal decision to believe in and follow Jesus and on knowing Him in a personal relationship.

James 1:27
John 14:6
John 1:1-34
John 3:16-17 (I recommend reading all of John 3)
Romans 5:6-11

Definitions of religion:

#2: “Personal relationship with Jesus” doesn’t mean “isolated relationship with Jesus.”

Our personal relationship with Jesus is lived out both in our personal lives and private time alone with God and also in community with other Christians who are also following Jesus. Believers are supposed to live life and follow Jesus together, in community with other Christians and with the spiritual oversight of pastors and leaders in our lives who can guide us, teach us, and encourage us spiritually.

Acts 2:42-47
Hebrews 10:24-25

**#3: Personal relationship with Jesus doesn’t mean hidden relationship with Jesus.**

Sometimes people wrongly interpret the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus” to mean that Christians should never talk about their relationship with Jesus openly, share the gospel, or express their Christian faith in any public way. When Jesus teaches about seeking God in secret, He’s correcting false piety that was performative and sought the praise of people instead of true relationship with God. He meant that we should seek God obey His commandments with the right motives, not that we should keep our faith so hidden that no one ever sees us following Jesus or knows we are a Christian.

Matthew 6:1-18
Matthew 5:14-16
1 Peter 3:15-16
1 Peter 4:14-16

Christians who live in a region where Christians are persecuted for faith in Jesus might navigate differently what it looks like to be bold and open about their faith than a Christian would who lives someplace where they don’t face the same kind of persecution.

Biblical examples of Christians using wisdom and discretion as to how to minister and practice their faith publicly in contexts when they were facing persecution:

Acts 4:1-31
Acts 5:17-42
Acts 9:19-25

Podcast Episode: 3 Tests That Will Challenge You Faith (And How to Overcome)

#4: “Personal relationship with Jesus” doesn’t mean you get to make the rules.

“Personal” doesn’t mean you and I get to determine the standards, boundaries, and guidelines for what Christian belief and the Christian life are supposed to look like. The Bible teaches us that if a person has genuinely trusted in Jesus for salvation, and truly knows and loves Jesus, the fruit of that true faith in Jesus will be a life of loving, joyful obedience to His commands and a life changed over time, as empowered by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
John 14:15; John 14:21
Luke 9:23
1 John 2:1-6
1 John 3:4-10
1 John 5:3
Ephesians 4:17-24
1 Peter 1:13-16
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 2:13

Do you want to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus?

If you want to learn more about how to be forgiven for your sins and have a genuine personal relationship with Jesus for yourself, watch this episode.

LET’S TALK: How did this conversation confirm or challenge your idea of what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus? Discuss this episode in the comments below.

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