Shouldn’t we emphasize a relationship with Jesus instead of rules?<\/a>, but I really can’t find scripture that gives examples of a personal relationship with Christ.<\/p>\n\tAnswer:<\/h2>\n
“Relationship” is a broad word. Jesus is my Lord — that is a relationship between Christ and myself (Luke 6:46; I Corinthians 11:3). I have a love for my Lord, which is also an expression of a relationship. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him<\/em>” (John 14:21). The relationship is shown in my desire to do what my Lord and Savior commands me to do.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Question: Our preacher says he is about a relationship with Christ instead of rules.\u00a0 I read and liked your article, Shouldn’t we emphasize a relationship with Jesus instead of rules?, but I really can’t find scripture that gives examples of a personal relationship with Christ. Answer: “Relationship” is a broad word. Jesus is my Lord…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[73,54],"class_list":["post-41783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-jesus","tag-obedience"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13611,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-people-who-want-a-personal-relationship-with-jesus-against-religion\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":0},"title":"Why are people who want a personal relationship with Jesus against religion?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 20, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I hear many folks, seemingly of the denominational world, speak of having a \"personal relationship\" with Jesus or God. They tend to pit this against religion as if they take offense to the notion of religion. Can you speak to the \"personal relationship\" idea as I can't seem to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40145,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/shouldnt-we-emphasize-a-relationship-with-jesus-instead-of-rules\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":1},"title":"Shouldn’t we emphasize a relationship with Jesus instead of rules?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just want to add that I looked around the site, but I never saw a topic about creating an intimate relationship with Jesus. One of the biggest misunderstandings is that people live according to do's and don'ts. They don't understand that Jesus wants a relationship with them and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8586,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-i-feel-so-disconnected-after-making-the-sign-of-the-cross\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":2},"title":"Why do I feel so disconnected after making the sign of the cross?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When I make the \"Sign of the Cross\" before praying, I feel so blessed 'opening' and 'connecting' myself to God and all those in Heaven. It is very uplifting. However, when I make the \"Sign of the Cross\" finishing the prayer, I feel I'm closing myself off, away from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87444,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/paul-and-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":3},"title":"Paul and Jesus","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Zeke Flores In many ways, Galatians is about Paul and Jesus. One of the things I love about the short book of Galatians is how, although Paul writes on deep theological themes concerning the differentiation between the old and new covenants and their respective purposes, he often refers to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28058,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-marriage-in-decline\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":4},"title":"A Marriage in Decline","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 1, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Steven Harper Throughout the Bible, God uses the analogy of marriage to describe\u00a0the relationship of God with His people. In the Old Testament, God spoke of how He was\u00a0\"married to\"\u00a0the ones of Judah (Jeremiah 3:14) and\u00a0\"was a husband to\"\u00a0the Israelites (Jeremiah 31:32), and even used the analogous picture of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/divorce2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":68465,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jesus-the-bridegroom\/","url_meta":{"origin":41783,"position":5},"title":"Jesus, the Bridegroom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer God created Adam and Eve to be husband and wife, cleaving to each other in faithfulness (Genesis 2:24). Here is the beginning of marriage, but marriage was not meant to be an end in itself. 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