Many who love the Lord love that motto. It is reactionary, and rightly so, against that "form of godliness which denies the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5). In other words the saying despises, and rightly so, that which is called Christianity but which actually substitutes the traditions of men for the infallible counsel of God in Scripture, settles for formalistic ritual instead of vital worship in the Holy Spirit, and in which the daily walk of faith is replaced by dependence on the arm of flesh.
Moreover that walk of faith is unique to the covenant people of the one true God. Although the world speaks of "other faiths," when they do so they are usurping a term used in the Bible to identify God's gift to His sheep, and to them alone. Per Ephesians 4:5, there is but ONE faith. There are many man-made religions, but they are devoid of that one true faith. Such religions are worthless, and those caught up in them are to be called to repentance and faith in Jesus, with Scriptural love and wisdom.
So our title motto does well by warning us away from pitfalls, and in distinguishing genuine Christian discipleship from false belief systems and the things done by their adherents. But, to use another common motto made famous by the movie Apollo 13, "Houston, we have a problem." *
Scripture certainly condemns false, vain, and hypocritical religion. Yet by the Holy Spirit's inspiration the apostle James affirms the place of good religion within the life of faith. He wrote:
"If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:26,27)
In Luke 2:25, Simeon is described using the original language word EULABES, translated "devout" (religious), and the same word is applied to the men who buried the martyr Stephen, Acts 8:2.
Perhaps a better motto would be, "I have a relationship AND a religion." In other words because I am vitally connected to Jesus the true vine (John 15), because I am united to Christ (and to His people) consciously and personally according to the new and better covenant in His blood, because His blessed Spirit indwells me – THEREFORE I consistently engage in public and private worship, strive to behave consistentl and perpetually according to the ethics of the Bible, and do works of faith: "religion."
So you have a personal relationship with Jesus? Let it be seen by your pure and undefiled RELIGION.
* The movie slightly edited the exchange between astronauts John Swigert, Jr., James Lovell, and their base in Houston Texas. The actual diaog was:
SWIGERT – "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here."
HOUSTON – "This is Houston. Say again please."
LOVELL – "Houston, we've had a problem. We've had a main B bus undervolt."