GREAT QUESTION JEFF!
I HAVE FOUND THAT PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL BEINGS EITHER DO NOT KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF EITHER WORD, OR THEY DO NOT REALLY KNOW THE BIBLE AND JESUS CHRIST.
WHY DO I SAY THAT?
REMEMBER THE "RELIGIOUS AND THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS" OF JESUS DAY WERE ALL ABOUT THEIR RULES, RITUALS, RITES OF THAT SYSTEM, INSTEAD OF FAITH IN THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF. JESUS HAD LITTLE USE FOR THE "RELIGIOUS" IN HIS DAY, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AND TRUSTING/CLINGING TO HIS WORD OR THE LORD GOD, BUT TAUGHT AND EXPECTED THEIR FLOCK TO BELIEVE IN AND TRUST IN AND FOLLOW THEIR OWN MAN CREATED ISMS AND RULES. JESUS TAUGHT OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT BELIEVE IN THE LORD GOD. THERE IS ONLY ONE CREATOR GOD. THERE ARE NO OTHERS. AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT, DID YOU KNOW THEN, AS NOW THERE ARE 1000S OF "GODS" AND RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS?
REMEMBER PAUL CAST THE DEMONS OUT OF A PSYCHIC/WITCH WHO FOLLOWED HIM AROUND PROCLAIMING HE WAS A MAN OF GOD. PAUL DID NOT WANT THE CONNECTION MADE THAT PSYCHICS/WITCHES WERE FROM ALMIGHTY GOD NOR DID HE WANT THIS GIRL'S APPROVAL NOR HER SUPPORT, BECAUSE IT CAME FROM SATAN, NOT THE LORD JESUS. THE RICH MEN WHO DEPENDED ON THIS PSYCHIC/WITCH TO HELP THEM MAKE A FORTUNE, ALMOST BEAT PAUL TO DEATH FOR CASTING OUT THE DEMONS GIVING HER INFORMATION. SHE WAS CONSIDERED AMONG THE PEOPLE TO BE "SPIRITUAL". BUT PAUL KNEW AND WE KNOW THAT DEMONS ARE SPIRITS/SPIRITUAL, BUT THEY ARE NOT OF THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.
I ALSO MET A WITCH WHO BELIEVED IN/FOLLOWED WICCA, WHILE SITTING IN THE SURGICAL WAITING ROOM, WHEN MY DAD WAS BEING OPERATED ON. AND I WAS READING MY BIBLE, AND PRAYING QUIETLY FOR JESUS TO GRANT MY DAD'S DOCTORS HIS WISDOM AND HIS DISCERNMENT. SHE HAD BEEN WATCHING ME AND CAME OVER AND SAT BESIDE ME AND SAID YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN? I SAID YES I LOVE AND FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. SHE NODDED AND SAID, I AM WICCAN AND I AM VERY SPIRITUAL TOO. JUST LIKE YOU, I HAVE BEEN USING MY POWERS TO SUMMON THE FOUR WINDS AND MOTHER EARTH TO HEAL MY MOTHER.
I SHARED A VIDEO ABOUT AN INTERVIEW WITH A SATANIST PRIEST AND WHAT THEY BELIEVED AND HE SAID SATANIST ARE VERY SPIRITUAL BEINGS AND BELIEVERS IN OUR GOD SATAN.
SO INNOCENT OF THE TRUE MEANING OR NOT, THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BELIEVE IN A SPIRIT OR IN A MAN MADE SYSTEM.
is there a difference...yes. Jesus spoke of not being religious---because there were flaws in the Jewish faith leadership. We are called to follow Jesus not a church or Jesus' followers but too many times the church has done things that make people not want to be a part of it. Despite that the church is important and part of following Jesus.
Jesus was more for being spiritual than religious but how people use these terms today is not necissarily the same way they were in the Bible this little tid bit is to just add to what Faithy said.