What is the difference between RELIGION and truth in Following Jesus as set forth in the Word
of God, the Holy Bible.
The following chart may be helpful: (
RELIGION
|
Following Jesus
|
"Salvation is
something I must do. I must somehow earn or gain salvation by the way I
live."
|
"Salvation is
something only God can do.
Salvation is of the LORD!" (Eph. 2:8-9; Jonah 2:9).
|
Religion is summed up in
one word: DO--man
trying to DO different things to please God and earn His favor.
|
Christianity is summed up
in one word:DONE--Christ
dying on the cross to save sinful man (John 19:30).
|
The religious man is busy
"working" (doing good works) in order to be saved.
|
The saved person is
"not working" (Rom. 4:5) but is RESTING upon the finished work of
Another.
|
TRYING
|
TRUSTING (Acts 16:31)
|
A Work
to Do which is never done (How can
anyone work well enough and hard enough to earn salvation?)
|
A Word
to Believe (1 Pet. 1:25) about a Work that is Done (1 Pet.
1:18-19).
|
Man hoping to save
himself
|
God saving hopeless man
(1 Tim. 1:15)
|
RELIGION is man
trying to BRING HIMSELF TO GOD (by human effort, good works, ritualism,
traditionalism, sacraments, etc.).
|
CHRISTIANITY is
Christ BRINGING US TO GOD on the basis of what He did for us on the cross (1
Peter 3:18).
|
Religion is man trusting
his own good works (Titus 3:5).
|
Salvation is man trusting
the good work which the Lord Jesus did on the cross (Rom. 3:22-26).
|
A religious ritual
|
A real relationship (John
17:3)
|
Following rules
|
Enjoying life (John 6:47;
10:10).
|
"I must reform my
life and turn over a new leaf"
|
"I must be born
again" (John 3:7).
|
Doing
Something
|
Knowing
Someone (John 17:3)
|
Seeking to earn God's
favor by works
|
Receiving God's favor by
grace through faith (Eph. 2:8 and see Eph. 1:6).
|
"I can work my way
to heaven and earn my salvation" (Romans 6:23 teaches that we have
earned our way to hell: "the wages of sin is death")
|
"I could never live
well enough to earn my way to heaven. Christ had to pay the price for my
salvation (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
|
"Salvation is
something that a person must earn."
|
"Salvation is a free
gift" (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 4:10).
|
The sinner sees himself
as good (Luke 18:11-12).
|
The sinner sees himself
as sinful (Luke 18:13).
|
The religious man
compares himself with others (Luke 18:11).
|
The saved man sees
himself as God sees him (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 53:1-3; Rom. 3:10-12).
|
TRUSTING SELF (Luke 18:9)
|
TRUSTING CHRIST (Eph. 1:12-13)
|
BOASTING IN SELF (Luke 18:11-12)
|
BOASTING IN THE LORD (1 Cor. 1:29-31; Eph. 2:9)
|
The religious man is
seeking to establish his own righteousness (Rom. 10:3).
|
The saved man is
satisfied with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
|
Hoping to be saved by good works (a false hope)
|
Saved unto good works by God's grace (Eph.
2:10).
|
Religion teaches that
good works are thecause of
salvation.
|
The Bible teaches that
good works are the result of
salvation.
|
Religion says, "Good
works are those things that a person does to be saved."
|
The Bible says,
"Good works are those things that a saved person does" (James
2:14-26).
|
"I hope I will be saved."
"I think I will be saved." "I feel that I will be saved, maybe." |
"I KNOW I am saved right now" (1
John 5:13-"These things have I written unto you that believe on to name
of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that
ye have eternal life").
|
