Why Jesus is not a Religion
Through His Son, God ends the quest of man-made systems to reach God
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘Religion’ as:
A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.
I would simplify this definition of ‘Religion’ from a scriptural analysis. I would say ‘Religion’ is man’s attempt to get to God. Plain and simple.
Look at any Religion in the history of the world until now, you will see that man must do something by his or her self in order to attain the god, gods, or end bliss in question. In this article, I am going to show my readers how Jesus Christ has nothing to do with religion and how Christianity errantly makes Him a religion.
In order for a religion to be a religion, there must be something man ‘must do’ to achieve paradise or endless bliss. So, in order for something ‘not to be a religion,’ then the something man ‘must do’ must be eliminated. The only way for a belief not to be a religion is if the Deity in question accomplishes the end goal apart from man’s contribution. This is exactly what Jesus Christ does but hardly anyone believes it.
You must believe…you must accept the gift…you must do good works…you must follow the law…you can do this but you can’t do that…and on and on. Well, there is a debate is some circles as to whether one is saved by faith or by faith and works. However, let me tell you how neither is part of religion if properly understood.
The apostle Paul says this about God in Acts, chapter 17, verses 24-26: The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is NOT DWELLING IN TEMPLES MADE BY HANDS, NEITHER IS HE ATTENDED BY HUMAN HANDS, AS IF REQUIRING ANYTHING, SINCE HE HIMSELF GIVES TO ALL LIFE AND BREATH AND ALL.
I capitalized the words Paul used because they are the exact opposite of what religion is. What is religion but God being attended by human hands. In these verses, Paul says that God is not attended by human hands. What is religion but outlining what is required of a human to get to God. In these verses, Paul says that God DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYTHING…that is what is meant by the phrase ‘as if requiring anything.’
So religion requires something of man but God does not. Why? Paul answers…because God gives to all life and breath and all. The reason God does not require anything from man is because everything a man has is given him by God. How can God require something from a human that God Himself has to give in order for the human to have it?
Therefore, its not that a human doesn’t need to have faith or even works. But instead, its that God gives faith (Romans 12:3) and God creates the works to be done (Ephesians 2:10). God does everything so He requires nothing from a human that is independent of God. In fact, its impossible for a human to do anything apart from the intention of God (Romans 9:19). Another fact is that humans can give nothing to God that He has not first given to them (Romans 11: 35-36).
So, why is the truth of Jesus different from every religion ever created?
Jesus entered God’s creation and through His death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection, God saves all of His creation. Jesus is not a religion because He, by God’s hand, eliminates the ‘must do’ of the human.
Humanity inherited death from Adam and that is our curse (Romans 5:13). Forget eternal hell for it is a false doctrine. Death is our destiny and humans are powerless to overcome it. The dying cannot save the dying and the dead cannot save the dead. That is why we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).
God, through the work and only the work of Jesus Christ, saves everyone, eventually. Jesus Christ entered our death and God resurrected Him. This is our salvation. Christ drags us into His death and scoops us up into immortal life. This is not a religion because it is not up to anything the human does, but all is accomplished by God, through Christ.
Where is the human contribution of religion in these verses?
Romans 5:18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life's justifying. We get life’s justifying through the one just award of Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. The same ALL that die in Adam are the same ALL vivified by Christ. We did nothing to get death, we do nothing to get life. We inherit death from Adam and we inherit life from Christ. No religion, no ‘must’ do on our part. All up to Christ!
Colossians 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens. All of creation is reconciled to God THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS not through human contribution, acceptance, rule-following. Religion is eliminated because God does the ‘must do’ for everybody.
So back to Christianity. Christianity reverts Christ back to religion the minute a follower says, ‘Jesus died on the cross, but you must ______’
Whatever you fill in that blank with…..is religion. If you fill in this blank and you believe that this action is ‘independent of God’ then you make everything Christ has done null and void. Why? Because now salvation is no longer dependent on Christ but on whatever you fill in the blank with. It could be faith, accepting the gift, works or anything else! You have made the Destroyer of religion, a religion.
Now, let me be very clear. Everyone is saved by God, through Jesus Christ’s completed work. The verses above and many others prove this. However, though all is done by God, He does not save everyone at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:23).
God gives faith to those He has chosen for a special salvation unto agelong life. Whatever needs to be done to have this agelong life, God gives to the person He has chosen. This so happens to be a realization of Christ’s completed work of salvation through His death for your sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Plus, no human contribution. Anything we do or have is given to us by God, not self.
WE are HIS ACHIEVEMENT (Ephesians 2:10) from start to finish. God just brings people to Him at different times. But rest assured, that all including the salvation of every creature ever created is accomplished by God and not the human ‘must do’ of religion. It all ends with God being All in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). All created by God, all saved by God, all with God in the end. For in Him we are living and moving and are (Acts 17:28).
Grace and peace to you all!
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