“What is True Religion or Faith?”

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Religion can be defined as “belief in a super human God or gods who are due obedience” or “belief in God or gods to be worshipped which is shown in conduct and ritual”. About 85% of the world’s population will associate with some form of religion. With so many different religions what is the right or true religion?

The two most common features of religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are basically a list of rules of do’s and don’t’s, through which the faithful follower of that religion is said to be right with, or obtain the favour of, the God of that religion.

Other religions emphasise more the observing rituals instead of obeying a list of rules. By accomplishing some tasks, taking part in services, eating particular foods or offering sacrifices etc., a person is made right with God. This can be by: being baptized as an infant, taking part in “communion”, certain prayers and confessions, regular attendance at religious buildings or festivals and perhaps rituals before you die etc., which will mean that God will accept such a person into the place of happiness after death.

Many religions are a combination of keeping both rules and rituals.

However true religion, or faith, is neither based on rules nor on rituals but on a relationship with God. Two things that all religions hold are that humanity is somehow separated from God and needs to be reconciled to Him. Man-made religion seeks to overcome this problem by observing rules and rituals. True religion, or faith, realises that only God could put right the separation, and that He has done something effective about it. True religion, or faith, recognizes the following:

1. That as God is holy (1) our separation from God comes from what we all have thought, said and done wrong, which God calls sin (2).

2. If our sin, which is against God, is not put right then as God is just (3) the consequence is sadly death (4, 5) and everlasting separation from God Almighty (6) after death in judgment for our sins (7, 8).

3. God came to us in the Person of Jesus Christ (9) Who died for our sins by taking the punishment that we deserve (10). He also rose from the dead (11), to demonstrate that His death was a sufficient sacrifice for our sins (12).

4. If we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone as the Saviour, believing {that is fully resting in} the fact that His death was the complete payment for all our sins (13), then we are forgiven and redeemed {being purchased and belonging to God} (14), receive everlasting life (15), are reconciled to (16), and justified by, God (17).

With true religion or faith there are rules and practices, but there is a vital difference here. In true religion or faith, the rules and practices are observed out of joy and gratitude for the salvation that God has already given but NOT to try to secure our salvation from judgment (18, 19). True religion or faith, which is Biblical Christianity, does obey what God has said in His Word. There are rules, {e.g. do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie (20) etc.} and practices {water baptism by immersion (21) and the remembrance of the Lord Jesus at the Lord’s Supper, which some call Communion (22) etc.}. Observing these rules and practices does not bring anyone God’s forgiveness or make then right with Him. Instead these rules and practices are kept as a CONSEQUENCE of the relationship with God (23). The relationship with God comes through God’s grace (24) {meaning undeserved favour} and my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone as the Saviour (25, 26). Man-made religion will not make you right with God and so is false. Man-made religion is doing things imperfectly {rules and rituals} in order to try to earn God’s favour. True religion or faith is believing in and therefore receiving the perfect Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour (27) and so having a right relationship with God – and then doing things (rules and practices) out of love for God and desire to be closer to Him (28).

Bible Quotations:

1. Psalm 99v5 “Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.”
2. Romans 3v22b-23 “For there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
3. Isaiah 45v21 “… a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.”
4. Romans 6v23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
5. Romans 5v12 “Wherefore, as by one man {Adam – Genesis c3} sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
6. Genesis 35v11 “And God said unto him, I am God Almighty …”
7. Matthew 25v46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
8. Hebrews 6v2 “Of the doctrine {or teaching} of … eternal judgment.”
9. 2 Corinthians 5v19 “How that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself …”
10. Romans 5v8 “But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
11. 1 Corinthians 15v3-4 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
12. Romans 4v25 “Who (Jesus v24) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification {being made right in God’s sight}.”
13. John 3v16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
14. Ephesians 1v7 “In whom (the Beloved i.e. Jesus Christ v6) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
15. John 3v36 “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.”
16. Romans 5v10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
17. Romans 5v1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
18. Colossians 2v6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.”
19. 1 John 2v12 “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his (Jesus Christ’s v1-2) name’s sake.”
20. Matthew 19v18 “He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, ‘You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness.’ ”
21. Acts 8v36-39 “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?’ And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may’, And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”
22. 1 Corinthians 11v23-26 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
23. John 14v21 The Lord Jesus said, “He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
24. Titus 2v11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
25. Acts 16v31 “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”
26. Ephesians 2v8-9 “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
27. John 1v12 ”But as many as received him (the true light v9, i.e. Christ), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
28. 1 John 2v5 “But whoso keeps his (Jesus Christ’s v1) word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”