Two Kinds of Religions

  Hollywood has brought another controversial film to the table, "The Kingdom of Heaven." This is Hollywood's version of the historical "Catholic" crusades that took place approximately a thousand years ago.

This is as good a time as any to further the controversy. So in staying with the topic of religion, I would like to state that I believe there are only two kinds of religions in the world.

First, there is the religion that teaches one must earn one's way to heaven. Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Christ, are just a few of the denominations that belong to the Church of Good Works. Though their doctrines differ in respect to definitions of God, faith, heaven, and salvation, they all believe that mankind is possess some goodness and strive to better themselves in order to merit heaven, via keeping God's law, being baptized, or obtaining good karma. This, they hope, will please their deity in the end, whoever their deity may be.

The central teaching of the Good Works Church is faith plus good deeds will hopefully result in eternal life." But one can never know.

The second religion centers itself around the person and work of Christ Jesus, who is believed by Bible-believing Christians to be God in the flesh, the Creator become man, the God-man as proclaimed in the New Testament. The clear teaching of Biblical Christianity is that we are sinful from birth and this results in our habitual breaking of God's law. Since our Creator will not be bribed by our good deeds, all of us remain condemned before the holy God. But God, who is rich in mercy, made a way for sinners to be justified in His sight. Individuals must place their faith in the sinless life, death, and resurrection of Christ alone. Jesus did ALL the work. And He bids individuals to trust Him for their eternal state.

The central teaching of Biblical Christianity is that we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus alone. In other words, faith in Jesus plus nothing we can do results in our eternal life.

So, are you banking your eternity on your own empty works or will you you place your faith in what God says in His Word? Take your Bible and go to the Gospel of John. With a pen in hand, everytime you see the words, "eternal life" or "everlasting life," underline those words and than ask yourself two questions. Who is eternal life for? And what must one do to receive eternal life? Ask God to show you the answers to those questions from His Word.

About the Author

Robert Michaels lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and serves at Community Bible Church in Vallejo, CA. Writing, photography and road trips are his pastimes. You may contact Him at robertkoji@yahoo.com

 Robert Michaels

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