All religions are the same…

I am going to put forth two arguments.  First, that all religions accomplish the exact same thing.  Second, that everyone has religion.

If these seem like an odd pair of statements to be coming from a professing Christian, they should.  But they are still true.  And here is why.

All religions accomplish the exact same thing:

The question then is: What? 

The answer: nothing. 

Religion accomplishes nothing.  It does nothing to get us to heaven.   One might argue that religion makes you a better person, but I would argue that it doesn’t.  In as much as “acting religiously” mirrors “discipline” in one’s life, it might improve the way you act toward others… but that is discipline, not religion.  I don’t care what religion or religious system you look at… even if you kept it perfectly and never made a mistake, it wouldn’t get you into heaven.  We can’t earn heaven.  (As we will see later.) 

And the reason for my second statement will give further support…

Everyone has religion:

I have never met a single person who is not religious; not one, including atheists.   Of course, they would argue… but allow me to explain.

We must first look at the definition of religion.  Not any particular religion, but the concept of religion.  And to do that, we must look at what the word itself means.

Religion = the action of relying on

Concept formed from the root “to rely” and the suffix “ion”, which indicates “the act or action of.

To “rely on” is to depend upon.

To rely on yourself (as some atheists might) is religion: the self-religion.  To rely on others is religion: the others-religion. To rely on anything is religion.  Some rely on the government, some on knowledge or education, some rely on adherence to a set of laws or “do’s-and-don’ts”.  And their actions demonstrate it.  It is the compilation of the actions we do that demonstrate on whom or what we rely. 

And so, whether or not you believe in God, you still have a religion. 

Doing things “religiously” is to demonstrate a constant dependence on.  Runners get up every morning and run religiously.  Coffee drinkers (which are more up my alley) will hit the fresh pot religiously in order to get their day going.

Does demonstrating constant dependence upon anything you can do make you a better person?  No.  It merely makes you more dependent. 

Any system of belief that requires strict adherence to a set of rules in order to gain God or gain heaven, or to earn it – is a false religion.  It is asking you to rely on yourself to achieve the unachievable. 

So what is the rub?  It is this… that the argument should never be which “religion” is right, but which “faith” is the right one. 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1

The difference between faith and religion is this.  Religion is relying on what we can do: Faith believes in what He has done.  It is not in what we can accomplish on our own, but in what He has already accomplished for us; the ultimate act of God’s grace; the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8

If your faith causes you to believe (act according to your confession) consistently enough that someone call you “religious”, praise God!  But never let it be that you are relying on anything you do to get to heaven. 

“But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags;” Isa 64:6a

Just have faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

We all depend on someone or something.  Even if we hold to the adage that you cannot depend on anyone but yourself you are still depending on someone- you.  I ask that you depend on Christ.  Do whatever you feel your faith requires in order to demonstrate your love and gratitude for what He has done, but don’t think for a minute that anything you do can earn you heaven.  Don’t rely on those things.

Rely on Him.  He is able.

There may be many ways to climb the mountain (religious systems that profess to make you closer to God), but there is only One who has shown He can get you off of it! JESUS.

Christianity is a faith, not a religion. And thank God for that.

SDG