No. 1 Truth: Religion Is Not The Answer, Jesus Christ Is

On a run of the mill Sunday morning, we see the most people in their white and colorful clothing with the Bibles or Bible Apps on their telephones making a beeline to church. People have different motives these days to go to church. Some go to discover their future spouses, others to meet their loved one or family relative, some others perceive the next criticism for the preacher. Some even go just to get a few prophecies or healings. The congregation today has moved toward becoming something different as the fundamental reason which to worship the great Lord in Truth and in Spirit has been lost. Ministers today are taking the place of God, the pride, pomposity and the self-worth is affixing the end of time. This brings me to the primary point of the Religious man. Who says religion saves? Who says Religion will take one to heaven? Preachers today preach religion and not the unaltered word of God that saves.

The man has been a religious creature. The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics recorded many manners by which men have attempted to fulfill their religious longings and emotions. They have worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, etc. Others have endeavored to adore the true God through a vast variety of sacrifices, ceremonies, sacraments, and services. They have worshipped endless divine beings and spirits which have been the results of their own debased imaginations but in totality, religion can never solve a man’s problem. Indeed, there are certified reasons in the Bible why religion cannot solve man’s problem, not to think of saving man himself. It goes beyond religion itself. Let’s peruse through these reasons;

Religion can never cull out sin in man
God loathes sin in every form, fornication, lying tongue, gossips etc. and believe, religion does not cull out sin from our lives. Being good cannot cancel sin. I trust we know the narrative of the rich man who asks Jesus Christ, how one can be saved and this was His response, “ Verily, verily, I say to thee, except a man is born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit”-John 3:5 KJV The bible certifies here that one needs to be born again and have the Holy Spirit residing in them. Sin can be removed by the atonement of the blood of Jesus Christ, hence why he died on the cross to set us free from sin. When you acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ into your life, the Holy Spirit resumes his work in you. Great deeds can never cancel out your vices or terrible evil, but if you get right with God, you can be saved. Remember, it is not by works so that no one can boast. No religious efforts or experiences-christening, churchgoing, prayers, gifts, sacrifices of time and effort, Bible reading or anything else can cancel out a single sin or the blood of Jesus, which was offered by God through the death of Jesus can remove sin to those who believe. Romans 3: 25- 26 states that “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God _26. To declare, I say at this time his righteousness: that he might be just and the justifier of him which believe in Jesus”.

Religion can never change man’s wicked nature

A person’s behavior is not the problem, only the manifestation of the problem. The core of man's heart is the issue of man's heart and by nature, man’s heart is corrupt, evil, deceitful and depraved as evident in Mark 7:21-23 “₂₁.from within, out of the heart of man comes evil thought, sexual immorality, theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, murders, fornications_23. All these evil things come from within and defile the man”. Going to church and taking part in religious ceremonies may make you feel good, but they cannot make you good. Who can bring what is unadulterated from the tainted? For the scriptures say, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new” -2 Corinthians 5:17. This reflects true salvation in Christ. You can become all new with a clean heart when you accept Jesus Christ in your heart and turn away from your evil acts.

Religion can never gratify God
Religion is man's endeavor to make himself right with God, yet any such endeavor is purposeless in light of the fact that even man's earnest attempts are defective and flawed as and as such unacceptable with God. This is evident in the Bible that: all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. God demands perfection; religion neglects to satisfy that need because it goes beyond it. Religion tells us what to do these days to be righteous, but the established truth is that these are religious practices employed to control how individuals from a specific religious gathering should conduct themselves in the church. God demands our pure worship in truth and spirit. He demands total submission to his word. He gave us His begotten son through him alone can we be surely saved. Romans 10:9 state that “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart, that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved”.

Some of the religious activities referenced above are good and I’m not saying avoid them totally. For instance, it is right to go to church, to read your Bible and to pray, because God tells us to do these things. But you dare not rely on them to make you feel right with God on grounds that trusting or believing in them is the only way. No, contrary, it only adds to your sin and to your condemnation.

Credit:
The Holy Bible (KJV)