Christianity is not a religion. It is not a belief system. It is not a covenant of works. In other words, it is not a system where one obeys set rules or laws in order to obtain salvation. This is how Christianity differs from all religion because in true Christianity you cannot get to heaven by doing what you ought to do.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Galations 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Ga 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
These are some profound passages. By doing the things in the law, you cannot be saved. That is what it means. By doing what you know that you ought to do, you cannot inherit eternal life or stand justified before God. Why is that? Because all people after the first time they sin, already are in a condemned state. Just as if they were on death row at the federal prison. In the last passage Paul says that if a person could earn salvation by doing good works, than Christ died for nothing. Pretty blunt words. If you can stand justified before God by your own good works, the Jesus died in vain. No sir, this is not just another religion. This is the anti-religion. As we see from scripture, true Christianity is not mankind seeking to please God in order to please Him or justify themselves.
So what is Christianity? Again, true Christianity is not man living under a covenant of works to please God. True Christianity is God taking on a body like ours (Jesus Christ) born of a virgin, who lives with the same temptations and desire as we do, yet without sin, He lives perfect and dies on a cross, taking on Himself all of our sin, goes to the grave and resurrects three days later, ascends to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. The important thing is, God now has one righteous MAN that succeeded where Adam failed. God now has righteous blood that can pay, not just for one person's sin, but for all the sins of every person ever born, past, present and future. We know that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin and nothing can make an atonement for the soul except blood. So now God has a just basis to forgive any sinner that simply believes that what Jesus did is enough to inherit eternal life. Completely free of all human effort. As well, God can now be completely just in the act of forgiving any and all who believe.
So what is the sum of my note? Christianity is not a religion or belief system. Christianity is not about man doing something to please God. Christianity is not even about man's righteousness. Christianity is God revealing His righteousness through one MAN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS, and faith in that MAN is how we can stand completely justified before God. Christianity again is not mankind living by rules, laws, principles but by faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that He lived the life that we should have, but didn't, faith that He fulfilled the law for us, faith that He took the full wrath of God that should of been directed at us. Faith that it is His doing, His righteousness, His reign, His glory, His power, His grace, His mercy . It is all about Jesus! It's about the reign of a Supreme Potentate. It is about the rule of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It's about Jesus Christ who is the express image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. It is about Him, by whom were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him, and He is the head of all. It is about Him who was before all things. It is about Jesus who is TRUTH. It is from Him that All truth emanates from. He is life and He is the light of the world, not a religious system. Not a covenant of works to be obeyed. Something God did in His Son and it is belief in Him that makes it effectual for us, not in doing religious acts or deeds.
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