I read that religion is humanity’s attempt to reach out to God. It said that religion involves human effort to become acceptable to God or to give meaning to one’s life. Christianity does not involve humanity’s attempt to reach God, but rather God’s attempt to reach humanity. Christianity is centered on a personal relationship between our creator God and His human creation. It’s about a loving God who initiates the relationship by revealing who He is to His human creation by coming to us in the person of Jesus. The number one enemy of Christianity today is religion. It was so from the very beginning. Jesus did not offend sinners, He offended the religious men of His day. In the person of Jesus, religion and Christianity tackled head-on. How can you distinguish religion from authentic Christianity? First, religion loves ritual. Religion delights in the status quo. Change makes it uncomfortable. Religion is a commitment to a system of beliefs, attitudes and practices. Second, religion responds to challenge with intimidation. Challenge religion, and it will attempt to intimidate you into submission. What does an attorney do when he suspects that truth may not be on his side? He buys time, attacks procedure and assassinates character. Religion is defended the same way. What about Christianity? Christianity loves the truth. Aristotle defined the truth as “saying of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not.” In other words, truth has a standard, and is not relative. Also, Christianity responds to challenge with boldness. Why? Because knowing the truth and embracing it gives you courage. When religion and Christianity clash, what happens? Many times, people come to know Christ. When Peter and John were arrested for the first time, five thousand people were saved! Don’t be afraid when your faith is challenged by religion. It could be your opportunity to save a soul! While the religions of the world falsely require you to do something, be a good person, or observe certain rituals or traditions to get right with God, we Christians know that Jesus already did what was necessary for our Salvation. What He did was pay the penalty that God, who is holy, justly requires for sin which is death. Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, we can have eternal life. But being a Christian is more than being assured of God’s forgiveness and going to Heaven. We should not use the grace of God to indulge in sin. God wants to work with us so we can live life as He originally designed us to live. Living life by His design is the only true pathway to the purpose, meaning and significance we all desire. Religion keeps you in chains, but Christ has set us free! Love and Blessings…
John 14:6 of the Bible, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
Romans 4:4-5 “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
EMMANUEL 
Amen
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Very well said. Thank God for His truth.
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