What’s The Real Difference?

Religion and Christ are not mutually exclusive, but they are very distinct. James, the New Testament writer and brother of Jesus, wrote, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). Religion can be many good things, but it cannot be a substitute for Christ.

Religion Is Something to Believe and Do:
Attending religious services        * Enrolling children in religious schools
Showing acts of kindness        * Avoiding immorality
Believing in God                * Having religious affiliation
Being baptized                * Receiving communion
Studying doctrine            * Reading the Scriptures
Offering prayers                * Celebrating religious events
Teaching religious classes        * Giving aid to the poor
Singing in the choir            * Being known as a godly person

Christ Is Someone to Know and Trust:
* Someone who is very near         * Someone who has authority to help us
Someone who can forgive us         * Someone who can declare us righteous
Someone who can bring God to us     * Someone who can set us apart for God
Someone who can guide & teach us     * Someone who can include us in His will
Someone who can be our example     * Someone who never leaves us all alone
Someone who can be trusted         * Someone who can defend us
Someone who can enable us         * Someone who can intercede for us
Someone who can feel our pain     * Someone who can respond to emotions
Someone who can give us joy         * Someone who can give us peace
Someone who can give us hope     * Someone who can give us love
Someone who has died for us         * Someone who has proven His love for us
Someone who rose from the dead for us
Someone who can live His life through us
Someone who can take us all the way Home
Someone who can assure us of Heaven

Tomorrow, we’ll look at what religion was like in Jesus’ day.