Religion does not bring people to Christ and his Gospel, instead it diverts them away from Christ and his Gospel. Before you tune me out let me explain what I mean. Religion is very subjective, it tends to lead a person into themselves, who is a sinner. The Gospel is objective (outside of us) We had nothing to do with the Gospel because the Gospel is not about us. The Gospel concerns Jesus Christ, His life, His death, His atonement for sin, His resurrection and His return.
The Gospel is that work that Jesus did in our name and on our behalf. In our name and on our behalf, Jesus has justified and reconciled us to God the Father. It was Jesus that fulfilled God's holy law. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
"All things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them' 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19.
Jesus Christ, not the Catholic church, not Calvinism, not any religion, is the one that has reconciled us to God. Christ and Christ alone is God's reconciler. How did Jesus reconcile us to God? Did he do it by making us holy first? Absolutely not. Paul wrote,
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one, Romans 3:10. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.
Man is born into the world as a sinner and lives his life before God as a sinner and dies as a sinner. This is what Paul meant when he wrote...
"Wherefore as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon ALL MEN, for that all have sinned" Romans 5:12.
Religion falsely teaches that man's fallen nature can be rehabilitated and made pleasing to God by the works of the law. A work of the law is any religious thing that one might do, such as the confession of sins, holy living, tithing, witnessing, etc. All of these things are good to do, but do not justify. Paul said,
"Therefore by the deeds of the law (religion) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin" Romans 3:20.
Even if we were able to keep the law, which no one can, you would still not be justified. The law which is religion does not justify. God does not accept the works or the obedience of sinners of which we are all one of. God only accepts the works and the obedience of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only one that God accepted into heaven. All of the rest of us die and go into the ground and wait for the judgment.
"And as it is appointed unto men to die, but after this the judgment" Hebrews 9:27.
Yes, your holy pious life that you thought pleased God will go into the ground and await the judgment. Does that frighten you? It should, especially if you are not "In Christ". No one is in heaven yet. No one will be admitted into heaven that does not posses the righteousness of Christ. Paul wrote,
"That I might be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is of the law (religion) but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" Philippians 3:9.
Paul did not trust in his holy righteous life as a means of his salvation. Paul confessed that he was the "Chief of Sinners" 1 Timothy 1:15. The sin is WITHIN, therefore the salvation must be WITHOUT. Sinners cannot save sinners, nor can sinners save themselves.
"Many will say to me in that day (judgment day) Lord, Lord, didn't we..." Matthew 7:22. Only to hear, "I never knew you, depart from me you that work iniquity" Matthew 7:23.
They thought that salvation was all about them, their pious lives, their works, their obedience, their religion. They went into the judgment and presented themselves to God for acceptance only to hear those dreadful words "Depart from me, I never knew you" Christ didn't know them because they had never called upon Christ to save them.
What does it mean to be "In Christ?" What it means is that you are trusting in His righteousness and in His atonement for your sins, Plus NOTHING. If you add anything to Christ and his Gospel it means that you are not trusting in Christ. It means that you are trusting in your religion.
The Gospel is that work that Jesus did in our name and on our behalf. In our name and on our behalf, Jesus has justified and reconciled us to God the Father. It was Jesus that fulfilled God's holy law. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
"All things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them' 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19.
Jesus Christ, not the Catholic church, not Calvinism, not any religion, is the one that has reconciled us to God. Christ and Christ alone is God's reconciler. How did Jesus reconcile us to God? Did he do it by making us holy first? Absolutely not. Paul wrote,
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one, Romans 3:10. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.
Man is born into the world as a sinner and lives his life before God as a sinner and dies as a sinner. This is what Paul meant when he wrote...
"Wherefore as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon ALL MEN, for that all have sinned" Romans 5:12.
Religion falsely teaches that man's fallen nature can be rehabilitated and made pleasing to God by the works of the law. A work of the law is any religious thing that one might do, such as the confession of sins, holy living, tithing, witnessing, etc. All of these things are good to do, but do not justify. Paul said,
"Therefore by the deeds of the law (religion) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin" Romans 3:20.
Even if we were able to keep the law, which no one can, you would still not be justified. The law which is religion does not justify. God does not accept the works or the obedience of sinners of which we are all one of. God only accepts the works and the obedience of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only one that God accepted into heaven. All of the rest of us die and go into the ground and wait for the judgment.
"And as it is appointed unto men to die, but after this the judgment" Hebrews 9:27.
Yes, your holy pious life that you thought pleased God will go into the ground and await the judgment. Does that frighten you? It should, especially if you are not "In Christ". No one is in heaven yet. No one will be admitted into heaven that does not posses the righteousness of Christ. Paul wrote,
"That I might be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is of the law (religion) but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" Philippians 3:9.
Paul did not trust in his holy righteous life as a means of his salvation. Paul confessed that he was the "Chief of Sinners" 1 Timothy 1:15. The sin is WITHIN, therefore the salvation must be WITHOUT. Sinners cannot save sinners, nor can sinners save themselves.
"Many will say to me in that day (judgment day) Lord, Lord, didn't we..." Matthew 7:22. Only to hear, "I never knew you, depart from me you that work iniquity" Matthew 7:23.
They thought that salvation was all about them, their pious lives, their works, their obedience, their religion. They went into the judgment and presented themselves to God for acceptance only to hear those dreadful words "Depart from me, I never knew you" Christ didn't know them because they had never called upon Christ to save them.
What does it mean to be "In Christ?" What it means is that you are trusting in His righteousness and in His atonement for your sins, Plus NOTHING. If you add anything to Christ and his Gospel it means that you are not trusting in Christ. It means that you are trusting in your religion.
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