There was no religion in the early church. All there was, was Jesus and his Gospel. The only religion was the religion of the Pharisees, which was a religion of the law. Paul did not encourage anyone to live by religion or law. Paul taught that "The Just Shall Live By Faith" Romans 1:17 and not by rules, laws or religion. Religion does not bring anyone closer to Christ, if anything it drives a wedge between them and Christ. We are not called to trust in anything save Jesus Christ and his Gospel. Religion, whether it be the Calvinist religion, the Catholic religion or whatever religion, is a preoccupation with yourself, who is a sinner.
Religion is a denial of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and justification by faith. We are justified by faith because we have been justified by Christ, Romans 3:26. Jesus makes us right with God. No one will enter heaven that has not been justified by Jesus Christ and his Gospel. It was Jesus that fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law for us, Matthew 5:18. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus we have been justified, sanctified and redeemed, 1 Corinthians 1:30 and now stand before God's holy court as perfect and complete in Jesus Christ, Colossians 2:10.
Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus all religions have been abolished. If you are trusting in a religion to save you or make you right with God, you are trusting in yourself, who is a sinner. Calvinism cannot save you. Does Calvinism justify? Of course not. If you want to be saved you will have to call on Christ to save you, Romans 10:13. Can the Catholic church make you right with God? if it could then Christ died in vain. We are not saved by what we do or by what we have become, we are saved by the doing and the dying of Jesus. Those of us who are trusting in Christ and his Gospel as their only means of salvation have entered into his rest. We have ceased from our own works and have entered into his rest, Hebrews 4:10.
Religion is a denial of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and justification by faith. We are justified by faith because we have been justified by Christ, Romans 3:26. Jesus makes us right with God. No one will enter heaven that has not been justified by Jesus Christ and his Gospel. It was Jesus that fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law for us, Matthew 5:18. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus we have been justified, sanctified and redeemed, 1 Corinthians 1:30 and now stand before God's holy court as perfect and complete in Jesus Christ, Colossians 2:10.
Because of the doing and the dying of Jesus all religions have been abolished. If you are trusting in a religion to save you or make you right with God, you are trusting in yourself, who is a sinner. Calvinism cannot save you. Does Calvinism justify? Of course not. If you want to be saved you will have to call on Christ to save you, Romans 10:13. Can the Catholic church make you right with God? if it could then Christ died in vain. We are not saved by what we do or by what we have become, we are saved by the doing and the dying of Jesus. Those of us who are trusting in Christ and his Gospel as their only means of salvation have entered into his rest. We have ceased from our own works and have entered into his rest, Hebrews 4:10.
