CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION!
I tell people this all the time “Christianity is not a religion!” But, a lot of times it falls on deaf ears. I think,
perhaps, it it because people don’t know what a religion is or they have been taught, all their lives, that
“Christianity is one of the major religions.” People see in Christian Churches similar practices as the
major religions, so, it is hard to see the difference. Frankly, the leaders of the so called “Christian
Churches” don’t know any better. Tonight I want to explain, to you, the difference between a religion
and Christianity.
First, let me give you a definition of “religion.”
Dictionary.com says that reliion is “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed
upon by a number of persons or sects:”
The 1828 version of the American Dictionary of the English Language defines religion as “consisting in
the belief of a superior power or powers governing the World and in the worship of such power or
powers.”
If you look at these two definitions, closely, you will see that the underlying basis of religion is Man
chooses, man decides and then the worshipers are obligated to rules and regulations of that religion.
All religions are manmade.
In Contrast Christianity is God made, God chosen, and God implemented! It is what God wrought in
Christ Jesus when He raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand.
God chose you before the foundation of the World.
Ephesians 1:3-4 (KJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love:
God paid for you.
John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 3:23-25 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;1 John 2:2 (KJV)
2 And he, Jesus Christ, is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world.
Propitiation means payment. God paid for our sins with the blood of His only begotten son. Have
you ever asked yourself “why” He did it. We weren’t worthy. We were dead in trespasses and
sins. We were without God and we were without hope. So, why did he allow His only begotten
son to die for us?
1 John 4:10 (KJV)
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for
our sins.
1 John 4:8 (KJV)
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
He did it because we needed it.
God is not a God of fire and brimstone. God does not want strike you down with lightning. God loves
you and wants to give you the best and the best part of this is that you didn’t have to be good to get it
because you could never be good enough. Israel tried it for centuries and never got it right. So, all we
have to do is believe.
Religion is a system of have to. Religion is a system of do’s and don’ts. Do this, don’t do that.
Christianity is wrapped up in the word “done!” It has all been done for you by God and Jesus Christ.
Because of what they accomplished we bask in the glory of what we have been given. We have been
made righteous.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.
We have peace.
Romans 5:1 (KJV)
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:Ephesians 2:14 (KJV)
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us;
God has set us for heaven and nothing can stop us from going. (Eph. 2:6)
We have sanctification, redemption, justification. We have the holy spirit of promise. We have been
given the right and privilege of being a super conqueror in this World by believing what we in Christ
Jesus.
We also, have the privilege of walking with and talking with God! You see Christianity is not a religion it
is the way of a father with His children.
1 John 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
1 John 4:4 (KJV)
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world.
I am reminded that God hides us under the shadow of His wings. This is a figure of speech showing us
how much God loves us and cares for us. The pictures that I have included show the tenderness, the
warmth and the love that God has for His children and how He wants to protect you.
Psalm 17:6-8 (KJV)
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my
speech.
7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their
trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,We don’t have to “do” to be righteous, he made us righteous. Because we have been given so
much, when we see it, really see it we want to give to others, we want to walk the Christ walk.
We walk through this life rejoicing and having a Father/son, Father/daughter relationship with
the One, True God.