Answer to the age-old question describing the dilemma of all religions on the face of the earth.

There is a question in the Bible which describes the dilemma of all religions on the face of the earth - it is this: “How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean? ” (Job 25:4). In other words, how could it be possible for a natural typical man, bound by his own sinfulness and born into a sinful world, to stand before a Holy God accepted and clean? How can an ordinary sinful person ever approach a holy and just God?

How can an ordinary sinful person ever approach a holy and just God?

To get very basic and to the point, we can say that all religions in general have one particular thing in common: they are based on what you must do to become acceptable in the eyes of God. Religion is, in a general sense, about what man must do in order to receive blessings, forgiveness, acceptance, help and answers to prayer from God. No matter whether the religion is a strange mixture of eastern mystical ideas or if it is a polluted and distorted version of the Christian “religion,” man’s performance is the central determining factor to being qualified. 

Religion states: If you meet up to the standards you will receive some compensation, some reward, and some blessings.

Religion states: If you meet up to the standards you will receive some compensation, some reward, and some blessings. That’s how it usually goes. You do your part and God may do His part! You do your best to satisfy the requirements and God may show favour and bless you!  What a hopeless dilemma - what a stressful way to live!  Religion creates high stress and puts all the pressure on you and your achievements. The most stressed out people are usually the most ardent followers of some “religious system.”  In fact, it seems as though only “super-humans” could even come near to the requirements expected by some religions. Hopeless, futile, and pointless - it’s a road with a dead end - and there’s no way out!

BEWARE - RELIGION IS DANGEROUS!

Man’s own efforts, performance and ability to keep all the rules are the underlying basis of all religions. In order to qualify for blessings and favour, man must comply to specific outward standards and then fulfil the various requirements. This is what in the end determines man’s future. So it is with the main religious trends throughout all mankind. We can see from this that in reality religion is very dangerous - it centres on what man must do, what man must achieve, and what man must perform! All religion basically revolves around a system of works and performances – that’s why it is so deadly!
Unfortunately, even the distorted version of “Christian religion” has fallen into this trap - it has become a performance-centred program in which man tries to please God through his own efforts and works. Sometimes it seems almost impossible to see any difference between other “performance-centred” religions and Christianity!

“DO IT YOURSELF”

The Christian “religion”, also, has its own “do it yourself” manuals.

The “Christian religion” has been turned into a never-ending series of demands. In fact, Christianity has many, many variations of the “do it yourself” religion. You may have seen “do it yourself” books on sale in bookshops. Almost every hobby has its own “do it yourself” manual meant to help the person repair, build or operate something. For example there are “do it yourself” manuals for almost every type of motorcar meant to help you fix and service your car without outside help. The Christian “religion”, also, has its own “do it yourself” manuals. All types of books on how to achieve more success, get more blessings, obtain more victory and more help from God. By praying more, by giving more, by fasting more, by surrendering oneself more, by being more committed, by believing more, by doing more …the list is endless…more, more, more.  But it can never produce what it promises - instead it creates disillusioned and disappointed followers. The Good News of the Gospel is that you don’t have to do it yourself   -  God has already done something so significant and complete without man’s help   -  just read on!

RELIEF TO THE WEARY!

The good news to all who are tired with the never-ending treadmill of religion is this: Righteousness is a gift that comes from God to those who accept what Jesus has done for them by faith! Acceptance and forgiveness are available because of what Jesus has already done!  Righteousness and eternal life are God’s gift to mankind!  These are not dependent on what you must do - it all rests on what God has already done! A gift cannot be earned and it cannot be bought. If you have to pay some compensation, then it is no longer a gift!

Many people around the world who embrace the “Christian religion” have never really heard the true Gospel. They have accepted a form of “Christianity” without ever understanding what the real Gospel is all about. They think that “Christianity” is just another religion with a different set of rules than other religions! They have substituted Christian “do’s and don’ts” for those of other religions. They believe that they must earn their way to God and at the same time do their best to obtain and to hold on to the benefits of salvation. That’s not the true Gospel. That is certainly not Good News!

The “too good to be true news” to those who are frustrated and exhausted with the demands of religious systems is this: acceptance and forgiveness from God are not dependent on your performance! Your performance can never obtain righteousness and acceptance - both forgiveness and righteousness are free gifts from God! You can know beyond any doubt that you are loved, accepted and forgiven because of what Jesus has already done on your behalf!

Behaviour modification does not change the motives of one’s heart - it only produces “modified actions.”

The free gift of righteousness produces a changed heart that, in turn, changes our actions. Actions cannot change our hearts. But a changed heart will most certainly also affect our actions!  Behaviour modification does not change the motives of one’s heart - it only produces “modified actions.” Christianity is not focused on “behaviour modification” but on changing people from the inside out. Religion concentrates on the outward actions, but God focuses on changing men’s hearts!

When we discover the finished work of Jesus Christ, which he accomplished on the cross, righteousness then becomes a very positive word. It is no longer a demand that we are unable to fulfill.  We recognize that the only righteousness worth anything is Jesus’ own righteousness - and we receive it as a free gift.

An uncomplicated, unreligious definition of righteousness is simply “to be in right standing with God.”  Another simple but profound definition of righteousness is “The ability to stand in the presence of God the Father without a sense of guilt or inferiority.” Not very difficult to understand! Before we were “out of line” and now we are “in line” after having received His gift of righteousness through faith in what Jesus has accomplished. Righteousness is the condition of being in right relationship with the Lord. This can only happen through total faith and dependence upon Christ. There is no other way, and there is nothing we can add to our faith to obtain right relationship with the Lord.

What a gift!  What a blessing!  NO religion can offer anything like this!  This is why the Gospel of God’s Grace is the Power of God to everyone who believes it!