If your so-called real religion doesn't irrevocably transform your life forever, then you need to change your so-called religion.
AS GOD THE SON, JESUS LIVED A PERFECT LIFE, BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT AND DIE ON A CRUEL CROSS AT CALVARY TO MAKE YOU RELIGIOUS.
HE DIED TO MAKE YOU BRAND NEW SPIRITUALLY. WE ALL NEED HIS FREE FORGIVENESS.
RELIGION AIN'T ENOUGH -- CAN'T SAVE ANYONE.
I SAY Preach simply (not all preachy). Preach the Cross like Paul did that.. cuz the Cross head-on addresses man’s pride, self-righteousness, and rebellion against Authority.
"The Mahdi will be a Messianic figure. He will be a descendant of Muhammad. It will be an unparalleled, unequal leader. He will come out of a crisis of turmoil. He will take control of the world. He will establish a new world order. He will destroy all who resist him. He will invade many nations. He will make a seven year peace treaty with the Jews. He will conquer Israel and massacre the Jews. He will establish Islamic world headquarters at Jerusalem. He will rule for seven years. Establish Islam as the only religion he will come on. A white horse with Supernatural power. He will be loved by all (the world) people on Earth. It does sounds familiar. That is a precise description of the biblical Antichrist. We know that the writer on the White Horse in Revelation 6 is the Antichrist. They use that verse. To describe their Mahdi, you go into any kind of a study of that, and you will find that all the details match up perfectly. The the Bible's Antichrist is Islam's Savior." ~ John MacArthur
ISLAM: started by Muhammad claiming an angel gave him a message.
MORMONISM: started by Joseph Smith claiming an angel gave him a message.
BIBLE TRUTH: "..even if an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him" (Gal. 1:8)!
“The Coming Man of Sin..” (In the Bible), man, who could he be? I'm personally not seeking him, but I am seeking Christ and His Kingdom. I don't have time to endlessly play pin the tail on the antichrist.
Q: So will real Biblical Discernment be needed in the very near future? Uhh, yes cuz it is really needed now in our day.
RELIGION, IT CAN POLISH THE OUTSIDE A BIT.
ONLY CHRIST CAN FORGIVE/SAVE AND SANCTIFY YOU.
HE ALONE CAN SEE AND TRANSFORM THE HEART.
RELIGION CAN'T - IT NEVER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
IT CAN CHANGE ROUTINES.
JESUS CHANGES LIVES FOREVER.
RELIGION ALONE CAN'T. THERE ARE A LOT OF RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PEOPLE IN HELL TODAY CUZ THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
RELIGION PRODUCES RULE-KEEPERS.
JESUS CREATES NEW CREATURES. IT'S STILL THE GREATEST MIRACLE HE DOES.
DON'T SETTLE FOR ANY RELIGION MINUS HAVING GOD IN YOUR HEART. EXPERIENCE TRUE REPENTANCE, SAVING FAITH AND THE NEW BIRTH.
When you come to Christ on His terms instead of on your own, He gives you a completely new life, a new beginning. Your old life is gone, the sin if forgiven, and a new life has begun. See 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
RELIGION WITHOUT GOD, YIKES, IT'S SO LAME IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.
SO WHAT'S RELIGION REALLY ABOUT?
IT'S WHEN WE PEOPLE HAVE MASTERED THE OUTWARD RELIGIOUS FORMS... WHILE MISSING THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
IT'S PRINCIPLES WITHOUT GOD'S BLESSING OR PRESENCE.
IT'S A CREED WITHOUT CHRIST.
IT'S SERVICES WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTING THOSE SERVICES.
IT'S LOTS OF ACTIVITIES WITHOUT GOD'S ANOINTING.
IT'S NICE MUSIC SOMETIMES WITHOUT MAJESTY.
IT'S EVEN SOME PRAYERS SAID WITHOUT ANY POWER. KNOW THE LORD PERSONALLY AND PRAY IN HIS NAME (ACCORDING TO HIS WORD AND WILL).
IT'S EVEN SOME CROWDS WITHOUT CONVERSIONS. IT'S THE SMELL OF INCENSE AND THE SIGHT OF PHYSICAL AESTHETICS LIKE PRETTY, COLORFUL WINDOWS OR STATUES WITHOUT HAVING JESUS DIRECT AS LORD IN YOUR HEART.
THE GREATEST TRAGEDY IS NOT AN EMPTY CHURCH PER SE.
IT IS A FULL CHURCH WHERE THE FATHER, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE CHRIST OF THE BIBLE GOD ARE ABSENT.. YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BIBLE'S TURN FROM SIN TO THE SAVIOR GOSPEL MESSAGE IS MISSING.
"My presence shall go with you.." Exodus 33:14
There are so many religions; which are worth going for? So is the religion of Islam one of Peace? We hear a lot about that today as we see tens of thousands of Muslims go across many borders. NGOs keep inviting and helping them to do what is illegal, and who is behind all this?
Is it a religion of peace? Nope, not according to their own book and many of their fervent devotees. Go check it out for yourself. There are hundreds of violent Suras in their book that you really need to see.
IS IT A RELIGION OF PEACE? NAWW, Far from.
QURAN 9:5 - "KILL THE POLYTHEISTS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, CAPTURE THEM, BESIEGE THEM, AND AMBUSH THEM AT EVERY POST."
KNOWN AS THE SWORD VERSE
THE MOST DIRECT KILL COMMAND IN THE BOOK.
QURAN 9:29 - "FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE SCRIPTURE, THAT'S JEWS AND CHRISTIANS BY NAME UNTIL THEY PAY TRIBUTE IN WILLING SUBMISSION WHILE HUMBLED."
THIS ONE EXPLICITLY TARGETS CHRISTIANS.
QURAN 47:4 - WHEN YOU MEET THE DISBELIEVERS IN BATTLE, "STRIKE THEIR NECKS" UNTIL YOU HAVE INFLICTED SLAUGHTER."
BEHEADING IN PLAIN LANGUAGE.
QURAN 8:12 - "CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVED" AND STRIKE THEM UPON THE NECKS AND EVERY FINGERTIP."
What Even Is True Religion?
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
James 1:27 esv
Our world is overflowing with religion, yet desperately starving for truth. Throughout history, mankind has built temples, written creeds, observed ceremonies, climbed mountains, repeated prayers, made pilgrimages, and invented countless systems in an attempt to reach God. Yet the greatest question has never been, "Do you have a religion?" The real question is, "Do you know the living God through His Son, Jesus Christ?"
Knowing Jesus personally is infinitely better than merely knowing about Jesus. Likewise, knowing Christ is infinitely better than merely knowing about Christianity, church history, theology, or any religion on earth. A person may fill his mind with religious information while his heart remains untouched by saving grace. One can master biblical facts without ever bowing before the Lord of the Bible. The Pharisees were experts in Scripture, yet many failed to recognize the very Messiah to whom the Scriptures pointed (John 5:39-40).
Christianity is not merely information to be learned. It is reconciliation with the living God through Jesus Christ. Eternal life is not simply learning religious truths; it is knowing Christ Himself.
Jesus prayed,
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
That kind of knowledge is deeply personal. It transforms the whole person from the inside out.
Knowing and Following God the Son is so Much More than a Mere Religion
More than eighty percent of the world's population identifies with some form of religion. Yet the word religion itself is surprisingly difficult to define because every religion answers life's greatest questions differently.
So who really is God? He is the.. I am.
Who is man? We are sinners that need rescuing spiritually.
Why is the world so broken? Because of sin. We were warned about this.
What is truth.. your truth, or my truth. Nope, there is only one truth and all truth is God's truth.
How can we be forgiven? Repent and ask Jesus for this.
What happens after death? Eternity in real locations called heaven or hell.
What is right and wrong? Exactly what the Bible teaches is right and wrong. Yep, God tell us.
Every religion offers different contradictory answers. Some emphasize rituals. Others stress moral achievement. Some rely upon mystical experiences. Others elevate human reason or tradition. Their views of God, salvation, morality, authority, family, eternity, and human purpose often stand in direct contradiction to one another.
In its broadest sense, religion describes an organized system of beliefs and practices concerning spiritual realities. It shapes how people think, worship, live, and understand the world around them.
But Scripture takes us deeper than definitions.
The Bible continually directs our attention beyond outward religion to the condition of the heart.. and then to the ultimate Solution God the Son.
God has never been impressed merely by ceremonies, rituals, impressive buildings, religious titles, or external performances. He searches the heart.
"The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Religionists Have Been Wrong A Whole Lot Before..
...but some have been right in certain things they have said at times.
Too Many Are Dead Wrong Consistently
Not all religion pleases God.. Duh, Many Have Been Far From Pleasing To God. Please never go against what the Bible teaches. That's not smart.
This surprises many people.
The Bible never teaches that sincerity alone makes a person right with God. A person may be sincerely devoted and sincerely wrong at the same time. Proverbs 14:12 warns,
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
Jesus made an even stronger statement:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
That single declaration forever separates biblical Christianity from every competing religious system. Christ did not merely claim to know the way. He declared that He is the Way. He did not simply teach truth. He is the Truth. He did not merely improve life. He is the Life.
The issue, therefore, is not whether a person is religious.
The issue is whether that person has been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
The Test of True Worship
Here is a question every one of us should honestly answer:
Has the object of my worship actually transformed my life?
Scripture teaches that genuine faith produces genuine fruit. Salvation is entirely the work of God's grace, received through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet the grace that saves never leaves a believer unchanged. God's Spirit begins conforming His children to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
As Jesus said,
"You will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:16, 20)
A faith that never changes the life should cause us to examine whether genuine saving faith is present (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Not aiming to offend anyone, I often remind people of this:
"If the object—or the person—of your worship does not positively and permanently transform your life, then you need to change the direction of your worship. If your so-called religion leaves your heart unchanged, your desires untouched, and your life unmoved toward Christ, then you do not merely need another religion—you need the risen Savior." — Kurt von Schleicher
The issue is not finding a better religious system.
The issue is finding the Savior who changes dead sinners into new creations.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
James Gives God's Definition
James does something remarkable.
Rather than debating religious philosophies, he gives God's own description of religion that pleases Him.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27)
Notice what James does not emphasize.
He does not begin with church buildings.
He does not mention religious clothing.
He does not point first to ceremonies, pilgrimages, liturgies, traditions, denominations, sacred objects, or outward appearances.
Instead, James points to two unmistakable evidences of genuine faith.
First, believers demonstrate Christlike compassion toward the helpless, especially those unable to repay kindness. Orphans and widows represented society's most vulnerable people. Genuine faith opens the eyes to those whom the world often overlooks.
Second, believers pursue practical holiness. God's children do not blend comfortably into a sinful world. While they live in the world, they are not to become like it (John 17:15-18). They increasingly hate what dishonors Christ and love what pleases Him.
These two realities beautifully summarize the Christian life.
A heart that truly loves God will increasingly love people.
A heart that truly loves Christ will increasingly hate sin.
Love without holiness becomes compromise.
Holiness without love becomes legalism.
The Gospel produces both.
Worthless Religion
James also warns us that religion can become completely empty.
"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (James 1:26)
That is an astonishing statement.
A person may faithfully attend church, sing hymns, quote Scripture, teach Bible classes, give generously, and appear deeply spiritual. Yet if his speech is consistently filled with lies, gossip, slander, harshness, profanity, bitterness, or uncontrolled anger, James says his religion is empty.
Our words reveal our hearts.
Jesus taught,
"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34)
And again,
"By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:37)
Our speech is often the thermometer of our spiritual temperature.
The tongue reveals what the heart treasures.
Christ Came to Give Life
Every false religion ultimately tells people to climb upward toward God through human effort.
The Gospel announces that God came down to rescue sinners who could never climb high enough.
Jesus did not come merely to improve religion.
He came to save people.
"The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
The difference between biblical Christianity and every man-made religion is not simply one of degree.
It is one of direction.
Religion says, "Work your way toward God."
The Gospel declares, "God has come to you in Jesus Christ."
Religion asks, "What must I do?"
Grace answers, "It is finished." (John 19:30)
Religion points to human performance.
The Gospel points to Christ's perfect performance.
Religion says, "Try harder."
We each are to evaluate carefully with the Bible helping know the truth.
What does God mean when He says, “Come out of her” in Revelation 18:4?
Nope.
Jesus simply teaches us to repent and believe,
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
That invitation still stands. KnowGod.org
The greatest need in our world is not another religion.
The greatest need is for people to repent, believe the Gospel, and personally know the risen Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace forgives, whose Spirit transforms, and whose glory satisfies forever. KnowGod.org
