Reason 2: Religion Is Something to Believe and Do

?Ten Reasons to Believe in Christ Rather than Religion

CA206

LESSON 02 of 10

Reason 2: Religion Is Something to Believe and Do

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Religion is believing in God, attending religious services, taking

catechism, being baptized, and receiving communion. Religion is

tradition, ritual, ceremony, and learning the difference between

right and wrong. Religion is reading and memorizing Scripture,

offering prayers, giving to the poor, and celebrating religious holy

days. Religion is singing in the choir, helping the poor, and making

amends for past wrongs. Religion is also something practiced by

the Pharisees of the first century.

The Pharisees were a group of religious separatists committed to

keeping their national Jewish homeland free of Gentile culture.

The Pharisees believed in one God, were committed to protecting

the purity of Jewish religion, and diligently studied the law of

Moses. They were conservative traditionalists who went to great

lengths to honor the traditions of their ancestors.

The Pharisees also saw Christ as an enemy of religion. They

resented the Man who came to be known as a friend of sinners.

Along with so many other religious people down through history,

the Pharisees believed God is closer to good, moral, hard-working

people than to those who have made a mess of their lives.

Vernon Grounds: Now, we¡¯re not against religion as a valid way

of worshiping God. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about, then surely

one could approve of religion. But if by religion you mean a way

of very meticulously and carefully doing this and avoiding doing

that in order to gain favor with God and become the recipient

of His grace, then spiritually you are beyond left field. You are

out of the stadium, because God isn¡¯t concerned about those little

minute details. He¡¯s concerned about the attitude of our heart.

And then He¡¯s concerned about how we are relating to other

people, having ourselves experienced His love. And learning to

love Him, we reach out and love to those around us and help as

best we can.

Transcript - CA206 ?Ten Reasons to Believe in Christ Rather than Religion

? 2019 Our Daily Bread University. All rights reserved.

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Lesson 02 of 10

Reason 2: Religion Is Something to Believe and Do

Kerby Anderson: Francis Schaeffer said at one point that

Christianity is both the easiest religion in all the world and the

hardest religion in all the world. It¡¯s the easiest religion in that all

you have to do is accept what Christ has done on the cross for you.

It is the hardest religion, because you have to accept what Christ

has done for you. Most of us want to earn our way to heaven;

the attractiveness of other religions is it says if you follow these

steps, if you follow these pillars, if you use these cycles, if you

go through these kinds of regimens, you¡¯ll eventually earn your

way into heaven. And so the attractiveness of other religions is it

allows us to earn our own salvation. The sadness is we never can

earn our own salvation.

Vernon Grounds: You¡¯d have to say there¡¯s an infinite abyss

of difference between your personal relationship with Jesus

who is the living Savior and who as God is . . . we use the word

omnipresent. He¡¯s there wherever we are. There¡¯s no place where

He is not. And I can, as one of the old hymns puts it, I can ¡°walk

with Him¡± and ¡°talk with Him,¡± and I can have the same sort

of fellowship, qualitatively different from my fellowship with a

human friend. So we have to keep on emphasizing the difference

between church membership or subscription to a creed, good as

that might be and maybe biblical as that might be. This creed

might have the truth of the Bible set forth very succinctly and

clearly, but that¡¯s religion: subscription to a creed or the practice

of certain ceremonies. When you accept Jesus Christ, you enter

into this personal relationship and that makes all the difference

in this world, and in fact the difference for eternity.

Christ-Centered Learning¡ª Anytime, Anywhere

Transcript - CA206 ?Ten Reasons to Believe in Christ Rather than Religion

? 2019 Our Daily Bread University. All rights reserved.

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