Which Religion?

There are 12 major classic religions in the world and thousands of variations. Which religion has the truth and the whole truth? As C.S. Lewis has said in his book Mere Christianity, "As in arithmetic--there is only one right answer to a sum, and all other answers are wrong, but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others."

A man and a woman might want to buy a car, but because there are so many choices, they decide not to buy one. They say to their friends, “It is just so unfair to have so many choices.” Does this make any sense? Similarly, there are numerous choices regarding religion. You, however, must make a choice. Not making a choice is a choice, and it is also trying to be your own God. There you will worship at the altar of self. The religion of self. It is very popular today. It is called secularism. It is the worship of man from man’s perspective alone, without God.

What makes Christianity distinct? First of all, it has a Revelation recorded in the Bible written over 1500 years by 40 different authors with a consistent theme or truth throughout. There are more than 2,500 fulfilled prophecies, of which 300 are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and there are many yet to be fulfilled. The primary message is about a Covenant to redeem man from himself and sin, and judgment. Its foundation is the grace of God in wanting to redeem us by making provision. It has a moral foundation that is in perfect balance and very consistent, which in the Old Testament is in elementary steps and transitional and in the New Testament in fullness. No greater ethics was ever taught in perfect balance than what Jesus lived and taught.

All of the other religions have prophets who tell you the way to God and how to live with God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus is very exclusive; there is only one way to be right with God and go to heaven when you die and to live a full life. He makes no apologies for it. It is the truth.

All other religions have prophets, but Jesus stated that he was equal to God and that he was God in the flesh. He is the second person in the Trinity. (John 1:1 ,14) Jesus did many miracles, including rising from the dead. He is alive today and present when received. Those in Christ are never alone. As well, He transforms people today into Christlikeness, and they experience the joy of a beautiful love relationship with God. As C.S. Lewis has said, “Aim at heaven and get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you get neither.”

Jesus taught ethics and morality in a perfectly balanced and reasonable way, and he lived it and did many miracles to confirm His deity, including rising from the dead. As C.S. Lewis also said, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people say about Him: ‘I am ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is one thing we must not say. A Man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

In spite of being exclusive, Jesus doesn’t force anyone into His Kingdom. People are free to practice other religions and have contrary beliefs, but then they must face the consequences. He teaches His disciples to love one another and their enemies and to turn the other cheek. It is the way of love. Christianity is not violent. He doesn’t force us.

There are many religions, and they have contrary beliefs that are the foundation of their religion. They can’t all be right if they disagree at their foundation. As C.S. Lewis stated, in Mathematics there is only one correct answer. Some might come close and share some truth, but are missing the whole truth.

Some believe that different Christian denominations are different religions. On the contrary, they are only different branches. Some have strayed into secularism to appease the world, but many remain committed to foundational truths about the gospel, the Bible and living the Christian life as disciples together. There are Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Alliance, etc. It is not the denomination that saves you, but Jesus Christ and we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9) An Evangelical church believes that “New Birth” in Christ is necessary for salvation. (John 3:3) This is a brief description of what it means to be an Evangelical. There are also evangelical inter-denominational churches, although they may have a certain leaning to one set of doctrinal teachings over another.

Prayer, Theology, and Christian spiritual formation are very important aspects of the Christian life. We are to love the Lord with all our heart—our will, our mind—thinking deeply, our strength—restoring and our soul—Christlikeness. As God’s word says, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27). A disciple is called to a great life that does require disciple and effort to grow in Christlikeness and do what Jesus said to do, even though we learn to walk in His strength. (Mathew 28:18-20) When we love God, we will have compassion on our neighbour and love them. Pray for more of God’s compassion for others and for self.

We are to find a church of a denomination that is true to the Word of God, rightly interpreted in context and according to the principles of interpretation and make a choice of whom to worship, fellowship and serve with.

Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind and make a choice. (Romans 14:5). Some churches fit some people, others another branch of Christianity, as long as they preach the gospel and live it out.

Which religion? Christianity is all about Jesus and the truth. Jesus said, that He is the only way to fellowship with the living God. You are free to follow a religion of your choice, but one day you will give an account of what you have done with Jesus and in His Kingdom. How can we come to the truth? We must be teachable, not filled with pride; we must be guided by a conscience informed by truth; we must ask God to assist us, and we must expose ourselves to God’s word, with an open heart, asking God to reveal Himself and the truth to us. We should read a portion of the Bible daily. As Bob Dylan said in his album Saved, “You got to serve somebody. It is either the devil or the Lord, but you've got to serve somebody.” Who do you serve? Is it yourself or ….?

As C.S. Lewis said, “In other words, fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement; he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying your sorry, realizing that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor—this is the only way out of our ‘hole.” Mere Christianity, p. 56.

Christianity is very unique. It is reasonable and gentle and humbling because of the greatness of God’s love in Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for the sin of those who receive him as Saviour and Lord. Salvation is open to all. (2 Peter 3:9) What is stopping you from receiving Jesus Christ? Get to the root of the issue and root it out. The quality of your life and eternity is at stake. Jesus is the only way to get right with God. He is the most important aspect of life.

Are you willing to lay down your arms? Are you willing to stop pretending you are God? God has revealed himself most graciously in Jesus Christ. Will you humble yourself, turn from your sin, for Jesus is here now to receive you. Then you will experientially know God in Salvation and become Christlike in an ongoing process. He gives you power to be renewed in His image. Receive him today. The call of God to you is urgent and most blessed. Honour him, and you will find life abundant and eternal. Learn of him with an earnestness, seek after him, and you will find him. He will give you grace. Grace is the ability to do what we could not do and be without God, and we can live in that grace.

We are saved by grace (unmerited favour of God and His power to give us a new heart), (Ezekiel 36:26), and we live by grace with and in his strength and power. This is what it means to live in the Spirit. (Romans 8). Choose wisely and seek the Lord, and He will assist you.