The Real Deal

There is the religion called "Christianity" and there is faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Although the two have some things in common, they could not be more different. In fact, Christianity, as a religion, is more like Islam, Hinduism and Judaism than it is like genuine Christian faith.

In every religious system on earth, humans engage in a variety of practices and rituals, based on their particular scriptures and beliefs, to reach or to appease or to obtain blessings from one or more divine beings. If they are faithful, good things happen. If they fall short, bad things happen. (I admit, this is a somewhat simplistic explanation, but I don't think it is incorrect.)

True Christian faith rests in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. The wrath of God for sin was poured out on Him. There is no appeasing to be done. The perfect life Jesus lived is "credited" to the believer as pure righteousness. The Christian is forgiven and adopted as God's own child and co-heir with Christ.

And it is all by God's grace. In other words, gift. No earning. No performing. No sacrificing. As with any gift, salvation can only be gratefully received. We accept it by faith.

Unlike religious systems, God's plan for rescuing sinful human beings from sin leaves no place whatsoever for pride, which makes it highly offensive to the fallen heart. As Tim Keller has said, religion is the default mode of the human heart. We want to be able to save ourselves.

Even those of us who have accepted God's gift of salvation in Christ can very easily slip back into a performance-based relationship with Him. How this must grieve Him! The only remedy is to run back to the cross and look up at Jesus. He accomplished everything necessary to fulfill God's holy demands. For us. Forever. It is finished.

Our part is simply to believe it.