Sunday, March 20, 2016

Other religions... or Christ?

The difference between all other religions, and Christ.

In religions such as Hinduism that believe in reincarnation an individual keeps returning in the another life until he gets it right.  

In Islam, individuals must give witness, prayers, giving, fasting, and pilgrimage.
Witness:  "There is one God, Allah, and Mohammed is His prophet.  This is the motivator for "jihad", or holy war against those who are the infidels, those who will not bow the knee ro Allah
Prayers:  The daily prayers, five times a day
Giving of alms
Pilgrimage to Mecca

In Catholicism, though the religion teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, and in doctrine confess his death and resurrection, and return, Christ's work is not enough.
The word here that the Catholic Church uses is that Christ's work is not "sufficient".
One must have faith in the traditions, the man made rules of the Catholic Church.
Each individual must practice the sacraments as best as possible.
When they die, since Christ had not been a sufficient atonement, but a helpful one, man must then go to purgatory where his sins, not having been fully paid for, must have them "purged" away, through indulgences.  The person suffers through chastisement and sanctifying means until such a time that God is satisfied with their righteousness.  One tough road to Heaven, huh?  Unless of course you think that you are sinless.  But you had better be right.

In true Christianity Christ is worshipped by the saved sinner, rejoicing in the Savior, Who, in love, paid for our sin, took our sin upon Himself, and placed His perfect righteousness upon the individual who has trusted in Christ alone.
This individual, though still a sinner, is counted righteous before the amazing throne of grace. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me;  I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.  Christianity is not about the goodness of the individual, but Christ and His perfect work

"Will I be judged in order to get into heaven by my righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ? If I had to trust in my righteousness to get into heaven, I would completely and utterly despair of any possibility of ever being redeemed. But when we see that the righteousness that is ours by faith is the perfect righteousness of Christ, then we see how glorious is the good news of the gospel. The good news is simply this, I can be reconciled to God, I can be justified by God not on the basis of what I did, but on the basis of what’s been accomplished for me by Christ."
Dr. R.C.Sproul
                   





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