Checking the Religion Box Does Not Guarantee Heaven
We live in a melting pot of diverse cultures and religions, where we are taught to respect the beliefs of others. Many practice religions with a similar theme—to be a good person in hopes of doing enough good to make it into heaven.
As a result, many see religion as a checklist—a choice to fill the ‘God box’ in life and a path to heaven. However, it’s crucial to recognize that cultural perspectives do not always reflect Biblical truth. A trend I’ve noticed is the acceptance of secular humanist ideas as Christian religion, or the adoption of Christian morals while excluding Jesus, highlighting the main difference between American Christianity and Biblical Christianity.
Borrowing Principles of the Christian Faith While Leaving the Christian God Behind
Even books like Think & Grow Rich communicate Biblical principles of faith and believing and thinking in a particular way to achieve things. Biblical principles are prevalent in American society without any mention of Christ. Within American culture, a focus on success and happiness is at the center, but the true nature of Christianity, according to scripture, includes denying ourselves.
I’m in no way suggesting we should be imbalanced in believing that we should only live in a place of self-denial or seek to avoid happiness or success. I am communicating the importance of clarity, as believers live their lives based on what God considers a well-lived, successful life. Because the truth of the matter is, a person can live a good life and spend an eternity in hell after death.
The one thing that these other religions and other cultures do not cover when they focus on being good and living good, successful lives here on earth is salvation and justice for the sins we commit.
The Gospel Covers Important Themes of Justice & Forgiven for Our Sin
The gospel is simple. It says that we all have sinned. If your religion only focuses on living life here and doing good works here but not some sort of atonement or forgiveness for our sins, it’s lacking. If there is penance available, but it isn’t acceptable to God, who has the right to set what the penance will be, because when we sin, we sin against God—it’s lacking.
We cannot make up our own way to get to God. God has to set the path. The Christian faith is so unique because Jesus used different men across several centuries to write about one man—Jesus Christ. This man isn’t only a man but existed prior to the creation of man—he is God who humbled himself in the form of a man for one reason.
That reason was to become our penance for sin. The Old Testament has several festivals that point to Christ being the metaphorical lamb of God. This lamb was the sacrifice that was needed to pay for the sins of mankind. The lamb had to be without spot or blemish.
Jesus, being God, is the only one qualified to meet that requirement.
Jesus was the metaphorical lamb set aside to pay for the sins of mankind.
All of us are sinners. He died for our sins and lived a life that shows us how to overcome sin. That is through total reliance on him. He’s given those, who believe, his Holy Spirit, who teaches us and trains us in his Word.
The American culture of Christianity teaches us to look to God to get things. Biblical Christianity teaches us that in Christ we have all we need that pertains to life and godliness. However, that doesn’t always look like us getting what we want. Sometimes it will look like sacrifice and obedience.
Remember, God’s word says that even Christ learned obedience through the things he suffered. Let’s be clear, true Christianity is the below:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. – Matthew 16:24 (NLT)
As you read further in the same chapter, it goes on to say that he who seeks to save his life will lose it, but he that loses his life for Christ’s sake will find it. This is deep and true at the same time. We cannot be selfish and self-seeking and call ourselves followers of Christ. We have to be willing to humble ourselves and to submit to what he is requiring of us.
God will give us the grace for anything difficult that he calls us to. The world has copied this in a way as well. There are many public figures practicing various Christian morals, such as abstinence, but it may not be until marriage as scripture requires. It’s often for other reasons.
Our faith as believers isn’t a trend to be tried and put on the shelf to achieve a particular thing. It’s a committed and life-long covenant relationship with God. It deals with eternity. God made the way for us to avoid hell.
Hell Was Not Made for Man
Man was never supposed to go to hell. The Bible is clear that hell was not made for man. It was made for Satan and his fallen angels. However, men go to hell when they reject the only way that has been made for them to receive the atonement for our sins and the new life in Christ.
What better way to convince men to go to hell, than by deceiving them with the distractions of heaven already being covered through living a good life? Or, the lie that all religions lead to God. Or because Jesus is offensive for sharing that he is the only way, so don’t talk about Jesus.
What if Jesus’ sharing that he is the only way is what provides the clarity for all men to be saved? It is so plain in scripture that Jesus is who he says he is. The biggest difference between other religions and Christianity is that in Christianity, God created a way for our sin to be dealt with because even nature teaches us that crime must have a punishment.
Do we believe that men are more just than God? Do we believe that murder, theft, and other infractions should be answered with consequences by the laws of man? However, when sin is done against God, should God be so far removed as to pretend he doesn’t see it? That makes no logical sense.
So, yes, we should respect others, but live out our walk with Christ unashamedly, sharing the gospel that Jesus is the only way to salvation, no matter how offensive it may seem. We should allow our walk with the Lord to show up in how we love others and the good works we do, knowing that our good works do not secure our entry into heaven—they are simply a result of our faith in what Christ has done in our lives.
I pray that many are not deceived by the mixing of other religions or America’s emphasis on viewing success, being moral, or being good as pathways to God—that God and his gift of salvation are missed altogether.
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