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Transcript 371C
The Difference Between Religion and Christianity
HC: Good evening. Welcome to Open Forum.
CALLER: I'd just like to know, what really is religion as opposed to Christianity? And there are people who are of certain religions, but they're also Christians. If they're Christians and if they know personally the Lord Jesus Christ, why are they still in their religion, too?
HC: The question is raised, What is the difference between the fact that people are interested in religion, and that of the Christian Gospel?
You see, mankind was created by God in the image of God. He was created a religious being. He was created with a sense in his soul that he must worship God, that he must reckon with God. The very fact that pagans offer sacrifices, by throwing their babies into the River Ganges, or having burnt offerings, or whatever, indicates that they realize that there's a God of some kind that they have to deal with. The idea of God is inherent within the heart of man. All men are religious. Even those who claim to be atheists, by the very fact that they are protesting, "There is no God," they give evidence that they are able to think in terms of God, and they are loudly trying to convince themselves that it isn't really so that there is a God. But an animal doesn't argue about whether there is a God or not. An animal was not created religious.
Now the Christian religion, that is, the true Christian religion, is the Gospel whereby man can indeed become identified with God again. Because of our sins we are estranged from God. Because of our sins we are in rebellion against God, and eternally we will be cut off from God. Now man senses this, and therefore he has some kind of a religion whereby he thinks he can become right with God. But it's only through the Christian Gospel, the Gospe1 that is bounded by the Bible alone and in its entirety, only by this Gospel can we know the true path, the only way of becoming right with God.
Jesus declared, "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." He declared, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." He is the only way that we can have eternal life.
CALLER: I still don't understand why there are different teachings and different religions. And some are not found in the Bible. How can people still belong to that religion and still be a Christian? Or maybe they aren't Christians.
HC: They aren't Christians. You see, those who are true believers actually make up a very narrow segment of society. The Bible talks about a remnant chosen by grace. A remnant is just a tiny little part. The Bible says, "Broad is the way, and many there are thereon that leads to everlasting destruction. But narrow is the way and few there are that find it that leads unto everlasting life."
All kinds of gospels and religions prevail. And those who are adherents to these are confident they've found an answer. But it's an answer designed after their own minds. It is not an answer that is given to them from Heaven, from God Himself. The Bible is the only book that faithfully declares, in an infallible fashion, the means by which we can come to God. It is a revelation from God Himself, where God has indicated the design of His path of salvation. And it's through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only path that has real life to it, that really will work.
CALLER: Okay. Thank you.