Salvation: Religion and false sense of security

Religion is a set of beliefs and rites people observe to honor their god(s). As of today, there is an estimated number of 4,200 religions in the world. The major ones are: Catholicism, Islam, and Hinduism.

So many religions, so many gods, so many rites, yet only one way to salvation that isn’t part of any religion: Jesus-Christ.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”. (John 3:16-17)

Jesus did not establish a religion.

Instead, He came to reconcile us back to God through the shedding of His own blood on the cross, the perfect sacrifice to cover all our sins (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

Thus, He has become our salvation, the exclusive path to God, and the sole mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5).

Jesus-Christ is the only name that saves, as it is written: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

God’s salvation is free or charge and doesn’t required any work on our part, for Christ did it all and paid the price for our sin in full. Hebrews 10:14 says: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified”.

So, we don’t have to work anything out, in order to be saved. No need to flog ourselves with whips or sticks, walk on hot coals, climb stairs on our knees, or any thing like that. All we have to do is believe, for regardless of where we come from and what we have done, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Roman 10:13).

Yes Jesus died… But he rose on the third day (Matthew 28:6), proving that He was indeed who He said He was, and that He is “the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)

It’s sad to observe that absolutely no religion has an established and assured plan of salvation for the multitude of people who practice it. Their gods demand worship and sacrifices, but offer no guaranteed rest for the souls of their devout followers.

Catholicism refers to a salvation primarily based on work and for those who may fail, a possible eligibility after time spend in the purgatory, an imaginary waiting room for souls that are neither saved nor condemned. Islam leaves the decision up to Allah and references that one’s good deeds must outweighs his evil ones if not predestinated for salvation. In Hinduism there is no such thing as eternal damnation. Salvation is attained through self-realization which can take one or many lives to achieve.

But for those who believe in Christ, salvation is the free gift of God, undeserved and unmerited. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

There is no deity in the history of religions who sent His only Son to die for our sins. There is no god on earth who has loved mankind the way the Father of our Lord Jesus did. So why not give His salvation plan a try?