A Cheap Religion

In perusing a Gospel newsletter, I came across this article, and thought it made a very important point - one that I see describing much of the "church" today, and thus, it needs to be addressed.

A Cheap Religion

This is an age when we want things at a bargain -- a reduced price. This also pertains to religion. All people in all climes want happiness and peace of mind; hence any form of relifion which will promise this and give a hope of heaven, without much ignominy, is the very thing they are after. So we see:

A religion without repentance. true repentance implies not only the forsaking of all outward and inward sin, but restitution as well -- the undoing, so far as possible, of all offenses of the past.. This means confession to God and to individuals who have been wronged, defrauded, or hated. Friend, have you so repented that no one can point at you and say, "You injured me and my standing, and have never apologized"?

A religion of good works. thousands of people, including ministers, arise early Sunday morning, say prayers, take Holy Communion, give offerings to ease the conscience, and make themselves believe they are on the way to heaven; but they lack the one all-essential thing -- the New Birth. Jesus plainly said "Except a man be born again [born from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God." Why be deceived?

A religion without holiness. We read that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, but this cheap religion says, "We must sin; we must gratify unholy desires." Such a religion may please the flesh, but remember it will fail you when you are dying. Then you will want to be as pure as the blood of Christ can cleanse you.

A religion that will let you drink, grudge, speak unkindly, go to law, or seperate you from your family, will dissapoint you at the Judgment.

On the other hand, the right kind of religion will enable you to live a Christlike life. Yea, since you are made partaker fo the Divine nature, you will naturally act like your saviour. As a result, you will love the Bible more than any other reading. You will also love long sessions of secret prayer. Of course, you will love all men of all nations, even your enemies.

Friends, how is it with you? Do not rest on a form, but insist on the power of Christ within.

-- E. E. Shelhamer (printed in Hallelujah!, the official gazette of the Bible Holiness Movement)

The Gospel

Every person on earth needs forgiveness for having disobeyed God (Romans 3:23). We cannot be saved from sin by trying to do better, for we have no way of making up for our own past misdeeds.


Therefore, part one in the way of salvation is: Repent from your sins.

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19)


However, step one alone cannot save us, for without God's involvement, it is merely works. Thus, repentance must be combined with faith in God, for those who wish to be pleasing to God must "believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6)


Part two then is: Believe on Jesus Christ.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:31)


Now, what do repentance from sin and faith in Christ look like in your life? "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26). This involves the next two parts...


Confess Jesus as your Master:

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart the God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)

and...

Live the obedient life:

"Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

"Whosoever says he knows God but does not obey Him is a liar." (1 John 2:4)


Too many people stop at part two and think that they have all the salvation they need - faith without works - this dead faith, however is not the salvation that Scripture speaks of. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil; if the people that He has saved continue in sin, what victory is there, since Satan's works are still being done? If you are truly saved, you will bear fruit - good fruit - just as a tree is known by the fruit it bears, a believer in Christ is known by whom he obeys (1 John 3:10).

Envy or Jealousy?

Envy and jealousy are often used interchangeably, but these terms are very different. Both can be used to describe a "covetous" state of the will, but this is where the synonymity ends.

To covet is to desire - this is not in itself evil - "but," you might say, "isn't covetousness everywhere condemned as evil?" It may appear so, but in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he tells them to "covet earnestly the best gifts." (12:31)

What is the difference, then?

Envy is the coveting of those things that are not rightfully one's own, resulting in ill will and discontent. True love never envies.

Jealousy, though, cannot be morally wrong, for the very reason that God Himself is a Jealous God. So what is jealousy? It is the coveting of those things that are rightfully one's own, resulting in righteous anger at the injustice that is done by someone else taking it away.

Does this give us an excuse to be angry with others? I would argue that, in most circumstances, the answer is NO; because usually we are too shortsighted to see the consequences of our anger. Jealous actions must always be consistent with love, because love is the root of jealousy.

However, there is a place for anger, because Paul admonishes us to "be angry, and sin not," but this anger must result not from injury to our person, but from true, godly love - and our actions must always be consistent with love: "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (I Corinthians 13:4-7).