Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 19
November 9, 1967
NUMBER 27, PAGE 7b

On Religion

R. B. Rasmussen

A current thought today is that everyone is right. Especially in things religious. In no other field can we see the prevalent thought that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. The obvious difficulties to which this generality leads witness that folks don't really believe it, but rather choose to avoid examining their condition before God. There are some areas of religious thought which, though seemingly divergent, are each verified in their own realm by the Word of God. But truth is not divergent. It remains then that the whole truth is not known. Less than the whole truth is as good as none.

Consider that which may be called the religion of good works. This is professed by good and honest men who deem worthy of salvation those good works which express man's love for this fellow man. Certainly, God's Word sustains the truth in this thought through Jesus' words, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matt. 22:39) God's children are directed to "visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions." (Jas. 1:27) The apostle Paul instructed christians to "work that which is good towards all men." (Gal. 6:10) The power of good works is universally recognized by all men as evidenced by Jesus when he noted "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 5: 16)

Equally justifiable is the religion of faith which proclaims God's love for men. The comforting words of Jno. 3:16 tell men that "God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Also, "the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)

His coming represented God's love for man. His seeking the lost was not so much finding the lost, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23), as it was declaring himself "to be the Son of God... by the resurrection from the dead." (Rom. 1:4) Having revealed himself, the lost declare themselves found, confessing him to be the Son of God, the wonderful Savior.

Here indeed are two essential truths, neither of which stands alone. The religion of good works alone fails. God declares this in the example of a certain devout, good work abounding, God-fearing man named Cornelius. Read of his good reputation in Acts 10:22. Read of what he needed to save him in Acts 11: 14. The words he needed were the gospel, God's power of salvation. (Rom. 1:16)

Alone, the religion of faith idea also fails. Yes, Christ came to seek and save the lost, but he also came for another reason. He came, not to send peace, but a sword on the earth. (Matt. 10:34) If Christ's coming to save the lost shows forth God's love for man, what does his coming to send a sword on earth reveal? What else but enlistment unto service? Does it not imply conflict? This sword is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17); sharper than any two-edged sword. (Heb. 4:12) The soldier bearing the sword separates himself from the affairs of the world, and contends according to the rules. (II Tim. 2:3-5) He uses his weapon. He obeys commands. He is fully committed. All these demand more of God's people than believing that Jesus is the Son of God. The sword implies service, and service, man's love towards God.

Here is seen a religion of serving God through the keeping and teaching of the commandments of the living word. Christ Said, "if ye love me, ye will keep my commandments." (Jno. 14:15) Man's love for God is the link between the religion of man's love for man and the religion of God's love for man. The religion of service and obedience is represented by man's love for God, even as the Lord said, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," (Matt. 22: 37)

The whole of religion is the sum of its parts. God wants the good works. He wants the faith of men in his gospel. Don't fulfill one part of religion and leave another undone. It is though you had done none at all.

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