Posted by A B Locke
The attraction to buffet restaurants is the wide selection of food to choose from and the variety of taste to experience. We appreciate having an abundance of choices in life to suit our finicky taste buds and other desires. “The more the merrier.” But when it comes to choosing a religion, it is a different game altogether. The stakes are much higher. It’s not about pleasing your fickle little taste buds anymore. The eternal destination of your soul is in jeopardy. We must stop thinking that choosing a religious faith is like selecting food from of a buffet—like it doesn’t really matter, as long as “you” like what you picked.
According to Wikipedia, religion is a collection of cultural systems, beliefs and world views that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. While religion is hard to define, one standard model of religion, used in religious studies courses, was proposed by Clifford Geertz, who simply called it a “cultural system.”
Wikipedia adds that there are approximately 4,200 religions in the world. There is no way I would even attempt to verify this number. For the purposes of this blog post, I will just stick with the dozen or so religions that we are more familiar with:
Christianity
Seventh-day-Adventism
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Islam
Mormonism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Hare Krishna
Scientology
Christian Science
New Age
Spiritualism
Atheism
Yes, Atheism is also a religion. They happen to “believe” that there is no God, but that does not make them irreligious. They have their perceptions of what is good and bad, right and wrong. That is their religion which they choose to live by. Perhaps you belong to one of these religious groups listed above, or maybe some friends and relatives of yours are members. These are religions that are well recognized around the world, but there are many other religions that are not labeled as such.
If you understand the full definition and scope of religion, then you know that many of them are disguised under a host of other names. These fly well under the “religious” radar, to minimize or illimenate the possibility of being censored or suppressed: sports, philosophy, ideas, motivational lectures, superstitions, magic, spirituality, science, music, meditation, education, entertainment, politics, nature, history, and many others. All these come under the broad banner of religion. Because religion has such a negative connotation in our society, most people try to distance or disconnect themselves from it altogether, claiming a non-religious status, but they are simply in ignorance or denial. Most non-Christians much rather be referred to as spiritual than religious, as if this liberates them from their own religious dogma.
I am going to let you in on a covert tactic used by unbelievers and the so-called irreligious, to censor and suppress Christianity. When your relatives, friends, and neighbors do not agree with your contribution to the conversation—your biblical perspective, they will accuse you of being judgmental and self-righteous. This is intentionally done to muzzle you and divert the conversation towards a more acceptible religion, perhaps their own. I have discovered that most people do not mind talking about religion. They will talk about various religions all day long, as long as it is not Christianity. Sports is an excellent example. All day long, everyday. No problem for those of that religion.
Oxford American Dictionaries defines religion as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance: consumerism is the new religion.
Oxford’s broader definition, appropriately so, associates religion with practically everything we do in life. Just remember this: Religion by any other name is still religion. There is no way to escape your religious identity. The man that goes to the racetrack or football game every Sunday is just as religious as the man who attends church every Sunday. The woman that reads the stock exchange everyday is just as religious as the woman the reads her Bible devotion everyday. They are simply devoted to different gods.
If you think that by some slim chance you are not religious, then you clearly do not understand the definition and magnitude of religion. Even if you reject Christianity, you cannot remove religion from your being. Religion is in our DNA. It’s in our breath. We are going to believe, and put our faith in one thing or another, even if it ends in death. That’s just how God wired us.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Prov. 14:12
A good number of my friends and close relatives are under the delusion that picking one of the many religions in our world is just like selecting options of food at a buffet. They feel there is absolutely no reason or concern to be alarmed. They believe that all, or at least most of the world’s religions are safe, legitimate and actually approved by God. But the Bible declares this to be a lie. They believe that they can simply pick any religion, according to their likes and dislikes—whatever suits their lifestyle. They literally can pick as they choose, but the consequences for making the wrong decision with cost them dearly.
Before I continue, I just want to make this perfectly clear, since it has come to my attention that a lot of my relatives and friends sadly do not know what is written in the Bible. The Bible declares that there is only one God and creator of us all. There are many “gods” in the world, dare I say false gods, but the God of the Bible has an impressive resume. The God of the Bible declares that He created the heavens and the earth. The God of the Bible claims He created all humanity from one man, Adam.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:26
The God of the Bible is like a loving Father, not wanting us to trust anyone above Himself. As a father, I can definitely relate to that. I would not want my daughter to honor or serve any earthly fathers before me.
“You shall have no other gods before me. Ex. 20:3
Now don’t go getting your panties all twisted in a bunch. I am simply sharing what is written in the Bible, so that you can know with certainty. You still get to make your own choice. No one is trying to rob you of your right to choose. You can inspect the Bible for yourself and make whatever decision you feel appropriate. The God referenced in the Bible, declares that there is only one faith, and that faith is in His Son.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph. 4:3-6
The God of the Bible also proclaims and that there is only one way (and one way only) to enter into a proper relationship with Him, and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is where the rubber hits the road. This is what separates Christianity from all the other religions in our world. It doesn’t get any clearer than this:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
No offense, but this is straight up “gangsta.” Jesus declares without blinking an eye, that no one can come into His Father’s presence unless they come through Him. The fact that a relationship with Jesus is paramount to a relationship with God is consistent throughout the Bible. No Jesus—no God. No Son—no Father.
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist — he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1John 2:22-23
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1Tim. 2:5
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2John 9-11
There are literally millions and millions of people, some rich, famous, and very influential, who claim to believe and serve God, but “their god” does not have a Son, let alone one named Jesus. Their god does not hold them accountable to Bible scriptures or sin. This let’s me know with certainty that these unfortunate men and women believe in a different god, not the God of the Bible—not the God of creation.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too, not when it comes to Christianity. You cannot claim to respect my religious faith on one hand, and reject Jesus Christ as Lord. It’s one or the other. If I said on one hand, that I am a genuine Christian, but I also believe that other religions are just as authentic, I am speaking in complete contradiction to the overwhelming evidence of scripture.
In error and frustration, I know some will label me self-righteous and judgmental, but the truth is I don’t want my relatives and friends, not even my worse enemy to miss out on the free gift of eternal life that is only available in Jesus Christ.
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live Deut. 30:19
Loving you more