Is Religion Necessary to Be Saved?

12/05/2020 20 Comments

Can faith or grace alone save you

Many preachers today have become so reckless and irresponsible that they hardly care if the teachings that they make people believe and accept are no longer in conformity with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ written in the Bible.

An example of which is their teaching that religion is no longer needed for man to be saved. What is needed, they say, is for man to have faith in Christ, accept Him, and presto, he will be saved.

That is a big lie! It is not true that religion is no longer needed. In fact, the Bible mentions a pure and undefiled religion which the Lord Jesus Christ taught to the apostles. This only means that religion is necessary and important; otherwise, the Lord Jesus Christ would not have taught it.

However, not all religions are pure and undefiled; many of them are filled with impurities, filth, and pretenses. Hence, their followers are not made holy but instead, they are turned into a bunch of hypocrites. Such are the religions that can be considered futile or useless, for they fail in making their members become worthy of salvation. The Bible describes these religions as vain.

James 1:26 (KJV) says,

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

If anyone seems to be religious yet does not restrain his or her tongue and even deceives his or her own heart — the religion of that person is considered vain or useless.

But the pure and undefiled religion that the Lord Jesus Christ taught the apostles is definitely not vain and no-nonsense. Therefore, it should not be rejected nor should it be regarded as unimportant or unnecessary.

James 1:27 (KJV) says,

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

One of the hallmarks of a pure religion is that it cares for the widows and orphans — and those who practice this religion keep themselves unspotted from the world. That is, they do not involve themselves in vices like gambling, drinking, drugs, and other earthly matters. They accept the Lord Jesus Christ and they follow His teachings.

Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ should not only be lip service. In accepting Christ, you have to accept His words and teachings, too, because rejecting His teachings is tantamount to also rejecting Him.

As it is written in John 12:48 (KJV),

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days.

It follows that if you reject the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ about religion, about the Church, and about worshiping, you are, in effect, rejecting Christ. And if you reject Christ, you will not be saved because He is the Savior.

The pure and undefiled religion taught by Christ to the apostles is being practiced in the Church built by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. So, if you hear pastors and preachers say that the Church is also no longer needed, you can be sure that such preachers speak ignorantly because the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ built a Church (Matthew 16:18).

Are they implying that the Lord Jesus Christ built something which has no use or relevance to salvation? And what gave them the right to nullify, or declare void, what the Lord Jesus Christ had established? The fact that Christ built a Church only means that it has a vital role in the salvation of man.

Now, to justify their stupid claim that religion and the Church are no longer needed to attain salvation — because according to them faith in Christ is enough — these preachers are citing the story of the thief that was crucified with Christ. They would say that the thief just believed in Christ, he did not practice any religion, and he did not join the Church, yet, he was promised paradise.

However, these pastors did not realize that believing in Christ, specifically in His words, was the only thing that the thief could do because he was already hanging on the cross and was about to die.

Apparently, before his final hour came, the thief got the chance to hear the words uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ while they were on the cross. And because of what he had heard, he believed.

Meaning, the thief’s faith in Christ was prompted by the words that he had heard from Him and not by His physical appearance. Because during that time, there was nothing majestic about the physical appearance of Christ as He was bruised, bleeding, and was naked.

Remember, the Jews played lots on His raiment, and according to Hebrews 6:6 (KJV), they “put him to an open shame,” implying that He was put in a very disgraceful and embarrassing situation. And what else could be more embarrassing and disgraceful than having your naked body exposed to the public? But because of the words that he heard from Christ while they were on the cross, the thief believed in Him, and so he said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” (Luke 23:42, KJV) And unto him, the Lord Jesus Christ replied, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43, KJV)

Considering the thief’s condition — he was helplessly hanging on the cross and was dying — and the very short time left for him to live, the thief could no longer afford to join the Church or to practice religion. But had he been freed and given the chance to live longer, without a doubt, the thief would surely have joined the Church built and headed by the Lord Jesus Christ and become His servant.

But it has to be understood that the enviable fortune that came the way of the thief can never be enjoyed or be availed by those who deliberately reject and disregard the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ — even if they claim that they have accepted Him.

May God bless us all!

20 comments:

  1. Most pastors preached that religion does not need for salvation.

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  2. Born again pastors don't understand the bible and its entirety! Thanks be to God He used bro. Eli as a small intrument in spreading his truth written 2000 years ago in the bible.

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  3. This is awesome doctrine in which Born Again pastors hide from us. These are unheard truth from the Bible. Thanks be to God!

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  4. Thanks be to God for this sensible article from Mr.CX!

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  5. Indeed. Religion is needed to be saved.
    Must read.

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  6. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

    Galatians 1:13
    King James Version (KJV)

    If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

    1 Corinthians 14:37
    King James Version (KJV)

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  7. This blog teaches us - "Cleave to what is good."

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  8. Indeed RELIGION IS VERY VITAL TO SALVATION BECAUSE PURE DOCTRINES ARE FOUND ONLY AT TRUE RELIGION THAT FOUNDED BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST-THE CHURCH OF GOD.

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  9. Salamat Po Sa Dios Sa Katuruan satin Ng Dios Sa Pamamagitan Ni Brad Eli't Brad Daniel

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  10. Absolutely Correct, we need religion,it is necessary and important; otherwise, the Lord Jesus Christ would not have taught it. Thanks be to God for another understanding.

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  11. This is worth of cherishing it in my heart for a lifetime.

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  12. Religion is another name to worship according to the Bible! So,it is absolutely important...
    To God be the Glory!

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  13. Thanks be to God. No born again pastor who is in his right mind who will carefully read this only to repute at the end. Unless he is blind.

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  14. I'm a former burn again and I can definitely attest that burn again teachings only focuses on the few teachings of Christ through Paul, and and some verses from other gospels of the Apostles. They practice cherry picking by emphasizing what only favorable and easy for them to obey. Incorporating the teachings that just confess with your mouth, accept Him, and believe in Jesus Christ as personal savior and you're saved. If only these people read carefully and analyze what they read in the Bible they should understand they are cherry picking. They are actually anti Paul, but does cherry picking few teachings of Christ through Paul. They claim that religion no longer necessary but only personal relationship to Christ. Ignoring the accompanying teachings for the salvation taught by Paul in different places on his gospels. They put the emphasis that we have been saved already not with our own work but by the grace of God. What they totally missed out is that "that salvation mentioned was the 'salvation from sin' and not yet from damnation or for the judgement. They totally missed understood that salvation mentioned to refer total salvation and enough to go to heaven. Burn again preachers failed to understand what they are preaching. They make void and null the teachings of Christ either through His teachings personally or of through the Apostles specially of Paul. They don't consider those teachings as for this dispensation. They failed to understand that teachings compiled in different gospels are the very doctrine for christians. Those were written for the christians in early times and so we that claim to be christians should have the same doctrines for there's only one Christ, and so does the teachings. These pastors and preachers are actually ignorant of what they preach. I can definitely attest because my Mom is a pastora and 2 brothers are pastors... It does bothers me a lot... I can definitely attest they are blind. As a former have the same faith as they I know they believe in their hearts that they are doing great and right. They have been mislead and does does mislead others too without knowing. May God open their understanding of the Truth and may our great God lead them to the true Church - MCGI. All glory to God for calling my family to the true Church of which
    preaches the pure doctrines of Christ that is enough to sustain the salvation offered by Jesus Christ from sin that would lead us to pass on the judgement day. But first to be with Christ in the 1 thousand year yet. God willing. Thanks be to God for leading us to His instruments in these last days... All glory to Him.

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  15. Our Lord Jesus Christ established the Church of God wherein pure religion is being taught and preached by the apostles, and practiced by its members. God commanded us to cling to what is good, therefore, being a member of pure religion is needed for our salvation. To God Be the Glory!

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  16. Church of God is the true church in the Bible. Thanks be to God.

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