Religion vs. Gospel

Religion - If you obey, God will love you.

Gospel – Because God loves you, you now want to obey (1 John 4:19 says “we love because He first loved us”)

Religion  - We are good and they are bad.

Gospel – Repentant and Unrepentant bad people (all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23)

Religion – Identity is in birth family or growing up in church or being baptized or having an outside moral appearance.

Gospel  – Identity is in new birth and part of new family (Romans 6:4 - We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.)

Religion – Goal is to get from God what I want

Gospel – about getting God and spending eternity with Him (Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God).

Religion – Sees hardships as punishment

Gospel  – Hardships can be used for good to make us more like Jesus.  (Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.) 

Religion – Life is uncertain, how do you know when you have been good enough to make sure you are going to heaven?

Gospel – Life is about Jesus and living eternity in heaven.  He died, rose on the 3^rd day – it is finished work. We can approach the throne with confidence; we have assurance of eternal life.  (reference??)

Religion – Attitude is either prideful – I’m obedient (do quiet time, get to church early…) or in despair – I have tried and I fail over and over.  Forget it.

Gospel – attitude is one of loving  humility (Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves)

Religion – All about me

Gospel – All about Jesus!

This week evaluate your thoughts as you go about your day.  Where has religion has seeped in?  The mind is powerful so make sure your thinking lines up with the Gospel and is not stuck in religion.

Michelle