The Wednesday Word

 

 Only Two Worldwide Religions!

by D.G. Miles McKee
 

It is estimated that there are around 10,000 religions in the world, but the truth is they break down into just two categories.  The first category of religion is comprised of those who demand performance (on the adherent’s part).  Salvation for them is a matter of doing one’s best or obeying a set of rules.  For example … ‘Don’t eat this and don’t eat that.’  ‘Pray at this time.’ ’Take part in this ceremony or that sacrament’. ’Perform this or that good work’. This is the religion of ‘DO.’ It is by far the more popular of the two.

The other category of religion is really a non-religion and is summarized by the word DONE.  Membership comes about by being given the gift of eternal life by God. Since it is a gift, it cannot be earned or deserved. As we have said many times, “Without Christ, we can do nothing” (John 15:5). That’s true, but the flip side is also accurate …  with Christ, there’s nothing we need to do!  Jesus has done and paid all to redeem us. It is Finished!

I don’t know who said this but when they wrote of the two religions they spoke the truth,
“One religion is of Cain, the other of Abel.
 One is of Ishmael, the other of Isaac.
One is of Esau, the other of Jacob.
One is of Law, the other of Promise.
One is of Mount Sinai, the other of Mount Calvary.
One condemns, the other finds no fault.
One leads to bondage, the other to freedom.
One of weakness, the other of power.
One of merit, the other of mercy.
One of works, the other of grace.”
One is by trying, the other is by trusting.
Yes indeed, there really are only two types of religion, one is the religion of ‘Do’ the other is the religion of ‘Done.’ 

DO or DONE?  Where do you stand?  We either believe that we must DO something to gain heaven or else we rest in the fact that Jesus Christ has DONE it all.  He has gained our entire acceptance through His doing, dying and rising again.

The late Scott Richardson said, “The voice from the cross did not summon men to do, but to be satisfied with what was done: “It is finished.” The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect thing which has ever been presented to God on man’s behalf. “It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein” (Leviticus 22:21).

There’s not a single thing the unbeliever can do to please God for they that are in the flesh cannot please God (see Romans 8:8).  All the unbeliever’s trying to get right with and impress God is useless.  We are not called to try something, we are called to trust.

Christ ascended into heaven because His work of atonement was finished.  It was not partially done; it was and is finished.  Of course, He sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat but that was not to achieve redemption. Redemption had already been obtained. This is made clear when we read in the Scriptures, “But by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).

Notice that eternal redemption had already been obtained before He came to the mercy seat.

It is Finished!

“Nothing, either great or small –
Nothing, sinner, no;
Jesus did it, did it all,
Long, long ago.
 
It is finished! Yes, indeed,
Finished, every jot;
Sinner, this is all you need –
Tell me, is it not?
 
When He, from His lofty throne,
Stooped to do and die,
Everything was fully done;
Hearken to His cry:
 
Weary, working, burdened one,
Wherefore toil you so?
Cease your doing; all was done
Long, long ago.
 
Till to Jesus’ work you cling
By a simple faith,
“Doing” is a deadly thing –
“Doing” ends in death.
 
Cast your deadly “doing” down –
Down at Jesus’ feet;
Stand in Him, in Him alone,
Gloriously complete.”
-James Proctor (1826 - 1859 A.D.)
 

And that’s the Gospel Truth!

Website: MilesMcKee.com