Good religion is Spirit led religion. Bad religion is law and works led religion.
To be under the law or to be led by the law is to be a servant of sin.
Paul wrote "But God be thanked, that you were servants of sin, but you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you" Romans 6:17.
That form of doctrine that was delivered to them was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the "Good News" that Jesus has fulfilled all of the demands of God's holy law and that he did it in our name and on our behalf, just like we did it our self. After he fulfilled it he abolished it, Ephesians 2:15. Christians are no longer under it, nor are they subject to it. Paul said that the law Was contrary to us, Colossians 2:14. What he meant was that nobody could do it or keep it. The law demands that you be perfect. There is none perfect, no, not one, Romans 3:10.
Bad religion is the religion of the Pharisees. The religion of the Pharisees was a law based religion. They took the commandments and the ordinances and came up with over 600 laws and rules for holy living. The law was their savior. They said that the Torah was the way, the truth and the life and was the light that lightens every man. John took what the Pharisees said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.
Bad religion rejects the Gospel and justification by faith and replaces it with false doctrine and works based religion. Law based religion is not Spirit led religion. Christians are not required to do anything for their salvation other than to believe in Jesus as their savior.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5.
The reason that Christians are not required to do works or keep the law for their salvation is because the work of salvation has already been done by Jesus Christ. It was Jesus that fulfilled the law. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. No one needs to be predestinated. No one needs to Join the Catholic church. We are perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10.
When we add anything to the Gospel we deny the Gospel. To say that it is the Gospel plus Calvinism, or its the Gospel plus Catholicism. What we are really saying is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not sufficient to save us and we need religion. Good religion is a religion that does good works, not to be saved, but because they are saved. It is works that are done out of a heart of love and gratitude for what Christ has done for us in his work of salvation. Maybe this is what James meant when he said, "Faith without works is dead" James 2:17.
To be under the law or to be led by the law is to be a servant of sin.
Paul wrote "But God be thanked, that you were servants of sin, but you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you" Romans 6:17.
That form of doctrine that was delivered to them was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the "Good News" that Jesus has fulfilled all of the demands of God's holy law and that he did it in our name and on our behalf, just like we did it our self. After he fulfilled it he abolished it, Ephesians 2:15. Christians are no longer under it, nor are they subject to it. Paul said that the law Was contrary to us, Colossians 2:14. What he meant was that nobody could do it or keep it. The law demands that you be perfect. There is none perfect, no, not one, Romans 3:10.
Bad religion is the religion of the Pharisees. The religion of the Pharisees was a law based religion. They took the commandments and the ordinances and came up with over 600 laws and rules for holy living. The law was their savior. They said that the Torah was the way, the truth and the life and was the light that lightens every man. John took what the Pharisees said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.
Bad religion rejects the Gospel and justification by faith and replaces it with false doctrine and works based religion. Law based religion is not Spirit led religion. Christians are not required to do anything for their salvation other than to believe in Jesus as their savior.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us" Titus 3:5.
The reason that Christians are not required to do works or keep the law for their salvation is because the work of salvation has already been done by Jesus Christ. It was Jesus that fulfilled the law. It was Jesus that atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. No one needs to be predestinated. No one needs to Join the Catholic church. We are perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10.
When we add anything to the Gospel we deny the Gospel. To say that it is the Gospel plus Calvinism, or its the Gospel plus Catholicism. What we are really saying is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not sufficient to save us and we need religion. Good religion is a religion that does good works, not to be saved, but because they are saved. It is works that are done out of a heart of love and gratitude for what Christ has done for us in his work of salvation. Maybe this is what James meant when he said, "Faith without works is dead" James 2:17.
