“Religion or Salvation”

Which Have You?

Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

At certain seasons of the year, we find many religious celebrations being conducted. We find that the natural man wants to be religious and at times will do many things thinking that he is performing an act of worship unto God. But the Word of God teaches that religion is not salvation! The Word of God teaches that you can be religious and miss heaven!

Our text teaches us that there is not salvation in any other name than the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Our text teaches us that there is none other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved. You are saved by Jesus Christ or you are not saved!

How clear and concise. There should be neither confusion nor contradiction. There are many names under heaven in which we can find religion; but salvation can be found in one only, and that is the name of Jesus Christ.

There is no salvation in priests, prophets, penance or prayers, but only in Christ. You may have your service and sacraments, churches and charities, tears and treasure, ritual and reformation, but all are powerless to produce eternal life. The Word of God tells us in I John 5:11,12, "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

Men are willing to give head knowledge to the claims of Christianity, but they refuse to accept in their hearts the Christ of Christianity.

Men and women are willing to take the high place in the work and ritual of the church; while refusing to take the low place of guilty sinners needing a sinner's salvation.

Men and women are willing to believe in the moral precepts of God's Word, as based on the Ten Commandments; while refusing to believe in, rest on, and receive God's Son as Savior to their souls.

RELIGION is the improvement of the old nature. SALVATION is the imparting of a new nature through receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Word of God tells us in John 1:12, "As many as received him (Christ), to them gave he power to become the sons of God."

RELIGION clothes us with the robes of our own righteousness and God tells us in Isaiah that our righteousness is as a filthy rag. SALVATION clothes us in the perfect righteousness of Christ, which alone can make us acceptable in the sight of God. God's Word tells us in Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us."

RELIGION is what man does for God; SALVATION is what God does for man. Isaiah 53:6 tells us, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him (Christ) the iniquity of us all."

RELIGION says: Something in my hand I bring. SALVATION says: Nothing in my hand I bring. Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

RELIGION is trusting in a work we do. SALVATION is trusting in a work that has been done. Hebrews 10:10, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

RELIGION depends on our behaving. SALVATION depends on our believing. Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

RELIGION says we must act our best. SALVATION says we must accept God's best. Romans 6:23, "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

RELIGION depends on the sufficiency of character. SALVATION depends on the Sacrifice of the Cross. I Cor. 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

RELIGION tries to furnish a sacrifice. SALVATION trusts in a finished sacrifice. John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

RELIGION is striving for a better attainment. SALVATION is secured through a perfect atonement. I Peter 1:18,19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

RELIGION tries to bring us from darkness to light. SALVATION does bring us from death unto Life. John 5:24, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

RELIGION says we must be found in God's house. SALVATION says we must "Be found in Him (Christ), not having” our “own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ." Philippians 3:9.

Again I remind you of our text: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

My dear friends, do you have Religion or Salvation? If you only have religion, then you will miss heaven and spend eternity apart from God and His son in a place of torment. If you have salvation, you now have the promise of eternal life with God and His Son forevermore. g

Taken from the tract Religion or Salvation. Used with permission from Pastor E.L. Bynum.