Religion is a belief in a divine or superhuman power or powers to be obeyed and worshiped as the creator(s) and ruler(s) of the universe.*
Religion was made by men as they felt the needs of something to hold as their deepest hearts said so. They didn't know what to hold. It's better to make a standard rather than believing nothing.
Believing nothing means hoping nothing and hoping nothing means loving nothing. - WSS That's the principle of love come from the religions made. Actually they are good!
There are many religions in the world. All of them have their own rules that should be obeyed for good. In some places, there are attempts to force someone to believe in a religion, and that's the immorality of the persons, not the religion. The communist is also a religion of self creator and ruler, and it's the immorality to force others to be communists. Often, the persons are referred to what they believe.
Buddha had said, "When you have a voice from your deepest heart (the inner being, the spirit) to do something better, then do that, or you might have sinned for yourself." He also said, "There is a Creator of men, and I don't know who is He, but He is, the Creator of all things."
The humans have the right of freedom to believe in anything. When they believe with all their heart without any force, without any descendant origin, without any ignorance, but with all their hearts, then it's the morality. This is the morality that could change the world.
If you know that something is true and better and you don't share it with other so that others might know about it too, then it's immorality too by letting others being in the wrong state of mind and even being in sin. So ignorance is immorality and forcing is immorality too. Being balance or in the equilibrium is the morality.
Religion is also a way made by man to reach God. They try to do their best to be without sin, but it's useless for they have been sinning and always sinning. They make a sacred place to worship making themselves nearer to God, but are they nearer to God? They feel so and it makes them feel better though without any assurance. Better to be like this rather than none.
Is Christianity also a way made by man to reach God? If it's so then it's a religion. Is believing in Christ a religion? Then this question come out: Is Jesus man or God? A Japanese scholar could tell you about this as he found the only sinless and immortal person is Jesus. Jesus never force anyone to believe in Him? Good news is given and the decision is in a man himself. Then if someone take the Christianity to force someone to believe, then that's the immorality of the persons of the religion.
Guarantee of salvation is the ultimate destination the religious persons looking for. If you ask them about the guarantee of their salvation, they will hesitate to say, or if not they will say, "We are sure that we are saved if we go on doing these good deeds to the end." When they say, "We are sure that we are saved." Ask them, "Who guarantee you?" Then they will calm down. It's useless to argue with them, when they insist their salvation, for in their deepest being will say that they are not saved yet. Only the one without sin could have the guarantee.
That's the condition of a religious people. Even some who confess to be Christians take Christianity as a religion, then it's for sure that they haven't been saved yet. If Christianity is merely a religion, then there is no salvation at all on the earth. You will know for sure that Christianity is more than a religion. Religion is a way made by man to reach God, but Christianity is a way made by God to reach man. It's so contradicted, isn't it?
Religion has a foundation of sin (called prophets or others), and use the effort of man to be without sin. But Christianity has a foundation of righteousness (Jesus - without sin), and use His blood to redeem all people from sins. That's why the unbelievers can't be sure of their salvation. Religion strives with it's own strength, but Christianity conquers in the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit). That's why many religions falls into worshipping devils and into immorality.
We can see the examples in the Holy Bible. The most usual are the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Christianity as religion), worshippers of idols in Ephesus (devils as religion). Though, they do kindness, but they are made blind by their deeds. They do goodness for nothing because they haven't been saved yet.
So as a conclusion, I may say that Christianity is not merely a religion, but much more greater than religion. Christian may call God as a Father, it cannot be found in any other religions. Christianity has an ultimate guarantee of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, not so in the religions, because their prophets have already sinned too and they themselves do not even know if they are saved or not. How could they guarantee others? Only Jesus Christ could, using His own life for redemption, for He is without sin.
Religion is good, but salvation in Christ is perfect. When the perfect comes, the good will become perfect if they receive Christ as their personal Savior. When the Guarantor comes, the doubts are vanished. When Christ Jesus comes again, all things will be opened.
*Webster's New World Dictionary
©2000 - Wisin Suhendra Setiady
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