Warning: Everyone has a religion
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matthew 7:13).
Moses received the Ten Commandments, the Tablets of Testimony, from God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-25).
Today, there are tens of thousands of religions. Like Nicodemus, every person has a religion whether he or she wants to admit it or not. Most scholars define religion as a personal set or an institutionalized system of attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Whether a person is a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Agnostic or Atheist, he or she has a religion and worships something. He or she might worship the true God or the false gods that include idols, the supernatural, the state, Mother Earth, science, or even man.
There are also many sub-religions under each dominant religion that make religions even more complicated and confusing. Why are there so many religions? There are 7.5 billion human beings in this world.
Some philosophers and religious leaders believe each religion seeks its path to God, and paths vary because people vary. Others like most Muslims, Buddhists, Orthodox Jews, and Christians do not subscribe to this explanation. They believe their religion is the correct one, and the others are following a false religion.
What is your religion? What or in whom do you worship? The late Reverend Billy Graham once said, “Whatever you think about and meditate on the most during your day; that is your god.”
Two Religions: Man-Made versus Divine
Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, suddenly died after lying to the Holy Spirit about money (Acts 5:1-11).
The Christian view believes there are only two religions in the world – human-made religion and the other is divine.
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus followed and helped produce a man-made religion based on works. Today all false religions are based on human achievement, works, and the flesh. This false religion believes men and women can be good enough and religious enough to gain heaven.
Many people have a false sense of salvation. They believe if they acknowledge God, attend some religious services, go through some religious rites or ceremonies, they will be saved and will go to heaven.
Unfortunately, false religion comes in many forms, but it is all the same. It is all based on Satan’s lies, just packaged differently to deceive.
When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!” But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied. Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in His hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.” – (Numbers 22:26-30)
Many people are captive to false religious systems. They have placed their loyalty with false teachers who are evil and perverse. Eventually, the light will expose these false teachers’ and leaders’ sins. Many apologize when they get caught. However, they will continue to do shameful, vile acts. Their followers refuse to leave and justify their lies and sins. They follow these leaders blindly, thus putting themselves at risk for eternity.
All false religion is hypocrites, and all false religious leaders are hypocrites. The Bible describes false teachers as hypocrites and always telling others that they know God and His truth to cover up their wretchedness.
All false religious leaders pretend to be righteous, and they’re unrighteous. They pretend to be good, and they are evil. They are perverse, corrupt, and wicked.
According to Jeremiah, “The heart of man is deceitful above all things. The heart of man is a deceiver” (Jeremiah 17:9). These deceivers appear to be religious. They wear religious garb, commit themselves to spiritual life, carry out religious ceremonies, and have a superficial devotion to morality.
Many false leaders pick people’s pockets by promising God’s blessings and healings for gifts to their ministries. They say, “Take out your credit card and plant your seed in our ministry to get God’s healing and blessings.”
Many people who are desperate with fatal illnesses, disappointed with life, or even scared about the future, give away their money to these charlatans. They are deceived and continue to be discouraged because they continue to follow a false teacher who proclaims special access to God. These followers turn away when they do not receive the miracle or healing promised. Does this sound familiar? False teachers put up the “Jesus is for sale” sign every day in their pulpits, and on television, radio, and the internet.
They do not teach the true Biblical principles that honor the Lord and His church. Instead these false teachers “love human achievement and money.” They deceive and lead many people astray. Like the Pharisees, their false teachings damn their followers’ souls to eternal hell.
God warns us about false teachers. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 that false teachers, the scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, put people in a religious prison.
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
Nicodemus had a choice. He had to follow Jesus or abandon the apostate system of Judaism that the Pharisees and Scribes had corrupted. They were the architects and promoters of the religion of human achievement. Their salvation and acceptance of God, their hope of eternal life in heaven depended upon what they did morally and what they did religiously and ceremonially.
The conversion of Paul the Apostle on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19).
Man-made religion tries to earn heaven. There are two gates marked heaven…one goes to heaven, and one does not. There is a narrow way with a constricted gate that leads to heaven. And there is a broad way with a wide gate that leads to hell.
Nicodemus and the Pharisees were practicing and teaching a religion that led men and women on the broad road to destruction. Their religion was not acceptable to God. In Matthew 5:20, Jesus said, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”
What kind of righteousness could surpass the scribes and the Pharisees? There are two kinds of righteousness: one that does not satisfy God, and one that does. There is a religion that pleases God and a belief system that does not.
Jesus said the Pharisees were confident of their righteousness and looked down on everyone else. How can a person trust in his or her righteousness to earn heaven when he or she is not righteous?
All false religions teach that a person can be good enough to go to heaven, except true Christianity which says a person cannot be good enough. Faithful followers of Christ realize they cannot earn their way to heaven. They cannot be good enough and gain a righteousness that satisfies God.
The religion of human achievement says a person can be good enough, holy enough, religious enough, and spiritual enough.
If any man is saved, he is saved by divine grace and by divine grace alone; the reason of his salvation is not to be found in him but in God. We are not saved as the result of anything that we do or that we will, but we will and do as the result of God’s good pleasure and the work of His grace in our hearts. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:44).
True Religion
Jesus instructed Nicodemus that true religion is based on divine accomplishment only. It is a religion based on faith, grace, and mercy. It is a religion based on the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is where salvation and acceptance and heaven depend on what God did and not what men do.
It was a completely different religion than the one Nicodemus was practicing and promoting.
The Bible teaches that a man and a woman are made right with God by “grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is not something a person does; it’s something he or she must believe and receive (John 1:12). And in believing and receiving, God’s righteousness is given to a believer, and then a person has peace with God (Romans 1:7).
Judeo-Christian view
Jesus taught Nicodemus that the most important decision he would make during his life on earth would be his eternal destiny. There are two options: heaven and everlasting joy, or hell and eternal punishment.
Nicodemus learned from Jesus that every believer must acknowledge that the God of heaven, the Creator of humanity, and the Almighty God of the universe are all manifest in Jesus Christ. Those who enter the kingdom of God must acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The narrow gate
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matt. 7:13).
Jesus said that not everyone would enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it, for the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Nicodemus and the other Pharisees knew Moses said to the people, “See, I have set before you this day life and death, good and evil. Choose life that you and your seed may live,” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
It was Joshua, who said, “Choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
It was Jeremiah who heard God say to him, “Unto this people shall you say, ‘Thus says the Lord, behold I have set before you the way of life and the way of death’” (Jeremiah 21:8).
It was Elijah, the prophet, who called for a decision and said, “How long will you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him. If Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).
Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Then in John 5:6, Jesus said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
In John 14:8-15, “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. ’Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son? If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.’”
The paths of life and death
There is a narrow way that leads to life, and then there’s the broad way with all the other religions that leads to death.
In Mark 1:15, the Bible says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
There’s only one way to be saved; there’s only one person, Jesus. He is the Savior. Faith in Him is required for salvation. In 1 Timothy 2:5, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Saving faith comes by hearing. Romans 10:14-17, says, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim Him? And how are they to proclaim Him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good news; for the prophet Isaiah wrote, ‘Lord, who has believed our message” (Isaiah 51:3)
Christ is the Eternal Word
Before time began, Jesus was … John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word.” Those words “in the beginning” in Greek are identical to the first two words of the Bible: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
Faith comes by hearing the message concerning Christ. Christ is the Word. If a person is “born from above,” he or she will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore gain entrance to the kingdom of God. There is no other way to enter.
Also, a person must enter the kingdom of God alone. This does not happen to everybody who joins a church, or everybody who the church baptizes. It isn’t something a person inherits from his or her parents.
Jesus said, in Matthew 10:34-39, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth, I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. And anyone who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life shall lose it, it is he who has lost his life for My sake that shall find it.”
Jesus told Nicodemus the kingdom of God would cost a person potentially everything. It is difficult to enter. Few are those who find it. Jesus warned the Israelites, “Beware of the false prophets.” They lead a person on the road to hell. They are ravenous wolves who dress up as if they were shepherds or prophets.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:38-40, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”
It is not easy for a person to lose his or her life, to say no to all desires, ambitions, hopes, and dreams. It is hard to turn from sin and repent.
In Luke 13:22-25, Jesus said, “And someone said to Him, ‘Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’ Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are Romans’”
Jesus was saying there will be people who desire to be saved, and they will not gain entrance into heaven. The narrow door to the kingdom of God must be searched out and found. And when it is found, it is not easy. That’s why the Lord also said, “You have to count the cost.”
Violent men take it by force
Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:11-12).
Jesus says in Matthew 11:12, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
There is particular violence in coming to salvation. A person is in a spiritual war and a battle with his or her soul to release the love of sin, self, and pride.
Christianity is not for the weak or for those who compromise. It is for the strong. When a person enters into this narrow gate, he or she declares war on all the forces of hell. It is the gate of self-denial.
Charles Spurgeon, a pastor, teacher and author once said, “You and your sins must separate, or you and your God cannot come together. No one sin may help you keep; they must all be recognized for what they are. You must forsake them, abhor them, and ask the Lord to overcome them.”
This is what the New Testament calls “turning from sin to serve the living God.” Unfortunately, the masses of the world are racing toward hell. They are on the broad road, thinking it is the path to heaven.
You may know you have eternal life
Believers in Christ have a different result. In 1 John 5:11-20, John wrote, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence that we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
In 2 Corinthians 13;4-7, Paul wrote, “For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!”
(E-Book: Born from Above; Introduction; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9; Chapter 10; Chapter 11; Chapter 12; Epilogue)