Is Christianity a religion? And if it is, can it lead to God? Can any religion lead to God at all?
I would like to address, in this post, those who already believe in God; that He exists. Not those who do not believe He exists (atheists) nor those who claim they are not sure that He exists (agnostics). I might even dare to say that, deep inside their hearts, they know that God exists because "that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God has manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. His eternal power also and divinity: so that they are inexcusable." (Romans 1:19,20). Saying that God is not there is just the easy way to excuse themselves from the moral requirements of God's holiness, so they can live their lives without those rules that the knowledge of God demands. In fact, their "atheism" or "agnosticism" becomes their own religion!
I would like to point out that every religion has at least 3 basic elements: doctrine (beliefs), ordinances, and rites. Men, believing some kind of "doctrine", obeying some sort of "ordinances", and applying them according to certain "rites", feel satisfied and think they are pleasing God. But, they can never be sure that He is really pleased. So they try to do their best, but they find out that they fall far short of obeying any rules. They find themselves breaking the law, the moral law... They find themselves committing sin, and they know right away that they cannot please God by their efforts! Thus they try harder and harder hoping next time will be better, but it never is. It is always worse!
Moreover, every religion claims to be "the way" to God. Therefore we have hundreds of thousands of religions, and each one claims to be the "good" one. Then comes the relativism of some people who tell you that what is good for you may not be good for others, so let every man choose "his own way", i.e. his own religion.
There is only One and True God, the Creator of us all and of every other created thing. I do not understand how people can make their own ways to arrive to God. It is just absurd! It is His own right to show us the way to Himself. Thus, as we all might agree, religion is man's way to try to know God. But there is only one way that can lead to the true knowledge of God. This way is the Lord Jesus Christ, God Incarnate. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6). See, there is only One Way, One Truth, One Life. This cannot be found in any religion. God Himself, out of His deep and pure love for us, chose to come down here on earth to show us "the way". He is the Way!
I would actually dare to say that religions are just Satan's alternatives to the One and Only Way. Satan is your enemy and he knows very well that the Lord Jesus is the Only Way to God and he tries to distract you by all means from realizing that your Only Hope is the Lord Jesus Christ! The apostle Peter said, "There is salvation in no other One [Jesus Christ of Nazareth]; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10,12). Away from Him there is only destruction and eternal judgment, eternal separation from God, the Source of life. But in Christ there is "every spiritual blessing."
I am praying that your eyes, dear reader, might be opened to see "the Way" that leads to God, put your faith in Him, and He will lead you to God!
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