Saturday, September 5, 2020

False Religion and True Religion – Part 2


Beautiful!

Noah Webster Jr. was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, writer, editor and author (1758-1843). In his first American Dictionary, he  defined the word “Religion” as: 1. Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion. 2. Religion, as distinct from theology, is godliness or real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and his law. 3. Religion, as distinct from virtue, or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to his will. Hence, we often speak of religion and virtue, as different branches of one system, or the duties of the first and second tables of the law. Let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. 4. Any system of faith and worship. In this sense, religion comprehends the belief and worship of pagans and Mohammedans, as well as of Christians; any religion consisting in the belief of a superior power or powers governing the world, and in the worship of such power or powers. Thus, we speak of the religion of the Turks, of the Hindoos, of the American Indians, etc. as well as of the Christian religion. Even Atheism is a religion. We speak of false religion, as well as of true religion. What are their "truth" claims? Yet, while other religions say “do” (to earn your “right” standing, true Christianity says “done” (because it is not by “good works”, but by the grace of God and the blood of Christ). But, even within the religion of the Christianity belief system, there is true religion and false religion. 


Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-24 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock”

Lawlessness is inequity or sin against God. The first three definitions by Webster speak of “true” religion which is pure, positive and right in the eyes of God. The word religion is in our United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights Article 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The Founding Fathers spoke of religion as a necessity and essential in America to exist. In his Farewell Address, the first president George Washington advised his fellow citizens that "Religion and morality" were the "great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens." "National morality," he added, could not exist "in exclusion of religious principle." (meaning - belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety).

Genesis 4:6 “The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? If you do well, shall you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it.’”

The late Pastor D. James Kennedy wrote that in the account of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4, we see a great contrast between true religion and false religion. Of course, in our day when people believe truth is relative, many recoil at such a notion as true versus false religion. The nature by which Cain’s works were unrighteous and Abel’s works were righteous was very simply this: Abel held to the right views and practice of religion, while Cain held to false views and practices of religion. Abel you may recall came before God and brought the sacrifice of one of his flock and offered this sacrifice with the shedding of blood and the giving of a life. Whereas Cain, on the other hand, brought the fruit of the fields from his toil as a farmer and he brought that, and he offered it to God, and he was rejected, whereas Abel’s sacrifice was accepted.

Pastor Kennedy states that everywhere in the world there is the same picture of Cain’s type of false religion, where man brings the fruit of his own labors and offers it up to God—his own goodness, his own morality and piety and benevolence—and he is astonished and chagrined when it is not accepted by God, and he does not receive that inward peace of knowing that he has been forgiven and accepted by God. Whereas the Christian knows that it is only by the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, that he is accepted. That is the foundation of true religion.

Lord God, Sin is always crouching at the door. Please give us strength for today to overcome it. As we live for You, help us to please You today.

In Christ, Brian

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