The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-14, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 42." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 1993 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.
Question
We hear in our church, and I hear it from you, where we tie Christianity as a religion. And as far as I am concerned Christianity was created by Christ, where religion is created by Satan. And I hear ministers tie them both together and we get the idea that Christianity is a religion, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” And I look at Christianity as a way of life--Not a religion.
Answer
Some people have said, “Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.” But in a technical sense, just a dictionary sense, Christianity can be classified as a religion, that is to say, it is a system of beliefs in the supernatural. Obviously, we think it is the only right one, and that sets it apart. But it isn’t necessarily wrong to call Christianity a religion if you look at a dictionary and you see that a religion defines some concept of God and a system of beliefs that goes along with that concept. But, I understand what you’re saying, if you just throw Christianity in the big pile of religion some people might see that it’s basically just one of many options.
The best way to comprehend that distinction would be this; there are only two religions in this world, just two. There aren’t five. There aren’t fifty. There aren’t five hundred. There aren’t five thousand, even though there are 330 million gods in the Hindu system. There are only two religions. There is on one hand, the religion of human achievement. And on the other hand, the religion of divine accomplishment.
The religion of human achievement says that man somehow earns favor with God, whatever god he believes in, or whatever gods he believes in. Christianity says man cannot win any favor with God. The only way he can come into the knowledge of God is through what God has done. The religion of human achievement says that your relationship to God depends, to one degree or another, on what you do. The religion of divine accomplishment says that your relationship to God depends solely and only on what He has done for you.
So what you have then is Christianity as divine accomplishment, and every other religious system in the world fits into that other category: the religions of human achievement. It is important that we make a distinction between Christianity and the rest of world religions. But I don’t think that simply saying Christianity is not a religion makes that distinction very clear. From a dictionary standpoint we would be a religion. But from the standpoint of all other religions, by which people judge and ascertain religions, we wouldn’t be, we would be a relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ.
So, if you’re going to make a distinction, make a distinction in the fact that all religious system in the world have people achieving salvation by something they do or contribute, except Christianity, which says can contribute nothing; you are hopelessly sinful; you cannot save yourself; you must throw yourself on the mercy of God and receive the gift that God provided for you in Jesus Christ.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers" by:
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