Two Religions

One man tells of having this question posed to him time and again: “Now can you say that you have ‘the truth’? There are hundreds of religions in the country, and all of them think that theirs is the only right one. How can I possibly know which of them is the right one?”

The man would answer: “Hundreds of religions, you say? Why that’s strange! I’ve heard of only two!” His listeners would retort, “Oh, but you must know that there are many more than that!” to which he would reply, “Not at all. I will admit that within these two different religions, there are many different sects and differences of opinion. But there are, after all, only two.

“The one religion consists of all those different faiths that believe that they can earn their own salvation by doing good deeds, by being ‘righteous’ and by keeping different kinds of religious laws and commandments. This, as you must realise, comprises most of the faiths of the world. The other religion consists of those who know that they are incapable of saving themselves, and look to the Lord alone to save them!

“So you see, the whole question is really very simple! Do you think you can save yourself, or somehow earn your salvation by being ‘good’?—or do you realise that you need a saviour to rescue you from your sins and mistakes?”

“For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9)

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” (Titus 3:5)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Gal. 2:6)