The Religion of Self Effort

“And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4)

Around 2242 B. C. the Tower of Babel was built. It was man's monument to himself: a testament of man's ingenuity, strength, wisdom—and arrogance.

The religion of self effort.

But in the Genesis account we see that God had other plans for man.

“But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city." (Genesis 11:5-8)

If you examine most of the world's religions, belief systems and philosophies, they all have one thing in common—man's efforts to elevate himself.

Attain nirvana. Do good deeds to undo his karma. Climb his way to heaven through works. Make himself righteous. Bring out his own inner godliness. Atone for his own sinfulness.

Some of the cults in the world today even claim to believe in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. They may even use His name on their churches or statements of faith. But almost all include additional requirements to suffer and/or do good deeds, or some kind of penance to get ones own soul, or that of another person, out of some kind of purgatorial holding place.

Or they falsely claim "what Jesus did on the Cross was not enough—it's only after all we can do that we are saved."

Or other religions claim they cannot know their god personally, certainly not as a loving Father. And that they have no certainty of going to heaven, but can only hope that by doing enough "righteous" acts, (or murderous acts that their religion sees as righteous martyrdom) that they can possibly enter heaven with honor. But none of these can ever be 100% sure.

So exactly what then is different about biblical Christianity?

Plenty.

For starters, it's the only religion where all the good works of man are of absolutely no value in getting you to Heaven. Period. You cannot earn God's favor. You cannot undo your so-called "karma." You cannot attain your own righteous standing before God. You cannot ever be good enough to please God. You cannot do enough good deeds to undo your sins before God. 

The Bible says: 

"There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:10)

“The law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

The Bible could not be clearer. None are righteous, not one. The whole world is guilty before God. All have sinned and fall short before God.

Biblical Christianity is also completely different from all other world religions because of one revolutionary and utterly amazing thing—Grace!

Grace is getting what we do not deserve. It's the free gift of God's unmerited favor.

When you choose to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—His death, burial and resurrection for the purpose of forgiving you, paying the penalty for your sins against God, and saving you from the filth, consequences and corruption of your sins—you are now forever seen as 100% righteous in God's eyes. God has given you the free gift of His own righteousness, through the sacrifice of His Son; Jesus Christ. Your sinful account was wiped completely clean. Your sins have been forgiven, and forgotten, forever. Jesus' own righteousness has been put on your account. Your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The seal of the Holy Spirit has been placed on you by God as your absolute assurance of eternal salvation in Christ. God has placed you in His own family as His own daughter or son. Everything Jesus has is yours. And you will live forever and ever with God, face-to-face, never to be separated from Him for all eternity. And in Heaven, there will be no sadness, no sorrow, no sickness, no pain, no death, or suffering.

You can't earn God's grace. You can't do enough good things to get salvation. And you can't do enough good things to keep it. 

Some highly religious people asked Jesus:

“What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them, 

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)

Paul the Apostle wrote:

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

The whole world is guilty before God. But salvation by Grace is freely available to the whole world if they will believe in Jesus whom God has sent.

Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus is the Truth—the door, the life, the way to the free gift of eternal salvation—the Grace of God.

Will you believe in and receive Him?

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.