Religion is man's attempt to earn God's favor, while Christianity is God reaching down to unworthy, sinful man.
Les Feldick defines religion as humanity's effort to merit favor with God, whether through Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other system. Christianity, by contrast, is not a religion at all: it is God's reaching down to lost sinners through what Christ has already done. He points to Paul's former Jewish religion, which made Paul a hater of the Messiah, as an example of religion in a bad light.
Galatians 1:13-14 — Paul calls his former life 'the Jews' religion' and links it to persecution and human tradition.
Genesis 3:7 — Adam and Eve's sewing of fig leaves pictures man's first religious effort to cover his own sin.
Romans 2:16 — God's judgment is based on the gospel of Jesus Christ, not on religious performance.
In Galatians 1:13-14, Paul describes his former life in 'the Jews' religion': 'For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.' Here religion is what Paul practiced before knowing Christ; it was not a relationship with God. Genesis 3:7 records the first act of religious self-effort: 'And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.' Romans 2:16 points to the coming day when 'God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.'
Les Feldick is emphatic that Christianity is not a religion. He says he detests the word 'religious' and hopes no one ever calls him religious, because Paul used 'religion' in a bad light. He defines religion as man's attempt to somehow reach and merit favor with God — whether it is Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other faith. Christianity, says Les, is just the opposite: God reaching down to unworthy, sinful man. All the world's religions try to earn God's favor and never can, while Christianity rests on what God has done for man through Christ. He also notes that the Bible never speaks of religion in a good way, and that religious people can be vicious — ready to kill — pointing to the Judaizers and to wars fought in the name of religion.
Religion is man's attempt to reach and merit favor with God. Les says the Bible never speaks of religion in a good way; it is usually used in a bad sense. He applies this to Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and any religion — even a morally upright Muslim who prays and reads the Koran will not make it because all religions fall short of God's holiness. Adam and Eve's fig leaves were an act of religion: they thought if we cover our nakedness, God will accept us.
True Christianity, a real salvation experience, is exactly the opposite of religion. It is God reaching down to unworthy, sinful man. Religion attempts to merit favor with God; Christianity recognizes what God has done for man. It rests on the fact that Christ has already settled the believer's account, and God will judge based on that gospel. Les says Christ died for the sins of religious people as well as everyone else.
Les says Paul used the word 'religion' in a bad light because Paul's Jewish religion made him a hater of the Messiah. Paul was steeped in Judaism and profited in it above his peers, but that religion was more about traditions and man-made rules than a relationship with God. Les adds that no one is so vicious or ready to kill as a religious person; the Judaizers were ready to kill those who said Jesus was the Messiah.
Les says Christianity has gotten to the place where most people cannot tell the difference between a Christian and an unbeliever by looking at behavior and lifestyle. That is not what God intended; believers are to be different — not oddballs with long faces, but joyful people who have reason to be joyful.
Christ's Death for Religious People
Les explains that Christ died for the sins of religious people too, and God's judgment is based on that gospel — not on religious performance.
Paul's Religion Made Him a Hater of Christ
Les says Christianity is not a religion and Paul used the word in a bad light, since his Jewish religion made him a hater of the Messiah.
Religion as Rules and Traditions
Les shows how Paul's Judaism had become hundreds of rules and traditions — nothing more than religion.
Religion Is Man Attempting to Merit Favor
Les defines religion as man's attempt to reach and merit God's favor, using Adam and Eve's fig leaves as the first example.
Religion Produces Viciousness and Wars
Les says no one is more vicious or ready to kill than a religious person, and points to wars fought in the name of religion.
Christianity Is God Reaching Down
Les contrasts religion with true Christianity: God reaching down to unworthy, sinful man, which is what God has done for us.
Religion Never Used in a Good Way in Scripture
Les says the Bible never speaks of religion in a good way, and even a morally good Muslim who practices his religion will not make it.
Christians Called to Be Different
Les says most people can't tell a Christian from an unbeliever, but God intended believers to be different and joyful.
Galatians 1:13-14: For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Paul calls his former Judaism a religion and links it to persecution and human tradition.
Genesis 3:7: And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Adam and Eve's fig-leaf covering pictures man's first religious effort to fix his sin.
Romans 2:16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
God's coming judgment is connected to the gospel that Christ died for sins.
No, according to Les Feldick. He says Christianity is not a religion and that he detests the word 'religious,' because religion is man trying to earn God's favor, while Christianity is God reaching down to man.
Paul used the word in a bad light because his Jewish religion made him a hater of the Messiah. It was all ceremony, rules, and traditions; he knew nothing of a relationship with God at that time.
Les says no one makes it on religion. All religions attempt to merit favor with God and fall short; even a morally good person who follows another religion will not make it. Salvation comes through believing what Christ has done.
Watch the Teaching: Why Even "Good People" Can't Escape God's Judgment — Romans 2