The difference between Christianity and Religion:

Christianity is unique in the fact that it is the ONLY faith which is not a religion- as a 'religion'- by definition means "to be bound" by rules and regulations and rituals in order that one MAY attain salvation. (whatever their definition of salvation may be) This is in stark contrast the teachings of THE most anti-religious person there ever lived- Jesus the Christ. Jesus taught that the truth would SET YOU FREE and that it would be faith ALONE in His sacrificial death and resurrection for our sins which would save us and NOT our good deeds. (Religion)

"For it is by God's grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's GIFT, so that noone can boast about it." (Ephesians 2: 8-9) This means that (although good in themselves and recommended) it is NOT by attending 'church', being baptised** or even believing in God! (Satan is not an atheist himself!)

To put it plainly: We are saved by faith and DEMONSTRATED by good works- but it isn't the works themselves that actually saves us.
"His choice is based on His grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice was based on what people do, then His grace would not be real grace." (Romans 11:6)

You see, religion is humanity trying to reach God by their own efforts..whilst Christianity is God paying the price Himself- in essence- reaching down to us..it is a RELATIONSHIP with our creator. Still not convinced? Has religion still got a strangle-hold on you?..then consider Isaiah 64:6 :
"ALL of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our rightous acts are like filthy rags."

Did you note that it isn't just our sins that are filthy to God..but even our RIGHTOUSNESS? You see, Gods standard is HIMSELF, who is THE epitome of Holiness and purity.

"God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1John 1:5) So to a pure a Holy and perfect God, ANY sin/darkness would naturally be alien and repugnant to Him..so humanly speaking it IS impossible for us to be saved..THAT is why God demonstrated His love for us by coming down in human form as the Lord Jesus Christ.

The 10 commandments and other laws were designed to show us that we are sinners..there is NO way any human could keep all of them-

For example: How many things do you have to steal (regardless of value) in order to be a thief?
-Just one.
How many lies do you have to tell (no matter how "big" it is) to be a liar?
- Just one.
So how many sins does it take for us to be a sinner?
-Just one.

That was just two of the ten commandments..and every one of us has broken them all!
"For whoever shall keep the whole law and stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

Therefore, if you are trying to live by the law you shall die by it- for it is humanly impossible to keep.

Since every single person is a sinner, that is, we have all rebelled against God's wishes, so..every single person is doomed to an eternity in hell- separated from light and love- forever.
It doesn't have to be this way though- God loves us so much that He supplied a solution.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

Jesus- being God AND man was the ONLY one who could be perfect and keep the commandments- and since He did- He satisfied The Law and then on the cross He bore the punishment of our sins- ALL OF THEM -past, present and future. and then rose again to show that He had conquored death for us and as a promise to all those who trust in His sacrifice for our sins- that they too will rise from the dead and into eternity with God. This is the gospel.

**Note on baptism- Baptism is important, but it does not save us- it was the shed blood of Christ which accomplished this. Baptism is the New Testament signification of God's New Covenant (Testament) with Man as circumscision was to the Old Covenant (Testament) representing our spiritual death, burial and resurrection in Christ.


Bible translation errors and contradictions?
This is an understandable assumption..and if the Bible were just a normal collection of books written by humans it would not be a surprise,however, God promised that He would preserve His Word and that is exactly what He has done!
For it has been long established with the findings of the dead sea scrolls and other ancient corroborative manuscripts that the Bible (quite miraculously) has been transmitted through history with an astounding 99.98% accuracy rate, WITH NO ESSENTIAL TENETS IN DOUBT!!
In fact, there have been found over 5000 partial and complete manuscripts of the Bible..some dating to the 1st century no less (thusly destroying the myth that the New Testament was written 120-500 years after Christs death!)
This is an embarrasingly high number of manuscripts in comparison to any other ancient document- some of which are incomplete and number only in the dozens to the hundreds.
As for contradictions- there are none. The fact that the Bible, although penned by 44 writers over 1800 years on 3 continents from Kings to peasants who never knew each other and have absolutely no conflict in ANY subject is a miracle in itself- try getting just 5 people TODAY agreeing completely about any given subject.
..indeed, the main reason that many say that there are contradictions is that they either have not read the Bible for themselves and attack because they do not WANT to believe- repeating the same errors that they heard from someone else who never read the Bible either and so on...or they simply do not understand.
The challenge to all skeptics is to point out just ONE "contradiction" that cannot be satisfactorily explained.

Relativism a.k.a. being Politically Correct.
It is possible to be TOO open minded!
The idea that all faiths are valid and lead to 'God' is utter nonsense and easily refuted...(ironically though, these same people who claim to be 'open minded' are usually the most closed when it comes to accepting absolute truths.)
If one believes that 'truth is relative' then to them it is a truth- and in being so, would have to be relative. Therefore, in being relative, it can't always be true that 'truth is relative.'
So, if some truths are not relative then they must be ABSOLUTE.(see how absurd this is?)
Therefore the mind-set "truth is relative" is false because it is self-contradictory. Q.E.D.
This applies to moral relativism also:
1. If morality is relative to culture, then there is no independant basis for criticizing action.
2. If there is no independant basis for criticizing action, then we must be tolerant.
3. Morality is in fact relative to culture.
4. Therefore, we must be tolerant.
5. To say that we must be tolerant is a moral stipulation.
6. Therefore, #3 cannot be true.

So logically, if truth and morals can only be absolute, then there are no real grey areas in life (except for the lukewarm undecided people who do not wish to offend anyone by their choices. See Revelation 3: 15-22) so there IS only good or bad- right and wrong- truth or lie...
Jesus Christ said in John 14:6; "I am the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE, NO man comes to the Father but through ME.*" As truth cannot be relative, Jesus was either lying, or He was telling the truth- that decision is YOURS to make- but make it on the evidence, and not on what your friends and associates think..Perhaps you feel God calling to you now as you read this so please do not ignore Him- for your own sake make the decision while you are able...
10 out of 10 people die- noone but God knows WHEN..so forever is a long time to be wrong.
*[Therefore also beware of any organisation which make the claim of being "the truth" or the "one true church"- these kind of monopolistic statements make Christ a liar or at the very least incapable to save any INDIVIDUALS who come to Him for their salvation!]
"When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else--something it never entered your head to conceive -- comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it."
-C.S. Lewis 'Mere Christianity'

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To be saved..you need to make a genuine confession to God Himself..no priests or any other 'holy men' are needed. You must confess that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself and that you believe that Jesus did in fact die for your sins then came to life again..then ask Jesus into your heart to change you into the sort of person God wants you to be.
You need to be TRULY repentant, that is, genuinely willing to turn completely away from the life you used to live and allow yourself to be led by Jesus instead.
If you have done this, you are what the Bible describes as being "born-again" (John 3:3) you ARE saved.
You MAY not feel any different..but that doesn't matter- you have Gods promise now that you are saved.
You will still stumble on your path but God says "If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrightousness."
You are now a child of God! So do not forget who you are now..and act like one..Read the Bible as often and as thoughtfully as you can- if you cannot understand something ask the Holy Spirit (whom now dwells in you) to reveal it.
It is recommended that you are baptised and attend a Bible believing church for fellowship and learning..but always compare what is being said with what the Bible says- for when it comes down to it- it is the Bible which is the final authority.
Don't forget to talk to God..use your own words as though you are talking to a friend sitting right next to you- because you are.

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