_The Passion of the
Out of context: Reply #98
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- froww0
When I was searching... I studied several of the prominent religions of the world. I concluded that folling Jesus is not "religion" - It is a relationship. What I found in the man-made world religions was a central theme - we do it. We achieve favor with God (or gods) through our behavior and performance. This certainly appeals to our human nature which desires to have a hand in the matter of our salvation. In contrast, however, true Christianity teaches that we have NOTHING to do with it. That we are bankrupt in our sin nature. That nothing we can do will find us favor with a Holy and perfect God. Therefore, God, taking upon human likeness, lived a perfect life in exchange for our imperfect lives and took the punishment that our sin earns us. So, by faith (not performance) we look to what Christ has done and the forgiveness is appropriated to us. The Bible says we become "clothed in His righteousness".
Humans could not have conjured up this plan of redemption. This is in stark contrast to the man-made religions based on "do this, do that, do these sacraments, do these 12 pillars, etc...."