Dear Editor,
What I am going to write today may surprise many. But do not miss where it leads.
Christianity, by way of all its divisions and denominations, does not save souls.
Christianity, as a religion to follow, will get you no closer to God the Father than Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism or any of the New Age philosophies of our day.
If a person were to follow all of the many doctrines of the Christian Faith they would not be right with God.
Christianity, as a religion, is something to do and another path to follow but it will leave you short of Gods glorious standard.
Even if a person could perfect all the rituals, ceremonies and sacraments, they could not stand right before God.
To get a person to put their faith and trust in the religion of Christianity is a trick of the devil to steal a persons soul, all the while, deceiving them to believe they’re right because of their devotion.
Christianity does not make anyone right with a Holy God no matter how good you have been told you are at it.
Now that I have your attention I must tell you that only the person of Jesus Christ saves souls.
Jesus was not a religious leader that we must follow or imitate, and if we do it well enough, we’ll get to go to heaven when we die.
Jesus was and is God in the flesh. He came to save the world from all of its self-building religion as well as other sins.
Jesus is the way, the truth, the life and no one can get to the Father except through Him.
This statement has nothing to do with getting to God through a religion we have named Christianity. Man-made Christianity, no matter how right it may seem to the adherent, is not what makes people right with God.
See, only a person who has been born again, imparted with Gods Holy Spirit, justified right with God by the work of Christ at the cross can be right with God.
The new birth and receiving of the Holy Spirit does not come from a human attempt at following the religion of Christianity. You can only receive your right standing and the gift of the Holy Spirit by coming to the person of Jesus Christ alone.
Christianity is divided into many denominations and doctrinal systems. Jesus Christ is not divided. He does the dividing. He separates those who believe and trust in Him alone from all those who find their righteousness following a religious way.
If you want to find the true peace and assurance you are seeking, you must come to the person of Jesus Christ alone. You must die to the old way and rebuild upon the solid foundation of Christ not on the shifting sand of the many ways of Christianity.
I pray this message will unify the true people of God!
Pastor Thomas R. Swain
First Church of God
Great Bend