There are Only Two Religions in the World

In reality, there are only two religions in the world. One is works-based, and the other is Christ-based. You must be sure that you are on the right path.

In this Post

• Introduction
• The Two Religions
• Where Do You Belong?

Introduction

Contrary to popular beliefs, there are only two religions in the world. It would seem that there are many, but when you get close to them, the number can easily be reduced to only two. So my goal with this article is to show you those two distinct religions, how they differ from each other, and where you need to belong.

Before I get into discussing the two major religions in the world, I will like to briefly mention a small group of people, who are growing in number these days. They are those who for one reason or the other have chosen not to believe in the existence of God.

Belief or Unbelief?

We call it unbelief, but implied in unbelief is a belief in something else. Those who do not believe in God actually holds something or someone else as God in their lives. In many occasions, they have designated themselves as their own God and authority. Others simply look to science as their authority. If you think about it, that is a religion in and of itself. Because whether they admit it or not, they still believe in and serve something. It is just something less than God.

But my focus today is on those who acknowledge the existence of God and are even making efforts to get to Him, or to please Him. These are those who we consider to be religious people. And the religions that they practice can be divided into two categories:

1. The Religion of Works

Those who practice this religion acknowledge the existence of God. Some of them believe in monotheism, which is the belief in the existence of only one God. Others hold to polytheism, which is the doctrine of a plurality of gods, or the belief in the existence of many different kinds of gods.

The Approach of this Religion

The religion of works teaches that man is basically good, but with some flaws. They agree that they are not perfect, and that they make mistakes. But their approach to fixing the problem of their insufficiency is to make efforts to do good, work and try harder, and make as much sacrifices as you can.

This religion offers no hope or assurance that you will be accepted by God. All that it can offer is to admonish you to make sure that your good works outweigh your bad works, and hopefully God would accept you. The source of this set of beliefs is usually other people who are very revered by their followers and are looked up to almost as God. This could be someone who lived in recent times or centuries ago.

The people practicing the religion of works often live in fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness. They don’t really know where they stand with God. The obvious reason for this is that you can never know when you have done enough to be accepted by God. Their religion offers them no hope or assurance in that regard. The truth though is that no one can ever do or give enough to please God.

That leads me to the second religion.

2. The Religion of Grace

This religion begins and ends with God who is the Creator of all people and all things, and is sovereign over all. The religion teaches that man is evil, no one is good, no one is righteous, not even one! It teaches that all have sinned and come (fallen) short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Sin (Against God) is Our Major Problem

The problem that this religion fixes is not that of insufficient good works, but that of sin against the Holy God. God created us for the purpose of glorifying Him. Instead, we chose our own way and fell from the glory of God. Following that are the many curses now pronounced by God upon the creation, including man. Part of that curses is the death that all people now have to experience.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The religion of grace therefore offers the solution to lift the curses, and restore the lost relationship and fellowship with God. That is why it focuses more on addressing the problem of sin, which many people attempt to deny today.

The reason that we needed to be restored into fellowship with God is because we have sinned, and not just because we do not have sufficient goodness in our records. That is why our problem cannot be fixed by doing good, or more good deeds, because all your good works spring forth from the heart that has been tainted with sin. Nothing accomplished or offered by you will be accepted by God as a means to reconciliation. 

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Our Solution is Only Found in Christ

Because of the above, the solution offered by the religion of grace comes from outside of us. It comes through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He shed His blood on the cross and died to pay the full penalty of your sins. He was buried and He rose again for your justification.

The religion of grace states that if you admit who you are, that is, a sinner who cannot save himself, believe in Jesus Christ and what He did for you, you will be saved and accepted by God. This is done with no participation or contribution on the part of the one who needs a Saviour. Only believe and you will be saved by the grace of God and through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The word grace defines the whole thing, the salvation offered in this religion is not deserved. Rather, it is a gift that you absolutely cannot merit. You cannot pay or work for it, no amount of sacrifices can earn you this salvation. And the good news is that it has been offered in Christ at no cost to you. All you need to do is accept it by faith! 

The Religion of Grace Offers Assurance and Hope

One of the amazing things about the religion of grace is that it is not a hopeless religion like the others. Not only does it give you the knowledge of salvation, it also gives the assurance that you have eternal life and that you will spend eternity with God. Yes, the religion of grace provides the assurance and hope of eternal life. The message concerning Christ is written in the Bible to show us the ONLY WAY to God:

John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The Epistles also tell us that those who have believed in Jesus Christ can know that they have eternal life now, not in the future or after they have done enough good works.

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Jesus Christ also says this in the Gospel of John:

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

There you have it, the only two religions in the world, the first being the religion of works, which in reality involved all the religions of the world with the exception of true Christianity. The second being the religion of grace which involves only the true Christianity and NONE of the other religions of the world. Now, here is an important question…

Where Do You Belong?

If you are religious today, to which one of these two categories do you belong? What do you practice? Are you trusting in your own good works and performance to earn you an acceptance with God? Or are you trusting in Christ alone to get to God? And if you’re one of those who do not believe in the existence God, you better hope that you are right about your assumptions.

If you turn out to be wrong, the consequences will not only be severe, it will be eternal! So, I suggest that you think twice before finalizing your decision, or before it becomes too late for you to repent.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

There is Only One Way to God

When it comes to our reconciliation with God, which we all need, there is not “many ways” to do it. You can achieve it only by one way, and that way is Jesus Christ. No one can get to God except through Jesus Christ. However way you look at that, it is still the truth.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

If you are reading this now and you are not saved, or you are not sure where you will go when you die, you have the opportunity to take care of that right now. You need to first admit that you have sinned against God. Stop calling yourself a good person, because when compared with the true Standard, no one is good. Believe that Jesus Christ died and paid the full penalty for yours, He was buried and He rose again for your justification.

But if you reject Jesus Christ and His completed works, all I can say is that you have been warned, and you must be ready to answer to God on the last day.

Thank you for reading!