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Religion vs. The Gospel
Religion, not the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, has always been popular. Why is that? Religion leaves mankind's pride intact, whereas the Creator abhors human pride. He says:
I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:13b).
God's aversion to human pride together with his unbounding love are two of several main ingredients of the biblical Gospel.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate (Isaiah 29:14).
The true Gospel is not an appealing message in the ears of the world -- it is an offense.
For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world (1 John 1:16).
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Christians are often tempted to follow the lead of religionists in exalting the "pride of life", but there is no life there. And soon or later, the child of God knows it.
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