Pastor Paweł Chojecki, New Covenant Church in Lublin, Poland
Translation: Paweł Machała
“RELIGION IS THE OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE” IS THE IDEOLOGICAL SLOGAN COINED, NOT WITHOUT REASON, BY COMRADE MARX.
Indeed, religion, understood as a way of reconciliation with God invented by people, or rather an attempt at “bribing” Him by certain works, rituals and sacrifices cannot, in any possible way, help a person in life, either present or future.
Hebrews 10:1-4
For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Colossians 2:20-23
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)–in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Philippians 3:4-8
although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, Ifar more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ
Acts 17: 22-29
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ‘ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.
Religion serves only as a short-term means to salve one’s conscience Hebrews 10:2
Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
as well as to control and exploit people.
2 Peter 2:3
and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
2 Corinthians 11:19-20
For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.
1 Timothy 6:5
and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
Two thousand years ago God revealed his plan of salvation to the world.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
It was a revolution! A complete turnaround from our common way of thinking. It is not that man has to do something in order to be accepted by King of nations. God Himself made sacrifice of His beloved Son so that every person on earth, in case they want, could take advantage of this free offer, which is forgiveness of sins, and have eternal life!
Biblical Christianity is therefore not a religion in the commonly accepted sense of the word. It is a human response to God’s invitation. What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that the new relationship with God through Jesus is:
INSEPARABLE,
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
Hebrews 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will i ever forsake you”
Hebrews 1:12-13
and like a mantle you will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed but you are (ad)the same, and your years will not come to an end”. But to which of the angels has He ever said,”Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
John 10:28-29
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Isaiah 49:15
Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
Romans 6:6-11
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so
that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
ETERNAL,
1 John 5, 11-13
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
and COMPLETELY UNCONDITIONAL.
Revelation 22, 17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come “. And let the one who hears say, “Come “. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
The incredible God, though expects from us love and obedience after receiving His gift of free salvation, has not made them conditions or means to make it into Heaven. This news made Apostle Paul (who in the past worked really hard to earn his salvation) so excited that he cried out:
Philippians 3:7-9
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.
Today, understanding the essence of God’s grace exerts the same effect on everyone who seeks truth and redemption from sin as it did on Apostle Paul two thousand years ago.
Therefore, while discussing people’s views on God, we differentiate between RELIGIONS and CHRISTIANITY. For us it is qualitative difference.
WE REGARD ECUMENISM AS THE END TIMES EVIL WHICH AIMS AT CREATING ONE WORLD RELIGION UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF THE VATICAN. THIS APOSTATE CREATURE WILL OPENLY SCORN BOTH TRUTH AND LOVE FOR GOD AND PEOPLE.
