Come, follow me,” Jesus said. Matt 4:19
“How does your religion get you to heaven?” It wasn’t the question that stunned me, it was the response. “Actually, my religion doesn’t get you to heaven.” What? The host presiding over the inter-faith dialogues asked him to explain. “Sure, I’ve just never seen a religion save anyone. All religions are great at laying out some basic rules – dos and don’ts – that are good for our lives, but they don’t really provide hope or any kind of eternal security. It seems religions end up causing more trouble than solving any.” Wait – I thought this dude was a Christian! What was he saying?! “So then, how do you get to heaven?” the host asked him confused. “Well, it’s Jesus. He didn’t start a new religion; he came to provide us a model for life and a way to God. Believing in him and following him is the way. He takes us to heaven, not a religion.”
The word “religion” comes from a word that means “to tie up, to bind,” in the sense of obligation. Many people don’t want to become a Christian because they think Christianity is a religion. They are not looking to become burdened or tied up under a bunch of rules – they want to be free. But being part of the Christian religion and following Jesus are not one in the same.
Religion lays heavy burdens on the backs of men, under which they struggle. To the religious leaders of His day Jesus said, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them” (Luke 11:45-47). Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion and lay more heavy burdens on the backs of men; he came to show us a new way entirely – believing in and following Him.
