What is religion?  People use religion to try to fill the vacuum that was meant to be filled by God. So let’s look at the difference between Religion vs Christianity.  This video will explain the difference between religion and Christianity.  It shares what Christianity is about – God extending to us his grace and how we are to extend grace to others.

Pascal famously wrote, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

Human experience bears out the truth of Pascal’s statement in that within every person, no matter the age in which they live, or the culture in which they reside, every person has a vacuum that cannot be filled. We know this to be true because we watch all manner of people indulge in all kinds of activity and behavior trying to find something that will fulfil them.

If we don’t fill the vacuum in us up with God, it’ll fill up with something else.  People sometimes use religion to fill the vacuum that was meant to be filled by God.

Let’s look at the difference between religion and Christianity, law and grace and how they are related.

Religion wants to fix us from the outside inChristianity is God wanting to fix us from the inside out by allowing us to experience his divine love and forgiveness.

Religion is about following a set of rules in order for us to get God’s acceptance.  Christianity is about God accepting us when we receive, as a gift, his grace – his undeserved, unearned love and favour of God.

Christianity consists of the teachings and way of life made possible by the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit.

Religion and the Law of Moses (found in the first five books of the Bible –  given by God to Moses) are similar in that they both seek to gain merit by observing a set of morals.  Christianity and God’s grace are inseparable as we’ll discover in the following Bible verses.  Great news – we are no longer under the law.  Romans 6:14 says, ”You are not under law but under grace.”

Religion is like the law in that it is a set of rules to be adhered to. Christianity shows us in the Bible  that we no longer have to perform by adhering to a set of rules to gain God’s acceptance and love.

Religion is not, but Christianity is God’s grace and truth which came though Jesus Christ

 “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:17

In the book of Romans we read, “We aren’t saved from sin’s grasp by knowing the commandments of God, because we can’t and don’t keep them, but God put into effect a different plan to save us.  He sent his own Son in a human body like ours – except that ours are sinful – and destroyed sin’s control over us by giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins.” (Romans 8:3)

Christianity is God’s grace revealed through the giving of the Holy Spirit

“He (God) makes us worthy to be the servants of his new agreement that comes from the Holy Spirit and not from a written Law. After all, the Law brings death, but the Spirit brings life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Religion is not, but Christianity is God’s grace, given as a gift to be received

In the book of Ephesians in the Bible, it says, “It is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.”  (Ephesians 2:8)

Christianity is God’s grace bringing freedom

The Bible says in the book of Romans, “God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins”.  (Romans 3:24)

It is easy for us to fall from grace and come under the law again.  Using our efforts and energy to perform in order to get God’s acceptance, instead of accepting by faith his acceptance and love.  So let us hold on to the freedom Christ has given us. “Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don’t ever become slaves of the Law again.” (Galatians 5:1)

Learn how you can be truly free by viewing this free video.