"Religion" is not Christianity, it is anything that is worshiped or adored. "Religious" people will be in hell if they have not trusted in Christ.
Born-again believers do not "do" things or "say" things to appease a god or earn their way to heaven. When someone becomes born again they express their deep sorrow over their sinful nature and desire to be change by Christ into a new creation. It has nothing to do with gaining heaven by anything WE do, it is all a work of Christ.
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
When we know we are not able to save ourselves and that we don't deserve His mercy even though He offers it, we become very humble and yet bold because of our excitement about Who Christ is and what He did for us in paying our debt.
In religion no one dies for someone else, no one gives his all on our behalf. Christ is not about religion He is about total and complete sacrifice for the sake of those He created. He gives us what we don't deserve.
Religion says you must deserve it before you can have heaven. Christ says He already paid the penalty for us all we have to do is confess our sinfulness and desire to be changed by Him.
Religion is a set of rules set down by priestly hierarchy, it is not a relationship with Jesus Christ but rather a dependence on being good enough and involving rituals to appease whatever god someone chooses. The rituals are always devised by man without any godly authority.
In our day now there is more religion centered around people, rituals and even self-exaltation than there is authentic Christianity.
There is also much anger from those who want only to think well of themselves and others, setting aside the principles of God to feel superior about themselves and about others who they wish to impress, those they believe measure up to their own greatness are treated special, even above God.
Ephesians 2:9-10 "…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
God saves us when we confess our sinfulness to Him and desire to be changed by Him, then He sends the Holy Spirit to live in us, seals us with His Spirit, walks through life with us and when it is His timing He takes us home.
See that!!!! Its all His Work, all we have to do is want Him.
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