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Are You Saved?

If you were to gather all the religions in the world, how many do you suppose there are? Can you count them? The answer might actually surprise you.

There are really only two religions in the entire world. Even though there are many different practices, sects, opinions and names of religions, there are two basic religions. These two religions represent two different gates (wide and narrow) as to how we can get to heaven and gain acceptance with God. These two religions contradict one another so they both can’t be right. Since God is not a God of contradiction and confusion, these two religions cannot be from the same source (God). One is right, the other is wrong.

The First religion:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

The first religion encompasses all the religions of the world. Most will go in by this wide gate. This religion is based upon man’s righteousness. The idea that if I am good enough, then God will accept me into heaven.

For example: The Hindu must make sacrifices, recite prayers, and live a pure life. The Hare Krishna believes he will save himself through the virtue of saying ‘Hare Krishna’ a certain number of times each day, along with other practices. The Buddhist follows the eight-fold path to Nirvana including quiet prayer and giving money as well as other works. The Muslim must keep the five pillars of Islam.

Every religion on earth including Mormonism, Jehovah’s witnesses and others try to reach God by their own merits. They climb the ladder of self righteousness one step at a time in an attempt to reach God hoping that somehow they can convince God to accept them by doing things just right or by showing sincerity and good intentions. After all, they say, God knows we are not perfect. So you have the finite (man) trying to reach the infinite (God).


Problems with this religion:

  • How good do I have to be? What is the measuring stick? Where is the cutoff point that determines entry to heaven?
  • How do I judge how much salvation each good work buys me?
  • If I am hoping to be saved by my good works, then I could lose my salvation by not keeping up the good works.
  • Trusting my good works leads to fear of missing heaven.
  • No amount of good works assures me of salvation.
  • Since my future (eternal life) is not secure, how can I focus and enjoy my present life.

The Second religion:

The second religion is not a religion but a personal relationship with God. It’s Biblical Christianity. Unlike the wide gate in the first religion, this gate which leads to eternal life is narrow because it is the only way and only “few who find it” (Matt 7:13-14).

Jesus Christ is the only One Way to Heaven


Jesus (not good merits) is the door to eternal life. There is no other way (Acts 4:12) because good works do not pay for sins. You do not come into this world good and then get a sinful nature upon your first willful sin that you commit. Rather, you come into the world with a sinful nature. The Bible teaches that our good works (righteousness) compared to God are like 'filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6).

There is no other way because Jesus alone is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the only one who can pay our sin penalty (Romans 6:23). Jesus said the narrow gate is “difficult” (Matt 7:14) because of man’s pride, love of sin, and the opposition of Satan and the world he controls, all of which battle against us in the pursuit of eternity. Jesus said:

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24)

Benefits of being a Christian

  • In Christianity, the infinite (God) reaches down to the finite (man).
  • Christianity does not say ‘DO this’ and ‘DO that’ and you MIGHT be saved. Christianity says ‘DONE’, ‘IT IS FINISHED’, Christ did it ALL. Salvation is predicated upon what Christ did and not upon what I can do.
  • As a Christian, I do KNOW that I’m saved (1 John 5:13). I can be 100% sure of going to heaven because Christ is 100% responsible for saving me.
  • My future (eternal life) is secure; I can now focus and enjoy my present life serving Christ.
  • I know that I will meet my saved loved ones in heaven.
  • As a Christian I am saved by grace through faith alone in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:8-9). I now do good works (Eph 2:10) because I am saved. I don’t do good works in order to get saved. Good works are as a result of salvation and not a requirement for salvation. Good works are the fruit of salvation. I do good works in response to God’s loving grace (dying on the cross for me).
  • I can now rest in God’s acceptance of me because of Christ.

What Must You Do

1.  Do not trust in yourself or your good works for salvation. The Bible teaches that man can do nothing to beg, borrow, steal, buy, earn or pay his way into heaven. Man, a slave to the sin nature he was born with, must look outside of himself for help. You must acknowledge and admit you have sinned against God Almighty.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

2.  Don’t just stand outside the narrow gate. Strive to enter is a command to repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ and receive Him by faith as your Lord and Savior.

        “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19a).

To be saved, you must trust in Jesus Christ with everything you have and everything you do. When you genuinely repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, God literally takes His own righteousness and puts it on you. God punished Jesus on the cross for your sins and as you place your trust in Christ, God takes Jesus’ righteousness and gives it to you. God gave Jesus your sins so He could give you His righteousness.

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21).

Jesus Christ died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. He died in your place, taking your punishment for your sins. He rose again and is a living Savior who alone can forgive and give eternal life.

“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

A suggested prayer:

Dear God. I come to You with a contrite and broken heart realizing what a wretched sinner I am. I mourn over my bankrupt spiritual condition. I have sinned against You. I am sorry. I repent of my sins and turn to You for forgiveness. I give everything up to follow you. Jesus, I thank You that You died on the cross for all my sins and then rose from the dead. I receive You now by faith as my Lord and Savior. Teach me Your ways Lord and give me Your power to serve and live for You for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name Amen.

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9).