It is estimated that there are around 10,000 religions in the world, but the truth is they break down into just two categories. The first category of religion is comprised of those who demand performance (on the adherent’s part). Salvation for them is a matter of doing one’s best or obeying a set of rules. For example … ‘Don’t eat this and don’t eat that.’ ‘Pray at this time.’ ’Take part in this ceremony or that sacrament’. ’Perform this or that good work’. This is the religion of ‘DO.’ It is by far the more popular of the two.
The other category of religion is really a non-religion and is summarized by the word DONE. Membership comes about by being given the gift of eternal life by God. Since it is a gift, it cannot be earned or deserved.
As we have said many times, “Without Christ, we can do nothing” (John 15:5). That’s true, but the flip side is also accurate … with Christ, there’s nothing we need to do! Jesus has done and paid all to redeem us. It is Finished!
I don’t know who said this but when they wrote of the two religions they spoke the truth, “One religion is of Cain, the other of Abel. One is of Ishmael, the other of Isaac. One is of Esau, the other of Jacob. One is of Law, the other of Promise. One is of Mount Sinai, the other of Mount Calvary. One condemns, the other finds no fault. One leads to bondage, the other to freedom. One of weakness, the other of power. One of merit, the other of mercy. One of works, the other of grace.” One is by trying, the other is by trusting. Yes indeed, there really are only two types of religion, one is the religion of ‘Do’ the other is the religion of ‘Done.’
我不知道谁说的这点,但他们写到两种宗教时,他们说到了真理,
一种宗教是关于该隐,另一种是亚伯。
一种是以实玛利,另一种是以撒。
一种是以扫,另一种是雅各。
一种是律法,另一种是应许。
一种是西奈山,另一种是加略山。
一种是顶嘴,另一种是视为无罪。
一种带来的是束缚,另一种是自由。
一种是软弱,另一种是力量。
一种是美德,另一种是恩惠。
一种是做工,另一种是恩典。
一种是不断尝试,另一种是只要信靠。
确实,实际上只有两种宗教,一种是“做”,另一种是“已做成。”
DO or DONE? Where do you stand? We either believe that we must DO something to gain heaven or else we rest in the fact that Jesus Christ has DONE it all. He has gained our entire acceptance through His doing, dying and rising again.
The late Scott Richardson said, “The voice from the cross did not summon men to do, but to be satisfied with what was done: “It is finished.” The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect thing which has ever been presented to God on man’s behalf. “It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein” (Leviticus 22:21).
There’s not a single thing the unbeliever can do to please God for they that are in the flesh cannot please God (see Romans 8:8). All the unbeliever’s trying to get right with and impress God is useless. We are not called to try something, we are called to trust.
Christ ascended into heaven because His work of atonement was finished. It was not partially done; it was and is finished. Of course, He sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat but that was not to achieve redemption. Redemption had already been obtained. This is made clear when we read in the Scriptures, “But by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).