Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.                       Hebrews 4:1

Religion is not a bad word but when we believe that religious motion will successfully get us to God, we deceive ourselves. This is the last of the three degrees of separation. Finishing our concentric circle diagram, we have three circles with Christ being in the center. Outside the outer most ring is agnosticism. Coming in one ring, we find those who fall into the “I’m a good person” philosophy. Finally, coming in one more circle, we find religion. Certainly closer to Christ than the other two groups but still coming short of the promises of God as mentioned by the writer of Hebrews. 

Completing our football analogy, on 4th and goal, the team hands the ball off to the running back. In the first scenario, the runner is tackled behind the line of scrimmage. This would represent agnosticism. In the second scenario, the runner gains a yard before being stopped well short of the goal. This would be the “I’m a good person” philosophy. Finally, we see the runner take the ball and make it all the way to within inches of the goal. He stretches out hoping to get the ball over the line but sadly he comes short. This is religion.

The difference between religion and saving faith is that the former relies on what we do in order to be made right with God while the latter depends completely on what Christ has already done for us on the cross. Salvation comes to the person who completely surrenders his/her life to Jesus, fully relying on Him for that salvation. Of course, religion takes on two different dimensions. We have non-Christian religions that claim all sorts of results but which all fall short of delivering salvation. Then we have those who are religious and claim the name of Jesus in some regard, but again, rely on religious motion as the means for being right with God. It cannot be overstated…all of these groups, agnostics, those in the “I’m a good person” philosophy, and religion by works are all equally coming short of the gospel and the salvation that comes from the promises of God. That is why the writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.” 

Paul was concerned for his fellow Jewish brethren that they were coming short of salvation. Consider his words:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:1-4

Paul, once a practicing Jew, and not just a Jew, but a Jewish Pharisee, viewed the gospel of Jesus Christ as an enemy to everything that was right and holy. Zealous to put an end to what he believed was heresy, he went around persecuting those who belonged to Christ. But the Pharisee Saul became the apostle Paul, missionary and evangelist to the very same message that he once persecuted. And what made the difference? He met the risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! And the same is true today. What is it that frees us from dead religion to a living and saving faith? Meeting the Person of Jesus Christ! 

It is not immoral behavior that keeps people out of heaven nor is it good works that get them there. The issue of heaven and hell is decided in believing. Those who place their faith in what Jesus has done for them on the cross, fully surrendering their lives to Him, are brought into the kingdom of God. But it doesn’t stop there. When we truly believe, we are reborn and become new creations in Christ. The old way of living is now gone and a brand new life begins. This is the picture of baptism. Going beneath the water symbolizes dying to ourselves and the old way of living and coming forth from the water represents the new life that we now enjoy in Christ. But perhaps the most significant change in the life of a Christian is that we now have the Holy Spirit of God living within our hearts. It is the power of God that now prompts and positions us to live differently from the rest of the world. We now no longer desire the things of the world rather we delight in the things of God. That’s why we must always question someone’s conversion if there is absolutely no change in that individual’s life. Yes, Christians will still struggle living in the flesh and temptations will come. Sometimes we will succumb to those temptations but even when we do, our attitude is one of repentance and a call to God for the power to be victorious over such situations. As Christians, we desire a relationship with Jesus more than anything else in the world. 

The gospel is not complicated, in fact, it is so simple that even a child can come to faith in Jesus. Consider the words of Christ in the following passage. Notice that there is no mention of any religious motion rather the issue of salvation and redemption is one of faith:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

    John 3:16-18

The issue of heaven and hell is decided in whether or not you and I have given our lives to Christ. If we are in Christ, we have all of the resources of heaven at our disposal. Apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead, regardless of what we might have accomplished or acquired here on earth. 

If we want to know that we have not come short of the promises of God, we need look no further than in whom we are placing our faith and trust. If we are striving to earn our way to heaven, we will come short of the promises of God. However, if we will come to the end of ourselves and surrender all of our life over to the Person of Jesus Christ, we can and will know the Savior in a real, personal, and intimate way. And the best part of all is that we will know that our eternal destiny is secure in Him!

Are you coming short of the promises of God or have you surrendered your life to Jesus? If not, why not call on Him now? He will meet you right where you are!