ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE?
Are you absolutely sure that your religion is sufficient for your need? Is your religion meeting the needs of this life? Will it meet the needs of the life to come? "But," you say, "I'm satisfied with my religion and I sincerely practice it." Again, you might be of the opinion, as so many are, that it makes no difference what religion you have as long as you have one. I want to remind you, on the authority of God's Word and with great emphasis, that it does make a difference what you believe. It is tremendously important what type of religion you have. Therefore, make ABSOLUTELY sure that yours is meeting your needs.
The religion of the Bible is a person. Jesus Christ is the center and circumference, the beginning, and ending, the Alpha and Omega, the all in all. He occupied the central position in the lives of His early followers. Their thoughts were continually about Him, their activities were in relationship to Him; their love was directed toward Him; their work, ambitions, desires, longings were with Him in view.
Now let us take a look at your religion. What is the center and circumference of it? If it is anything less than that of the early Church in the time of the Disciples, then it is false. Possibly your religion centers about the church; maybe one or all of the ordinances proves to be the center. Perhaps it is your charitable works. Your religion may even be centered in your pastor, priest or rabbi. As good as these things may be, they are absolutely insufficient for your needs, either in this life or in the life to come. If the center of your religion is anything less that Jesus Christ--whether it be the church, creed, custom, or clergy--it is inadequate.
Make absolutely sure, therefore, that your love, devotion, ambitions, desires--yes, your very life, has Christ at the center. If He rules and reigns in your heart there will be nothing in this life that can defeat you, and concerning the future you will be able to confidently say with Paul, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).
You can KNOW, you can be SURE of your eternal destiny if Christ is your religion. The Apostle John assures you of this when he says:
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:11-13.
-- Arthur E. Gordon
