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LAINLY & simply put, religion is a system of worship. Satan has contrived many useless systems of worship. But that doesn't negate the one true system that was designed by God Himself. The story of redemption (as narrated in Scripture) is a grand presentation of the gospel of God's grace. It is the story of God restoring His relationship to His fallen creation. It is a presentation of the true doctrine of the one & only true & acceptable religion in all of history. Our religion, though it has worn various names throughout the millennia, has always centered on the complete sufficiency of sincere repentance & genuine faith in our Creator. Even in the days of Adam, Eve, Abel & Seth, it is apparent that faith in God and "calling upon His name" was the central tenant of true spiritual worship (Genesis 4:4, 26 & Hebrews 11:4). And, while every follower of God has obtained forgiveness & righteousness by faith (not by works), true faith has always produced a moral effect. Whether we examine the religious perspective of the aforementioned Abel, or of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jonah, the Assyrians in Nineveh (Jonah 3:5), or of Peter, Paul and John – in every case there was an acceptance of God's authority & goodness (James 1:17-18). In every case there was repentance & faith that produced some kind of spiritual fruit (Hebrews 11). Religion that doesn't affect real change is hollow and false.
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