How good is your religion to you?                                                                                                                                     Samson Masih

One Saturday after our radio program, I got a call from a listener, a very nice lady from Indo-Pak Subcontinent residing now in Dallas Texas . After appreciating the program, she told me that she agrees on almost everything that we say accept our concept of Triune God. She then went on to share her religious beliefs and very zealously did a detailed comparative analysis of her religion with mine and tried to prove how good her religion is. Even though it was a long call(about 60 minutes), I enjoyed her reasoning and enthusiasm, and continued to listen to her patiently. At the end of the call she asked me to accept her religion because it is so good. Throughout the conversation I knew exactly what I am going to ask her, and so as soon as she made that invitation, I asked her a question, which followed by a short question answer session between us, which I am listing below recalling it to the best of my abilities.

Me       : Thanks for your time and kind words about our radio program, can I ask you a question?                                          Lady    : Yes.                                                                                                                                                                         Me       : Are you a sinner?                                                                                                                                                     Lady    : After a little pause, It is a difficult question.                                                                                                                Me       : But it is an important one.                                                                                                                                         Lady    : Yes it is.(after a pause). Yes I am.                                                                                                                            Me       : If  you die today and stand in front of God, how do you know that he will not send you to hell based upon your confession                 that you are a sinner, because he is a God who does Justice.?                                                                                          Lady    : (pause)…..I don’t know.                                                                                                                                             Me       : In that case what good is your wonderful religion that cannot even assure you where you will end up at. And why I should               join you when you yourself don’t  know where you are heading?

After that this lady said that she needs more time to think about it. I have not talked to her since then.

Why did I ask this lady the question that if she is a sinner? because this is the most important question a person need to ask him/herself, becasue its answer determines how you live a life here on earth and most importantly where you are going to spend your eternity. And we see that our religion does not help us with this question. In spite of there "good" religion I have not seen a person who can say for sure if his/her religion can assure him/her that they will be safe and sescure after they die. What good is our religion then? it is good may be to give you an identity, it is good to tell you what and how to do certain things or rituals, and what not to do, but beyond that our religionn is helpless. Why the religion is helpless? because religion is not meant to take you to heaven. Religion is supposed to tell you what is right and wrong but cannot force you to do what is right. This is the reason that people are afraid and scared of what may happen to them after they die. I have seen people praying, feeding poor, to reward their loved ones who are dead, may be you have done that as well and may be if you die today your loved ones will do this for you. This state of humans is a very sorry state to be in. living a life and dying without hope of your future.

Bible tells us that God knows your situation and wants to save you from the punishment of your sins. But he does it not by sending you another religion but by paying the price of your sins himself. He does that because he loves you. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ he has arranged for a ransom for our sins, so that we can be forgiven and stay with him always without the fear of eternal punishmemnt.

What should you do ?

1. Acknowledge that you are a sinner .                                                                                                                                           2. Believe that Jesus Christ has died for you as a ransom for your sins.                                                                                            3. Ask God to forgive your sins in the name of Jesus.

Please note again that in spite of your "good" religion you are not good and you know that. God is not going to ask you how good is your religion, he is going to ask you if you are good or not. Today is the time to acknowledge your sins and ask God for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Remember you need to accept the price paid by Jesus to get your sins forgiven. Without the price God is not able to forgive your sins, since he is also a God of Justice or in other words a JUST God.

I personally request you to not delay and accept Jesus Christ today. Tomorrow may never come.

Please contact at the email address given below if you have any questions.

feedback@jtsam.org