The True Religion

At the church I serve, we talk a lot about reviving the true religion. We do this because, first of all, we believe we possess it (the true religion). We also do this, because it is our responsibility to share this treasure with the whole world: made up of everyone from sincere believers in Christ, to the worst of the religious hypocrites.

"The true religion" is another term for the Puritan faith. Only the Puritans had the audacity to refer to their living Christianity, codified in their Westminster standards, as "the true religion." And this is for good reason: can you think of anyone else, who could, with credibility, make such a claim?

Possessors of the true religion do not believe that they are perfect. In fact, they know that, in themselves (apart from Christ), they are slime, deserving of hell. Also, the "true religionists" do not believe that they have impeccably perfect theology, or thoroughly error-less doctrine. (No one on the fallen earth has this.) Adherents of the true religion do not "look down their noses" at those who do not yet share their faith. Instead, they look upon them with humility, pity, concern, and love.

The true religion fends off all false religion. On one hand, it defeats Arminianism, and all forms of "will-worship" religion. On the other hand, it slays all the fancy, pseudo-sophisticated forms of self-, law-, and works-righteousness, (especially exemplified today in theonomy, patriarchalism, "New perspectives on Paul," and Federal Vision).

The true religion has always existed, it exists today, and it will always exist. Why? Because the God it praises and serves always lives.