𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗟

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗟
Text: Galatians 1:6–9; Romans 1:16–17 (KJV)

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Religion is man’s attempt to reach God through rituals, rules, and requirements. The Gospel is God’s good news that He reached man through Christ’s finished work. Under the Law, Israel had religion; under Grace, the Body of Christ has the Gospel. Confusing the two leads to bondage, but rightly dividing the Word (2 Tim. 2:15) sets us free in Christ.

𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗡 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝗱

Religion begins with human effort; the Gospel begins with divine revelation (Gal. 1:11–12).

Dispensational view: Israel was given the Law, but the Body of Christ was given the Gospel of Grace.

𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

Religion says “work to be accepted”; the Gospel says “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6).

Salvation is not achieved but received.

𝗢𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀

Religion lays burdens too heavy to bear (Matt. 23:4).

The Gospel frees us: “Stand fast in the liberty” (Gal. 5:1).

𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵

Religion trusts in rituals and ceremonies.

The Gospel trusts in Christ alone (Rom. 3:28).

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿

Israel’s system had daily sacrifices.

The Gospel declares: “One sacrifice for sins forever” (Heb. 10:12).

𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

Religion is external conformity.

The Gospel is internal transformation (2 Cor. 5:17).

𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲

Religion boasts in works (Luke 18:11).

The Gospel brings peace with God (Rom. 5:1).

𝗢𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Satan uses religion to blind minds (2 Cor. 4:4).

The Gospel opens eyes to the truth of grace.

𝗢𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲

Religion says: “Do this and live.”

The Gospel says: “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁

Under religion, men are slaves.

Under the Gospel, believers are sons (Gal. 4:7).

𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗟 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

Religion without Christ damns.

The Gospel saves to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25).

𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛 – 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴

Religion may polish the outside.

The Gospel transforms the inside (Tit. 3:5).

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Religion is man’s ladder reaching upward that never touches heaven. The Gospel is God’s Son descending downward to rescue us. Religion keeps men working, but the Gospel proclaims Christ’s work is enough. In this dispensation of Grace, only the Gospel of the Grace of God saves (Acts 20:24).

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Believe in the finished work of Christ, not in your own religion.

Be grounded in Paul’s Gospel rightly divided.

Be bold to share the Gospel with those still trapped in religion.

Be grateful daily for grace, not law.

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺—𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀!