Religion or Christ?

"I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” – Romans 9:1-5
 
“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:1-4
 
It’s difficult to believe these two passages refer to the same group.  The Israelites, like so many today, had God’s truth.  Today we have the completed Bible.  Then, they had the completed Old Testament.  But understand, the truths here referred to as “the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises” were specifically given to them only.  No other nation was given such privilege.  During the Old Testament times, the vast majority of non-Jews were unbelieving, pagan infidels “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).  The Jews alone had the benefits of the Law and God’s presence.  Only the Jews had been given the covenants and the proper method of worship including the sacrificial system.  Only the Jews had the Temple and the promises of a Kingdom and a coming Messiah.  The Jews had privilege.  They had been given the truth unlike any people group that has ever lived on the planet. 
 
But, privilege doesn’t equate to a proper understanding.  Paul speaks of his desire for the nation of Israel to be saved.  In his day (and ours), the vast number of Jews remained zealous opposers of Christianity.  Most refuse to even discuss the possibility that Jesus may, in fact, be their Messiah.  Even today, Jews have a zeal for God.  They have a zeal for the Law.  But, their zeal is not based on a true knowledge of God’s Word.  Jesus said to them, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).  The Jews knew the letter of the Law.  They understood much of the Scripture.  However, they missed the forest for the trees.  Rather than seeing their inability to keep the Law, they devised a system through which they believed they could keep it.  Rather than the Law showing them their need for a Savior, they pridefully sought to establish their own righteousness.  In doing so, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” 
 
The Jews had religion.  But they didn’t have a Savior.  But they aren’t the only ones.  Multitudes today are full of religiosity.  Scores honestly believe they have the religion to get them into Heaven.  Yet, they are without the Savior and, therefore, headed for Hell.  Understand, God gave us baptism, the church, the Bible, offerings, singing and praying.  These all have their place.  However, none of them will get you into Heaven.  Hordes of people are trusting in their weekly attendance to a church to get them into Heaven.  Millions are trusting in their having repeated a prayer one day to get them into Heaven.  Tons are trusting in their occasional giving to religious causes.  Multitudes are confident in their Biblical knowledge. Billions, no doubt, are trusting in the waters of baptism to get them into Heaven.  The list goes on and on.  And again, God gave us these things just like He gave the Jews the great benefits they have.  And just like them, we have often misplaced our confidence.  Rather than trusting in Christ, we in modern Christendom have placed our faith in our own doing.  We have religion but we do not have the Savior. 
 
There are two options for righteousness before God.  The first option is the Law.  Yet, due to our inherent sin nature, we all broke the Law before we ever heard of the Law.  “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10).  If you’ve ever put anything before God…if you’ve ever taken God’s name in vain…if you’ve ever stolen or lied…if you’ve ever been disobedient to your parents…if you’ve ever had an extra-marital sexual relationship (or even merely wanted to)…if you’ve committed just one of these things (and many more), you’ve broken the Law.  You are guilty before a thrice-Holy God and you cannot fix it.  That deal is long gone.  You stand condemned before the throne of God and there is no ceremony or work you can go through to correct what you’ve already done. 
 
The second option is far more appealing.  The second option doesn’t ignore any of the points made in the previous option.  In fact, the second option completely admits our own guilt.  Understanding God’s righteousness causes us to comprehend our own depravity…our own sinfulness.  We are all guilty before God.  As a result, there is a debt to pay.  That debt is eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Yet God, in His gracious mercy, sent His Son into the world to pay for our sins.  “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15).  Understanding the place of the Savior is to refuse religion as a ticket to Heaven.  Trying to serve God (even through means He has given) without Christ ends in death.  Jesus is the theme of the Bible.  Have you trusted Him today?  Or, do you desire to earn your way into Heaven through your own religion?  It cannot be both.  And, it cannot be a mixture.  It’s religion or it’s Christ.  Which is your faith rooted in?