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Page 3 of 4 The difference between faith and religion  (Diagram of religion)  (Diagram of Faith) The Bible teaches the reverse. God reaches down to us and changes our hearts from stone to flesh. He forgives our selfishness and he enables us to start learning to live according to his values. This is illustrated by the diagram of the arrow pointing down from God to the people of the world. Jesus said in the Bible (John 3:16)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus does two things for us Jesus Christ lived according to God’s values. He never once was selfish. He never once broke any of the Ten Commandments. This means that Jesus can do two things. 1) Jesus died on the cross on your behalf. When he died there he took upon himself all of your selfishness, all of the times you broke your values (and God’s) and he paid your penalty for you. Jesus went to hell so you can go to heaven. The Bible says (1 Peter 3:18)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
2) Jesus having paid your debt gives you his obedience. When God looks at you he sees only the good that Jesus has given you. He sees you as completely selfless as though you had always perfectly kept his values. The Bible says (Romans 5:1-2)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
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