A Religion of Peace....There is only one!

Often we are told by media or government officials after a terrorist attack carried out by Muslims, is that it does not represent Islam. Because as we are told regularly by these sources is that Islam is a religion of peace. 

Why does the media and high ranking government officials want to portray Islam as a religion of peace? Is it just for political correctness? Afraid to offend? Could it be to not paint with such a broad brush in lumping all Muslims together? Maybe manipulation? Or could it just be ignorance of what Islam really teaches?

Regardless of what the reasoning behind it might be as to why there are those who suggest Islam is a religion of peace, they all fall short because there is only one true religion of peace. Christianity is the only religion that offers true peace! By that statement, I am aware that I am saying Islam is not a religion of peace, Hinduism is not a religion of peace, Buddhism is not a religion of peace, in fact in that statement I am making is that no other religion in all of the world and throughout all of history is a religion of peace.There is only one and that is Christianity!

Even if any of these religions call you to live out a peaceful life or at peace with others it still is not a religion of peace. Let me explain why that is, James 4:4 says "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." Being a friend of the world is being an enemy of God, and no one is born a friend of God because of sin we are all born enemies of God, in rebellion against the God of the Universe the Creator of all things, because there is only one true and living God, Jeremiah 10:10a But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. 

Colossians 1:21 says "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds," so again we see that we are enemies of God, hostile against Him in our minds alienated from Him because of our sins. Which we know that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). That is how one has true peace with God, that is why there is only one religion of peace because Christianity is the only religion that deals with mans sin and offers reconciliation with God through Jesus. 

Romans 5:1 says "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." So you see that the only way anyone can truly say that they are a religion of peace is if they are a religion that offers peace with God, that is the only peace that matters. Sure in this world we would love to see peace, nations getting along with other nations and people at peace with other people, but even if that were the case, even if even one was at peace with one another yet they still denied Jesus and continued in being at enmity with God there would still be no peace.

That is why if you want to be at peace with God, then you must repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Not just any Jesus and not just any idea of how you think that needs to happen but the Jesus of scripture who tells us in His word what it means to be redeemed and how one receives everlasting life. So repent today and put your faith in Jesus so that you to might have true peace, the only peace that comes from God Himself.

​by Ricky Gantz

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