Humanity’s search for religion has stretched back to ancient times. Whether a person grows up in a Christian family or not, each person has an innate desire to want to know the Creator of their souls.
In every person, there is an innate desire to know the true God. In the attempt to know the true God, many people have followed false belief systems, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam to name a few.
Searching for Religion
Humanity throughout time has searched for religion because we want to know there is something greater than ourselves. Inside of us, we all know that there is something bigger than mankind. God has revealed Himself to us through general revelation and special revelation.
General revelation is how God has revealed Himself in nature and in our surroundings. Paul tells us in Romans 1:20, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”
Special revelation is how God has revealed Himself in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” General revelation is one of the main reasons why humanity searches out for religion.
Logic would conclude that someone had to create the universe and everything in it. Mankind alone attests to intelligent design. In the desperate search to find religion, mankind has followed after many false religions and belief systems.
Anything outside of Christianity is false, including cults. Even though Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, and Seventh Day Adventists are labeled under the umbrella term of “Christians'' does not mean it is true.
To be a Christian is to place faith in Jesus by believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8). If a person believes that Jesus died for their sins and was raised again and that He is God, then they are saved and can be properly called “Christians.”
False religions and false cults do not believe Jesus to be God, nor do they believe that Jesus is the way to salvation despite the Bible telling us Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Apart from Christ, there is no salvation.
Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." Only by placing faith in Jesus can a person experience saving grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. The true answer humanity is seeking is found in Christ alone.
Searching in the Wrong Place
Unfortunately, rather than seeking out the true God, humanity has searched out for religion in all the wrong places. From the earliest of times, people have wanted to know answers to “Who am I,” “Where do I come from,” and “Who created me?”
In the attempt to answer these questions, humanity has not only turned to false belief systems, but also to atheism. Whether a person wants to accept it or not, atheism is still ultimately a religion and faith system.
Even though atheists do not believe in God, they still have a faith system built upon science and the theory of evolution. In the failed attempt to search for true religion, many people turn to atheism rather than God.
Since nobody can physically see God, many people turn to atheism. Other reasons why a person turns to atheism is because of some sort of situation that turned them away from God, such as God not answering their prayer or through the death of a loved one.
Nevertheless, atheism is an attempt at mankind seeking out religion or an explanation for how we got here and how the world was formed. Instead of looking to the truth of God and His Word, atheists believe in evolution.
Evolution is the belief that mankind and animals have evolved over thousands of years to become the current form of humans that we are today. Darwinism taught that mankind evolved from different forms of apes and gorillas.
As Christians, we know that evolution is not true nor is theistic evolution. God created the heavens, the planets, and everything within them in six literal days and rested on the seventh day to admire His work (Genesis 1:1-31). In mankind’s attempt to find religion, many have found falsehood and false belief systems.
Craving Something Bigger
As established, mankind went in search of religion because humanity wanted to know that there is something bigger than us. Built inside all of us is the innate knowledge that there is a Creator; however, oftentimes, people replace the true Creator for something different.
Inside each of us, we deeply long to be loved and to have a purpose. There’s a hole in our hearts that can only be filled with the love of Christ. Before a person accepts Christ, they have a veil over their eyes; however, when the person places faith in Christ, the veil is removed (2 Corinthians 3:14).
During the early days of the Israelites, God consistently revealed Himself to the people through the prophets. Even with God directly revealing Himself to the Israelites, many turned away from Him and served false gods (Numbers 25:15). Sadly, this same turn of events occurs today.
Rather than seeking out God, people seek out false gods in incorrect religions, others, and themselves. During the temptation of man in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve wanted to be their own gods.
We know this because Satan tells Eve, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). After Satan had said this, Eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam (Genesis 3:6-7).
Satan told Adam and Eve that if they ate from the tree that would “be like God” (Genesis 3:5). From Satan’s words, he was tempting Adam and Eve to eat the fruit out of their desire to be their own god. The desire to want to be our own “god” is still rampant today.
Rather than seeking out the true God, mankind wants to be their own god. Rationalizing ethics, morals, and beliefs are a few ways of how humans want to be their own gods. We want to choose what is right, ethical, and moral according to our own opinions rather than the truth of God’s Word.
This is a slippery slope to fall down because it is rather hard to climb back to the top again. Instead of searching for religion in false gods, false beliefs, and in ourselves, we need to look to the only true God — the God who is only found in the Bible.
The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God, yet three distinct persons. Humanity searches for religion in many places; however, true faith is only found in Christ.
Rather than searching out for religion in Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, the Church of the Latter-Day Saints Jehovah’s Witnesses, atheism, or any other false belief system, turn to the true God of the Bible. In Him, you will find lasting joy, peace, and love.
For further reading:
Can Someone Be Saved by Just Seeing Creation?
What Is the Difference Between Religion and Spirituality?
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