Today, we're asking a simple question. What's a religion? And here to talk about the answer to that question is Pastor, teacher, Billy Crone.

Billy, good to have you here.

Hey, it's great to be here, Gary.

We're going to talk about religion today. Everybody knows about quote-unquote religion. Or do they? I have in front of me here five packages, 50 DVDs, 100 hours of study on what is a religion. And are there good religions and bad religions and if so which ones and

where do they come from? Where are they going? This is a huge, huge subject. Yeah, and really

what got me going down that was I came across yet another statistic dealing with the church and

believe it or not, 25% of professing Christians in the church, Gary, not in the world, 25% of professing Christians in the church, not in the world, 25% of professing Christians believe now that all religions basically teach the same thing. Now that's actually a prophecy related issue because the Bible says in the last days the world's going to get snookered into going along with a one world religion. Right? So that kind of mindset, if anything, is shown us how close we are to people falling for that other prophecy-related issue. But it blew me away because you're like, wait a second. And what I've learned, Gary, is when people actually, and I'm talking again, so-called Christians, when they spout that statement, really what they told you is two things. Number one, you don't

know anything about world religions because they are diametrically opposed to each other. How

could you say that they're all basically the same thing? Number two, apparently you don't

know anything about evangelical Christianity because Christianity is totally unique unto itself.

All religions basically say that you are God or you forgot that you're God, you need to remember that you're God, or that you can become God, or you can work your way to God.

Only Christianity stands alone and says, nope, there is only one God, and because you've sinned against him, you're in a heap of trouble.

But praise God to the one and only God, he sent his son Jesus Christ to take the death penalty in your place.

And since it's a gift from God, you can't earn it, you receive that, you begin,

listen, not a religion, but a relationship with God who is what?

The Creator of the universe.

That's before you even get to heaven.

Christianity, and we say it all the time, right? Christianity, it's not a religion, it's a relationship.

I like to say this. Really? How do you treat it? Do you treat it like it's some sort of dry, stale, boring, man-made religion?

Like the rest of the religions on the planet? Or do you really understand what it really is?

This is a one-on-one personal encounter, personal relationship with God, the rest of the religions on the planet? Or do you really understand what it really is? This

is a one-on-one personal encounter, personal relationship with God, the Creator of the universe

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