Many Christians say, “Christianity is not a religion, it is a way of life.” They say this because they want to show that following Jesus is about love, not about rituals or rules. That is true, but it is only part of the truth. Christianity is a way of life, but it is also a religion — and it is the one true religion.
When we hear the word religion, we often think of temples, prayers, and traditions. Religion is how people try to reach God or please Him by their own efforts. The word “religion” actually means “to connect again.” In that sense, religion is humanity’s effort to reconnect with God after being separated from Him. But the problem is that we cannot reach God by ourselves. Our sin has separated us from Him completely.
Every other religion begins with man reaching up to God. But Christianity begins with God reaching down to man. That is what makes it completely different. The Bible says that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again on the third day. Through Him, God made a way for us to be forgiven and restored. This is why Christianity is the true religion — because it is not built on human works but on God’s grace.
The word Christian means “a follower of Christ.” A Christian is not simply someone who goes to church or follows a list of rules. A Christian is a person who trusts in Jesus, belongs to Him, and lives for Him. So when people say that Christianity is not a religion but a way, we can agree that it is a way of life — but it is also the true religion because it connects us to the true and living God.
The Bible itself uses the word religion in a good way. James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this — to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself pure from the world.” True religion is not about empty rituals but about a changed heart that loves God and serves others.
Christianity is the one true religion because it reveals the only true God. Other faiths speak of gods or powers, but only Christianity reveals the living God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is also the true religion because salvation comes by grace, not by works. Every other religion says, “Do this and you may reach God.” Christianity says, “You cannot reach God, but He has reached you through Jesus.”
The resurrection of Jesus is also proof that Christianity is true. The founders of other religions are dead, but Jesus is alive forever. His empty tomb is the unshakable evidence that He alone is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
If Christianity is the one true religion, then we should never be ashamed of it. We do not say this with pride or arrogance, but with love and humility. When people say that all religions are the same, we can gently ask, “Does any other religion teach that God Himself came down to die for sinners and rose again?” Only Christianity does.
