This is the thinking that fuels all religion, that personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices for a greater power to whom service and worship is made.  With the knowledge of Creator God so obvious and instinctively known in every human heart, it evokes a response.  Pagan religions were ancient practices that involve the most barbaric practices and sacrifice, to both satisfy the pagan God and cause it/them to grant power to the pagan.  Hindu, Buddhism and ancestor worship are Eastern religions that seem to be more spirit based, but seek perfection 

through religious practice.

The Jewish religion is ancient and recorded in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, with distinct religious practices and feasts.  Christianity came from Yeshua (Jesus’ Hebrew name), who proclaimed he was the Jewish Messiah, prophesied by the Hebrew prophets.  Christianity was taken to all nations after the Jews rejected Yeshua as their Messiah.  Christianity is described most fully in the New Testament of the Bible, but is based on the same God of the Old Testament.

Islam was started by Muhammad around 300 AD.  Later, some Persian followers of Muhammad killed his cousin and son-in-law and started their own branch of Islam, called Sunnis, while the original Arab followers remained Shiites.  Of the more recent religions Secular Humanism proposes that man is his own God and scientific theory should be worshiped and practiced.  Secular Humanists established abortion and have sacrificed millions of unborn infants to their god in the name of convenience, selfishness, population control, and sexual promiscuity.  Communists are the greatest proponents of Secular Humanism, but there is a growing number of Europeans and Americans who practice it under the name of atheist, agnostic liberal or socialists.

Man can not be good enough to achieve perfection.  The religious practices can never make up for wrongdoing, even though some may believe so.  Yeshua was the only man who lived a perfect life.  No one ever spoke and lived a life with such love, humility, and miraculous power. Yeshua was able to do this because He was the Messiah, the Son of God and God in human form.  He died on a Roman cross and paid the penalty for all the sins of those who believe upon and trust Him.  This is what God says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6: 8).  “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Eph. 3: 10-12).  It is not in institutions or religious practice that we have acceptance and relationship with God, but through faith in Yeshua.  It is the utter humility of faith alone that God seeks, no reliance in doing good deeds, attending services, or any act of contrition means anything.  It is the faith of a child, one who has nothing to offer, but comes to receive and love God for God’s sake alone that God recognizes.

“All things have been committed to me by my Father.  No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 27-30).