Tim Keller has an excellent summary of the difference between religion and the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his book/curriculum, "Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything." This is a great way to remember that when we are called to repent, it's not just from obviously bad actions, but also from actions that often appear good, but are spoiled by our inner motivation of self-righteousness, pride, or fear. We can do all the right stuff for all the wrong reasons. Here's the list:
RELIGION: "I obey; therefore, I'm accepted by God."
GOSPEL: "I'm accepted by God; therefore, I obey."
RELIGION: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
GOSPEL: Motivation is based on grateful joy at being fully loved.
RELIGION: I obey God in order to get what I want from God.
GOSPEL: I obey God to get God--to delight in and resemble him--because God is all I ever wanted.
RELIGION: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
GOSPEL: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle, but I know all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while God may allow this for my training, he will exercise his Fatherly love within my trial.
RELIGION: When I am criticized, I am furious or devastated, because it is critical that I think of myself as a "good person." Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.
GOSPEL: When I am criticized, I struggle, but it is not essential for me to think of myself as a "good person." My identity is not built on my record or my performance, but on God's love and actions for me in Christ.
RELIGION: My prayer life consists largely of petition, and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is to control my circumstances and environment.
GOSPEL: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with God.
RELIGION: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I fell confident, but than I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble but not confident--I feel like a failure.
GOSPEL: My self-view is not based on my moral achievement. In Christ I am simultaneously sinful and lost, yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad that he had to die for me, and I am so loved that he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deep humility and confidence at the same time.
RELIGION: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work, or how moral I am--and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral.
GOSPEL: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me. I am saved by sheer grace, so I can't look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace am I what I am.
