“Religion cannot take the place of the new birth. Spurgeon said: “It is difficult to say how far a man may go in religion and yet die in his sins.” The Pharisees read the Scriptures, fasted oft, gave tithes, and made long prayers, and yet they rejected the counsel of God. It is possible to have one’s name inscribed upon a church register, and yet not have it written in the Lamb’s book of life. No performance of religious duties can take the place of the new birth. How many there are who rely upon the fact that they say their prayers, read their Bibles, attend church, and partake of the Lord’s Supper, but who, nevertheless, are building upon the sand, rather than the Rock which is Christ!”