Just as a godly father or mother here on Earth would hate anything that poses a threat to the well-being of his/her offspring, God, as our Father in Heaven, hates anything and everything that can place His children in harm's way.
As we will see, religion is not your friend. Religion is a powerful, evil, force whose intent it is to take the place and/or the function(s) that is the exclusive domain of the God of the Bible. The deceitful thing of religion is that it is promoted and often accepted as being what God requires and desires of Man.
The devil (Gen. 3/Matt. 4) and the promoters of religion have a l-o-n-g history of misusing the spoken and/or written Word of God to deceive and/or to contend with those who oppose them.
The difference between the devil and the humans who promote religion is that the devil knows the truth, but promotes the lie(s), whereas the promoters of religion have been deceived and unwittingly become blind guides leading their blind (Matt. 15: 14) followers.
A bullet unwittingly fired in ignorance can be just as destructive as a bullet fired with malicious intent. As an old saying goes, the pathway to Hell is paved with good intentions.
Pagan Religion (Psalms 96: 5) consist of the all the false gods and false means to appease these false gods that have been around for almost all of recorded human history. Many of the practices that originated in the Pagan world were infused into the Christian Community around the 4th century in the name of religion after religious authorities of that day put a "Christian" spin on them. This took place when the Christian Community was flooded with converts who came into the Christian Community during the 4th Century, Constantine period. It was, in part, the intent of the religious and the political powers, to collaborate in order to bring into and maintain a sense of unity within the Roman Empire. Be it for the better or the worse, noting can either unite or divide like religion and politics. What resulted was much of the known world plunging itself into the very dark period of political and religious turmoil, tyranny, and abuse. Historians appropriately refer to this period as the Dark Ages.
During this same period, many practices and the means to participate in them that were (past tense) a legitimate part of he Old Testament dispensation were reintroduced and accepted into the doctrines and the practices of the Church Age. These practices went virtually unchanged until the Protestant Reformation some 1,000 years later.
Many participants and promoters of the Protestant Reformation got involved for purely political reasons, but the true reformers did not (initially) desire to start a new "Church," but to bring the exiting Roman Church back to its Biblical roots and to the primary mission (Matt. 28: 19, 20) that the Lord gave to the Church that He designed. But in order to do this, everything in teaching and practice that was of a Man-made religious" nature had to be purged from the existing Roman Church. For many reasons, the reformation of the then existing Roman Church was not to be. The roots of anything that had been accepted and practiced for centuries had grown long and deep, not to mention the financial and political power that it had acquired.
Never-the-less, the universal Church consisting of all born again believers continued to exist (as promised - Matt. 16: 18) within the Christian Community at large, as it does to this day. When the reformers failed to bring the Roman Church back to its Biblical roots, the Protestants saw fit to establish their own local assemblies in order to preserve and to promote the universal Church that God designed, and had already existed during the first few hundred years of its history. Not all of the Christian Community in the ancient world came under the control of the Roman Church. The Eastern Orthodox Community, for example, never acknowledged or submitted to the Papal authority of Rome. The Protestant Community rejected Papal authority and all the religious teachings and activity that had come into the Christian Community under the umbrella of Papal authority in Rome.
The universal Church that God designed continues to exist and will continue (Matt. 16: 18) to exist here on Earth until the Rapture takes place. The universal Church can be found in any denomination or non-denominational setting where the Gospel Message is promoted for salvation and Bible Doctrine is taught and practiced for development and execution of of discipleship. Some local assemblies, denominations, and ministries have done a better job of keeping religion out of their doctrines and practices. It is only through accurate Biblical Doctrine that the purity of the Church that God designed can maintain its integrity. It is only via discipleship that the universal Church that God designed can be identified.
All born again believers are saved regardless of their chosen denomination or local assembly, even if they never follow through or abandon the life of discipleship. Never the less, the more spiritually mature a born again believer becomes, the more of a desire he/she will have to connect with a local assembly or ministry so that he/she can worship God and advance in the post salvation spiritual life. Just as a loss of appetite in the natural realm is an indication that something is amiss, the same can be said for a born again believer who does not develop and maintain a healthy appetite for the teaching of the Word of God. Such a spiritual condition is not spiritually fatal, as salvation can not be lost. But this spiritual condition, manifested by a lack of appetite, IS an indication that something is wrong and will result in the lack of a productive post salvation spiritual life.
Only the local assemblies that conduct themselves in accordance with Scripture can worship God as He desires to be worshiped here in the Church Age (John 4: 23). and only the local assemblies that conduct themselves according to Scripture can make disciples (Matt. 28: 19). Alternative religious Churches that promote the religious traditions of Man can make those who attend and participate religious, but not spiritual.
The quality of one's discipleship does NOT either increase nor does it diminish the integrity of the salvation (eternal life) that he/she has already received. While having nothing to do with obtaining or retaining salvation, it has everything to do with glorifying God while here on Earth. One does not serve God in order to be rewarded, but God has let it be known (1Cor. 3: 12-15/Rev. 1/Rev/ 2) that there are rewards and privileges in Heaven for those who live for Him while here on Earth. The desire to serve God is a reflection of the love (or lack of love) that one has toward God and the people of God. Love can be defined in many different ways, but can only be measured by the extent that one is willing to make self-sacrifices in order to please the object of his/her devotion. This is true rather you are speaking about God, another person, or a thing.
From the very beginning of the Church Age (Galatians 3) the struggle to keep Christian Religion out of the Church that God designed was a battle. It continues to be a battle now, and according to 1Timothy 4: 1, the introduction and the practicing of Christian Religion (as opposed to Christianity) will only get more intense until the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 19) takes place.
Accordingly, maintaining the integrity of the universal Church that God designed will be just as much of a internal struggle as the external challenge to participate in the Great Commission that our Lord gave to Church. The universal Church that God designed consists of the collective body of born again souls, wherever they are found. The integrity of the Church that God designed is dependent on maintaining the purity of Gospel Message that is to be preached for salvation, and the teaching and application of accurate Bible Doctrine for the promotion of the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship.
Christian Religion (as opposed to Christianity) is the result of all that MAN has added to or deleted from the Word of God (Deut. 4: 2) in teaching or practice. Christian Religion (as opposed to Christianity) consists of many traditions of men (Mark 7: 8) that have been accepted and elevated to equality with Bible Doctrine over the course of the Church Age. Christian religion (as opposed to Christianity) consists of false Gospels (2 Cor. 11: 4), having added to the Gospel Message all kinds of religious requirements that God never brought into the picture.
Christian Religion consists of all the alternatives to the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship (Matt. 28: 19) and ambassadorship (2Cor. 5: 20).
When asked if one is a “religious” person, the response of an edified disciple will be, “I certainly hope NOT!”
Such a response can open a door of opportunity to explain the all important difference between what is religious and what is spiritual. Christianity is spiritual, Christian Religion is of religion. Christianity saves. Christian religion does not.
Hell, or what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15) will be filled with more "religious" souls than atheists. True atheists, having chosen to reject the Eccl. 3: 11 knowledge that God places in every soul have always been a very small minority in each generation of Man. The overwhelming majority of human souls do believe that there is "a" god, thus removing them from under the umbrella of atheism. But not all souls believe that true God is the God of the Bible. Some believe in the existence of the God the Bible, but do not believe that faith (trust and confidence) in the Gospel Message is the means through which one secures an eternal relationship with the God of the Bible.
An edified Christian will have no part in either Pagan Religion or Christian Religion, as neither one will result in his/her name being Written in the Lamb's Book of life.
Atheists will be in the lake of fire for having not believed in the existence of any God including the God of the Bible. The followers of Pagan religion(s) will be in the lake of fire for having not believed in the God of the Bible. One can be a willing or forced participant in Christian religion and still not be born again with his/her name written in the Book of Life. Those who names are not written in the Book of Life, will be tossed into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).
We often assume that those seen practicing Christian Religion have heard and have believed in the Gospel Message. However, their perceived need to engage in Christian Religion (in order to either obtain or retain salvation) raises some serious questions. Many followers of Christian Religion, when asked, will say that they hope their going to Heaven, not that they are!
Christian Religion is promoted by the devil's as an alternative to the Gospel Message to secure salvation. The devil promotes human good and Christian Religion as alternatives to the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship.
That being said, having forever settled the issue of salvation, this is not to be understood to mean that eternal security is a license to sin, or that there is not much more to be undertaken if one is identify and execute the post salvation spiritual life.
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The first recorded murder in Scripture took place after Cain’s religious offering was rejected and Abel’s offering was accepted, even though both believed that what they were doing would please God. When Abel's offering was accepted and Cain's was not, Cain became very angry. When the opportunity presented itself, Cain murdered his brother Abel (Gen. 4).
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Many of the wars throughout the course of human history were fought or "justified" by or over religion. Sometimes these wars were initiated through the direct command of God executing His wrath against pagan nations, and sometimes it was God imposing national discipline on His chosen people. Sometimes is was more of a case of expanding or retaining the geographical domain and/or international influence of a given nation or empire. The "Christian Crusades" were all about religious authority within the Christian Community at the time orchestrating premature (contrary to God's timing) attempts through military force to establish a tangible, dominating, political, "Kingdom of God" here on Earth, headquartered in Jerusalem (Rev. 19: 15).
What God sends or allows that results in the rise or the fall (Acts ) of any given nation plays a part in the prophesied global plan of God for the human race (Joshua 1/ Daniel 1/ Daniel 7/ Ezra 1/Luke 21: 24 /Rev. 19: 15/Rev. 20: 8,9/ etc.).
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Nicodemus (John 3), being a Pharisee, was about as “religious” as a person could be, but he (as we) had to learn, one MUST (not an option) be (John 3: 5, 7) be “born again” if he was to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Religion, apart from the new birth, is meaningless.
Prior to his conversion, Saul (late named Paul), who Christians now know as the Apostle Paul, was also a very religious Pharisee and perceived that the destruction of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to be his spiritual calling and purpose in life.
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Persecution INSIDE and outside of what is generally considered to be the Christian Community took place in the name (authority) of religion.
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Come Judgment Day (for the unbelievers), there will be many “religious” souls present that had “hung their hat” on the false teachings and practices of world’s (Psalms 96: 4, 5) religions. By not ever having their name recorded in the Book of Life, they will find themselves in what the Bible calls the lake of fire for ALL of eternity (Rev. 20: 15).
We do not all worship the same God/god, but by a different name (Allah, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, etc.) as many have been deceived to think. The devil doesn't care what religion (including Christian religion) that one follows, as long as in the process he/she is not presented with the Gospel Message. Once born again, the devil doesn't care what local assembly one attends, as long as it does not reinforce the Gospel Message and promote discipleship.
There is the one true God of Scripture, and He is not Allah, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, etc.
Before one can worship the one true of the Bible, one must first address his/her spiritual death status, with which he came into this world with, by being born again.
One can engage (or be put through) many of the prescribed activities that have evolved in the religious realm, but one can not accomplish anything of spiritual significance independent of God (John 15: 5).
There is only one "way" to establish a relationship with the God of the Bible, and it is NOT via ANY religious ceremony or ritual.
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life.; no one comes to the Father but through (faith = trust/confidence) in Me (John 14: 6 italics mine).
"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3: 18 NASB)."
Followers of other (Psalms 96: 4, 5) religions of the world are offended by John 14: 6 because it exposes their "god(s)" for what they really are (idols). Promoters of Christian Religion have issues with John 14: 6 because it exposes their "additives" for what they really are (apostasy).
Human viewpoint perceives John 14: 6 as being narrow-minded. With this, Scripture agrees! Matthew 7: 13, 14 refers to the gate and the way to Heaven as being narrow, whereas the gate and the way to Hell is wide and broad.
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction (Matt. 7: 13, 14 NASB)."
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There will be many religious souls who “hung their hat” on many of the false teachings and rituals that have infiltrated and evolved WITHIN what is generally perceived to be a part of the Christian Community. Many of these religious souls will cite all kinds of activities that they participated in (Matt. 7: 22), believing that through such activity they had earned (Eph. 2: 8, 9) for themselves a home in Heaven. Some will likely say they were baptized as infants, received Communion, was confirmed, joined a church, read the Bible, did good deeds, were as obedient as is humanly possible. But the divine response will be, "I never knew you, depart from Me (Matt, 7: 23 NASB). Not having had their name recorded in the Book of Life, they too, will find themselves in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).
There will be BORN AGAIN believers at the Evaluation of Deeds (1Cor. 3: 12-15/Romans 14: 12) who will NOT lose their salvation (1Cor. 3: 15), but will be shocked to see what they thought would have entitled them to receive rewards (1Cor. 3: 14) and privileges (Rev.2/Rev. 3), rejected and going up in smoke (1Cor. 3: 15). Note that the Romans 14: 12 accounting and the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 evaluation of deeds have got NOTHING to do with sin (Romans 8:1). What they have to do with is what one did with the time God gave each and every born again believer to identify and to execute the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship. Did one produce human good or divine good? Deeds of divine good will receive rewards and privileges in Heaven. Deeds of human good were rewarded while here on Earth, but were all left behind upon departing this Earth.
The devil and the followers of religion promote human good. Its a win-win scenario for the devil. The devil's world (Luke 4: 6) gains the benefits of the human good that Man produces, and the production of divine good is "placed on the back burner." It has been a long lost objective of the devil to establish and maintain a productive kingdom that is independent of God (Isa. 13: 14).
Human good brings glory, fame. and fortune to the human beings who produce it here on Earth. Human good has value here on Earth, but will have no value in Heaven.
Divine good is produced by and therefore brings glory to God here on Earth. The born again believers through whom God produced divine good will be rewarded for it in Heaven.
Having God (John 15: 5) produce divine good through born again believers is what brings glory to God here in the Church Age. If something good can be accomplished independent of God, then it is, a best, only human good that is in view. Religion is neither human nor is it divine good. It is evil.
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The religious activity of the false “religions (Psalms 96: 4, 5)” of the world are held in high esteem by those involved with them, but are "detestable” in the sight of the God (Luke 16: 15). False “religious” activity that takes place within the Christian Community is held in high esteem by those who promote and/or engage in it. Would not God view the products and practices of Man-made religion that takes place within the Christian Community be likewise seen?
"And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God (Luke 16: 15 NASB)."
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Religion equates human good with divine good. Many religious persons believe they are producing divine good when in truth, they are producing human good.
Both God (Who chooses to bless His children) and the devil (who wants to make his (Luke 4: 6) a better place to live independently of God) will make use the human good that is produced by both believers and unbelievers alike.
The classic example of this type of human good is the medical procedures that take place daily at the hands of surgeons. Some of these surgeons are born again believers and some are atheists or unbelievers. If an atheist or an unbeliever can do the same thing, it is NOT divine good that is in view (John 15: 5).
All born again believers will forever have a home and experience the general environment of Heaven. Never-the-less, only the born again believers who advanced in the post (after) salvation life of discipleship and ambassadorship will receive the accompanying rewards and privileges in Heaven for their involvement in the production of divine good.
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Learning to distinguish what is religious (the teachings, traditions, products, and practices of Man) and what is spiritual (from God) is a fundamental part in the realm of discipleship.
The rule of thumb is that the roots of whatever can be traced back to an accurate interpretation of Scripture is spiritual, whereas the origin of whatever is of religion can be traced back to time when a departure from a accurate interpretation of Scripture took place. Sometimes the teachings and accompanying practices of religion can be traced back to a point in time when something without Biblical substantiation was added to the mix.
It is on the basis of religion that the traditions of men are given birth, and in the course of time, are inevitably elevated to equality with Scripture (Mark 7: 7-8). This took took place in the realm of Judaism. It took place in the earliest stages of the Church Age (Galatians 3), and it will continue to take place and to escalate throughout the course of the Church Age (1Tim. 4: 1).
"But in vain do they (religious people) worship Me, Teaching as (Bible) doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandment (Deut. 4: 2) of God, you hold to the tradition of men (Mark 7: 7-8 NASB italics mine." "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, (so) that you may keep (obey) the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you (Deut. 4: 2 NASB italics mine."
The phrase “Christian Religion” is an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech (phrase) that contains contradictory terms. Christian Religion and Christianity ARE not one in the same. Christian religion, consisting of all that man has added to or taken from the Word of God, by doctrine or practice, is the nemesis of Christianity, regardless of who introduced it or how long it has been in practice. A nemesis is a long standing rival and adversary.
While displaying the appearance of piety, Christian religion is anti (opposed to) Christ, and seeks to take the place and function(s) of God and the things of God here in the Church Age. Scripture (1John 2: 18) warned the first generations of the Church Age that many anti-Christs were already in the world. That was almost 2000 years ago!. Here, in our time of the great apostasy (1Tim. 4: 1, there are many anti-Christs throughout the world promoting Christian religion in opposition to and/or in place of Christianity.
Christian Religion is the end result of all that Man has, in defiance of Scripture (Deut. 4: 2) has added to, and taken from the Word of God. It consists of many things that it alleges that MAN must do in order to obtain and retain salvation when they die.
Christianity, on the other hand, is all about placing one's faith (trust and confidence) in all that God has already done, God is doing now, and that God will do in future dispensations of human history, and throughout all of eternity, to, through, and for the people of faith. The people of faith here in the dispensation of the Church Age are born again believers.
Born again believers have already received the eternal life spoke of in John 3: 16 , and are eternally secure (John 3: 18/Romans 8: 1). Born again believers were (Mark 16: 16) baptized and (Eph. 4: 30) sealed (marked for identification) by God the Holy Spirit the moment they were born again.
The post (after) salvation spiritual life of discipleship is NOT for the purpose of retaining the salvation that a born again believer has already received. The post salvation spiritual life of discipleship is for purpose of the born again believer bringing glory to God in the midst of an ongoing spiritual battle (Eph. 6) between the forces of good and evil (Eph. 6: 12). The born again believer brings glory to God each and every day as he/she learns, refines, and/or applies the Bible Doctrine to the circumstances and situations that God sends or allows to place. The born again believer brings glory to God as he/she participates in the Great Commission as Christ's ambassador (2Cor. 5: 20), no matter where he/she is or what he/she is otherwise doing.
Many followers who practice Christian Religion live in the ungodly fear that the devil generates (Heb. 2: 15). Others who follow more liberal forms of Christian Religion think that the are free to live any way they want without any fear of consequences (Hebrews 12: 6) here on Earth , or in Heaven (1Cor. 3: 15). Both mind sets are promoted by the devil. using Christian Religion as his primary weapon.
In the first scenario, such followers are so focused on losing what born again believers can not lose, that they never advance in the post salvation spiritual life. they are like baseball players that do not run the bases at full speed because they believe the ball is going foul, or they neglected to step on all the bases along the way. This denies God much of the glory He would have otherwise received, and results in little or no production of divine good in the lives of the souls involved.
In the second scenario, God is also denied the glory that He would have received, as one cannot live with any (James 2:10) sin, be out of fellowship with God, and have the desire to identify and execute the post salvation spiritual life at the same time. Contrary to human viewpoint that promotes the concept that one can keep one foot in the world and the other in the Church, there are only two roads of life. One is narrow and one is broad (Matt. 7: 13, 14). One is free to choose to follow either one, but one can not walk along both at the same time.
It is common for believers who are living in any type of sin, to try to make up for it by excessive involvement in other areas of Christian Religion or service, but this does not work. Once God the Holy Spirit brings an area of sin into the conscious mind of a developing disciple, the disciple involved can go no further in the plan that God has in mind for him/her until that area of sin is addressed.
Allow me to give you a head's up from my personal experience. There will never come a time this side of Heaven when there is no longer going to be the next area of sin to be addressed. Each step along the road to spiritual maturity will usually be more difficult than the previous ones. The road to spiritual maturity is an uphill climb. There are no plateau's. There are no rest areas where one can afford to lower his/her guard. One is either moving forward, or is sliding backwards at any given time.
Post salvation sin that take place after one has been born again is addressed by first confessing the sin (1John 1: 9) to God, and the forsaking (John 8: 11) the same sin in the future. Forsaking sin is a daily choice. There are times when one can experience an immediate deliverance, never having a desire to engage in a specific area of sin again. But most of us will fall off the wagon many times before the obstacles along the way have been removed.
The God whom believers should desire to maintain fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with cannot even look upon sin (in an approving manner) (Habakkuk 3: 11).
This was demonstrated when the sin debt of all of humanity was placed on the atoning Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross when the Lord cried out and recited the 22nd Psalm, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me (Psalms 22: 1 NASB)." The Lord was not asking God the Father "Why...?". The Lord Jesus Christ knew and had already explained to His closest disciples "Why" all that would happen to Him upon arriving in Jerusalem (Matt. 20: 17-19). By reciting the 22nd Psalm, the Lord was confirming to those who had (or will have) the spiritual discernment to realize that many of the detailed prophesies (Psalms 22: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18) spoken some 1,000 years earlier by the psalmist were being fulfilled while He was there, nailed to the cross.
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At this point and time in the course of human history, we are experiencing the prophesied (1Tim 4: 1) period of great apostasy WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY that precedes the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 17). In truth, if all the products and practices of religion were to be removed from within the Christian Community at large, many followers of Christian Religion would be shocked to see what little would remain.
Even a child can see why God hates sin.
But being able to see why God hates religion (including Christian religion), as opposed to Christianity, is another matter altogether. Many Christians are quick to criticize what it taking place (or not taking place) in the Church down the street, but are totally blind to the religion and religious practices that are taking place in their own local assembly or ministry.
One of the several issues that our Lord taught us to make a issue of prayer was/is the deliverance from evil (Matt. 6: 13). Evil is anything that runs contrary, in thought, teaching, or action, to what can be substantiated or ordained in the Word of God. Seeing "the" evil (or "d"evil) in or behind what most of us identify as sin is easy, but seeing the evil or the devil in or behind religion takes much more spiritual discernment.
What makes the evil of religion (including Christian Religion) so dangerous is that through deception, it is promoted and often perceived to be what has come from God, and therefore, being what God desires from Man. Religion is one of the most effective weapons in the devil's arsenal (Eph. 6: 16) in the realm of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6).
God hates religion for all that harm that it can cause His children, and the harm it can cause the souls who are not yet born again. Among the reasons that God hates religion are:
- Religion misidentifies who God is,
- Religion misrepresents God.
- Religion deceives Man.
- Religion divides His family.
- Religion focuses on the futile attempts to improve the old sin nature that cannot be changed.
- Religion focuses on what it claims Man can do, and not on what God has done, is doing, and will do for the people of faith.
- Religion promotes alternative agendas while neglecting the Great Commission and the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship.
- Religion is the stock and trade of the Anti-Christ.
There are many religious souls that consider themselves Christians because of their association and/or participation with one or another form of Christian Religion. Being one who practices Christian religion, in of itself, does not make one what the Bible refers to as a Christian. You do not become a baseball player but just going to the ball park, and you don't become a Christian by just going to Church.
The name, label, or title "Christian" did not originate with Peter and company in Jerusalem. Nor did it originate in the local assemblies in Rome. It was first given to the born again believers in local assembly located in Antioch, Greece. Scripture does not tell us if this label originally came from within or from an outside source in Antioch. From within, it would be a title of honor and distinction. If from without, it could have been intended as an insulting or derogatory manner, much like being called a Jesus Freak or a Holy Roller in more recent times.
What we are told is that Christian was a name (or label) given to the born again believers of the local assembly in Antioch who were identified as being followers of the Lord Jesus Christ."
The Lord Jesus Christ established the basis on which a born again believer was/is to become one of his followers (Matt. 16 24 NASB).
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself , and take up his cross and follow Me (Matt. 16: 24 NASB."
The denial that our Lord was speaking of is spelled out in Luke14: 26. In short, no thing, and no one (even ourselves) is to come before a believer's relationship and walk with the Lord.
The cross, being spoken of in Matt. 16: 24 NASB, that the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is to pick up is often misidentified.
Granted, bearing and promoting the message of the cross, aka the Gospel Message, is certainly a part of the being a disciple and an ambassador, but this is not the point that the Lord was teaching His disciples in Matt.16: 24.
In Matt. 16: 24, the Lord Jesus Christ was not speaking of His own cross. No one, but the Lord, could pick up and accomplish what He accomplished on His cross. Simon (Matt. 27: 32) literally picked up and carried the Lord's cross along the way to Golgotha, but only the Lord Jesus Christ could (and did) accomplish the atoning work while nailed to it. The cross was the symbol and means through which Rome punished the "worst of the worst" of those convicted of breaking Roman Law.
As in the case of the Apostle Paul, Roman citizens condemned to death under Roman Law could be beheaded, rather than be crucified. This option was considered to be an act of mercy in light of the agony and slow death that was associated with crucifixion.
Note that in the phrase "his cross," the word his in the NASB translation is not capitalized, as in the case when pronouns are used when making reference to God (e.g. Me) in the same sentence.
The pronoun "his" in Matt. 16: 24 phrase "his cross" is not referring to either the Lord Jesus Christ, nor is it referring to the cross upon which our Lord was crucified. The Matt. 16: 24 cross is often also misidentified as all the adversity and challenges that are commonly experienced by all persons, believers and unbelievers, alike. The Matt. 16: 24 pronoun "his" is making reference to the born again believer who chooses to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, and the noun "cross" is symbolic of all of the personal and inevitable adversity that he/she w-i-l-l (2Tim. 3: 12) encounter if/when he/she takes his/her personal stand for the Lord.
"Indeed all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2Tim. 3: 12 NASB)."
The godly life being spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12 is not the life promoted by Christian Religion.
If they were honest, many who live out the life that Christian Religion promotes have never experienced much of the type of persecution spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12. If they do, they misidentify the common problems that is the experience of both believers and unbelievers alike as being the price they are paying for being a Christian. The truth is that their spiritual life has got nothing or little to do with the problems they face, other than God sending or allowing such things to take place with a divine objective in mind (Romans 8: 28 ).
Problems that are a common experience to both believers and unbelievers alike is NOT the cross being spoken of in Matt. 16: 24.
It is the adversity that one encounters as a result of having taken a stand for Christ in the midst of spiritual combat (Eph. 6) is what the Matt. 16: 24 type of "cross" is all about. Taking a stand for Christ involves the life of discipleship and ambassadorship as one participates in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20). There are many who claim to be Christians that rarely, if ever, speak of the Gospel Message or offer a principle of edifying doctrine to anyone outside of their comfort zone of like-minded fellow believers.
One reason that many of the followers of Christian Religion do not experience Eph. 6: 16 attacks is that the devil has them right where he wants them, at least for the moment. The devil is "wise" enough to leave well enough alone as misguided individuals and groups unwittingly promote much of the devil's alternative agenda. The local assembly or the individual believer that hardly ever experiences a Eph. 6: 16 attack, should ask itself or him/herself why this is so! Its is because of its, his, her, involvement with Christian Religion, as opposed to Christianity?
One will know that the local assembly of choice and the advancing disciples with are on the right track when the local assembly, the advanciples within, and/or you have drawn the attention of the devil and his forces of evil, evidenced by the frequency and the intensity of the missiles/arrows he sends its/your way.
Man was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing battle that began before the creation of Man. Here in the Church Age, the Church that God designed, consisting of all born again believers, are in the front lines of spiritual combat (Eph. 6: 12).
The alternative churches that the devil promotes aren't even on the battlefield. Its members are there to receive all the earthly and eternal benefits that such Churches claim to offer, but with little or no participation in the Great Commission that God gave to the Church that He designed and commissioned.
Such alternative Churches are deeply entrenched with Christian Religion, but not Christianity.
It is the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship that will generate the 2Tim. 3: 12 persecution and the Eph. 6:16 attacks from the devil, the devil's followers, and sometimes from the very promoters and followers of Christian Religion.
Being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ refers to discipleship. A disciple is a student (2Pet. 3: 18) and a doer (James 1: 22) of the Word of God.
Discipleship is a post (after one is saved) salvation activity.
Before one can be a "Christian" (a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ) he/she must first be born again, as "...apart from God, you can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB)."
It is the"nothing" part that the followers of Christian Religion can' t seem to grasp. It is the "do all things" part of (Phil. 4: 13) that those who claim to be followers of Christ need to remember.
Being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ will require much more of a born again believer than simply "going to Church" and going (or being put through) the motions associated with Christian Religion.
The more a born again believer develops the ability to distinguish between what it religious from what is spiritual, the easier it will be to comprehend why God hates religion of any variety.
The name, label, or title "Christian" did not originate with Peter and company in Jerusalem. Nor did it originate in the local assemblies in Rome. It was first given to the born again believers in local assembly located in Antioch, Greece. Scripture does not tell us if this label originally came from within or from an outside source in Antioch. From within, it would be a title of honor and distinction. If from without, it could have been intended as an insulting or derogatory manner, much like being called a Jesus Freak or a Holy Roller in more recent times.
What we are told is that Christian was a name (or label) given to the born again believers of the local assembly in Antioch who were identified as being followers of the Lord Jesus Christ."
The Lord Jesus Christ established the basis on which a born again believer was/is to become one of his followers (Matt. 16 24 NASB).
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself , and take up his cross and follow Me (Matt. 16: 24 NASB."
The denial that our Lord was speaking of is spelled out in Luke14: 26. In short, no thing, and no one (even ourselves) is to come before a believer's relationship and walk with the Lord.
The cross, being spoken of in Matt. 16: 24 NASB, that the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is to pick up is often misidentified.
Granted, bearing and promoting the message of the cross, aka the Gospel Message, is certainly a part of the being a disciple and an ambassador, but this is not the point that the Lord was teaching His disciples in Matt.16: 24.
In Matt. 16: 24, the Lord Jesus Christ was not speaking of His own cross. No one, but the Lord, could pick up and accomplish what He accomplished on His cross. Simon (Matt. 27: 32) literally picked up and carried the Lord's cross along the way to Golgotha, but only the Lord Jesus Christ could (and did) accomplish the atoning work while nailed to it. The cross was the symbol and means through which Rome punished the "worst of the worst" of those convicted of breaking Roman Law.
As in the case of the Apostle Paul, Roman citizens condemned to death under Roman Law could be beheaded, rather than be crucified. This option was considered to be an act of mercy in light of the agony and slow death that was associated with crucifixion.
Note that in the phrase "his cross," the word his in the NASB translation is not capitalized, as in the case when pronouns are used when making reference to God (e.g. Me) in the same sentence.
The pronoun "his" in Matt. 16: 24 phrase "his cross" is not referring to either the Lord Jesus Christ, nor is it referring to the cross upon which our Lord was crucified. The Matt. 16: 24 cross is often also misidentified as all the adversity and challenges that are commonly experienced by all persons, believers and unbelievers, alike. The Matt. 16: 24 pronoun "his" is making reference to the born again believer who chooses to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, and the noun "cross" is symbolic of all of the personal and inevitable adversity that he/she w-i-l-l (2Tim. 3: 12) encounter if/when he/she takes his/her personal stand for the Lord.
"Indeed all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2Tim. 3: 12 NASB)."
The godly life being spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12 is not the life promoted by Christian Religion.
If they were honest, many who live out the life that Christian Religion promotes have never experienced much of the type of persecution spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12. If they do, they misidentify the common problems that is the experience of both believers and unbelievers alike as being the price they are paying for being a Christian. The truth is that their spiritual life has got nothing or little to do with the problems they face, other than God sending or allowing such things to take place with a divine objective in mind (Romans 8: 28 ).
Problems that are a common experience to both believers and unbelievers alike is NOT the cross being spoken of in Matt. 16: 24.
It is the adversity that one encounters as a result of having taken a stand for Christ in the midst of spiritual combat (Eph. 6) is what the Matt. 16: 24 type of "cross" is all about. Taking a stand for Christ involves the life of discipleship and ambassadorship as one participates in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20). There are many who claim to be Christians that rarely, if ever, speak of the Gospel Message or offer a principle of edifying doctrine to anyone outside of their comfort zone of like-minded fellow believers.
One reason that many of the followers of Christian Religion do not experience Eph. 6: 16 attacks is that the devil has them right where he wants them, at least for the moment. The devil is "wise" enough to leave well enough alone as misguided individuals and groups unwittingly promote much of the devil's alternative agenda. The local assembly or the individual believer that hardly ever experiences a Eph. 6: 16 attack, should ask itself or him/herself why this is so! Its is because of its, his, her, involvement with Christian Religion, as opposed to Christianity?
One will know that the local assembly of choice and the advancing disciples with are on the right track when the local assembly, the advanciples within, and/or you have drawn the attention of the devil and his forces of evil, evidenced by the frequency and the intensity of the missiles/arrows he sends its/your way.
Man was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing battle that began before the creation of Man. Here in the Church Age, the Church that God designed, consisting of all born again believers, are in the front lines of spiritual combat (Eph. 6: 12).
The alternative churches that the devil promotes aren't even on the battlefield. Its members are there to receive all the earthly and eternal benefits that such Churches claim to offer, but with little or no participation in the Great Commission that God gave to the Church that He designed and commissioned.
Such alternative Churches are deeply entrenched with Christian Religion, but not Christianity.
It is the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship and ambassadorship that will generate the 2Tim. 3: 12 persecution and the Eph. 6:16 attacks from the devil, the devil's followers, and sometimes from the very promoters and followers of Christian Religion.
Being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ refers to discipleship. A disciple is a student (2Pet. 3: 18) and a doer (James 1: 22) of the Word of God.
Discipleship is a post (after one is saved) salvation activity.
Before one can be a "Christian" (a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ) he/she must first be born again, as "...apart from God, you can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB)."
It is the"nothing" part that the followers of Christian Religion can' t seem to grasp. It is the "do all things" part of (Phil. 4: 13) that those who claim to be followers of Christ need to remember.
Being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ will require much more of a born again believer than simply "going to Church" and going (or being put through) the motions associated with Christian Religion.
The more a born again believer develops the ability to distinguish between what it religious from what is spiritual, the easier it will be to comprehend why God hates religion of any variety.