Religion

Over the centuries Christianity has developed an expansive library of Church traditions and theology with which to control the activities of believers in the various denominations that exist within the orthodoxy of organised religion.This has involved a bevy of catechisms of which examples range from the Roman Catholic Catechism, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Confession of Faith and various other religious documents including Books of Church Order, Bible Commentaries etc..

Now it can be said that there is some very good teaching in many of these documents and some great merit in adhering to many of the religious traditions. Christmas and Easter are a lot of fun but how did jolly old Saint Nick get attached to the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ or where did the Easter bunny come from and why doesn’t the church call out the error of this extra Christian distortion of the celebration of the Resurrection. Lent, Advent and Holy Week as seasons of the Christian Christian cycle? Books of Church Order and Catechism, veneration of saints and objects, and various other extra biblical anomalies. Ah! Religion, now I see it.

It could be said that Christianity is swamped with Church tradition and that this situation results in the frustration of most of the most basic intentions as outlined by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels. It results, in the Churches, and believers, being confined to a worldly approach to Christian objectives. Instead of living by faith and in the Spirit. We rather live by sight and in the flesh.

When we should be coming together as a congregation and prayerfully seeking God’s will for our future. We come together as church members attending a business meeting where instead of searching the bible we peruse books of church statutes and do what is right in our own sight. It hi-lights what happens when we Christians lose focus on walking daily with Jesus Christ and living in the Spirit.

We proceed through life living in the flesh and as the apostle Paul put it “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:5). Could this be why Jesus jousted with the Pharisees and was the center of so much opposition from them? To the point that they conspired to murder Him and carried that plot to its conclusion on the Cross. Ah! Religion, now I see. Religion is power!

So, what is Religion and why is it so destructive to the Christian walk. Well for what it’s worth this is my take on the whole distracting, disruptive business that is Christian Religion. I have personally never taken a label for who I am and what I believe other than calling myself a Christian. I have always felt that others who believe on and love Jesus Christ are my brothers and sisters, in Christ.

In the first century, before the followers of Jesus became known as Christians they were known as “The People of the Way.” I really like that description of the Christian as follower of Jesus and I would accept it myself. Christianity is a way of life and is entirely based around our belief and faith in Christ Jesus and the relationship that we have with Him.

It is a moment by moment relationship with Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and religion has no part in it. It is a living thing where we are so close to God that He is a part of us. Religion only happens when we live a fleshly life with some spiritual connections. If we walk by sight we allow Satan to begin speaking into our hearts.

If we do all the outward features of walking in the Spirit only people who know us really well will know we are actually just faking it. If every Christian in our church is faking it except one or two then Satan has a way into the church administration. When important decisions are taken and don’t seek God because we aren’t closely connected to Him then we do what is right in our own sight. Having a quorum doesn’t make it right. After a few disasters we all decide we need to write a few things down.

We call it a Church Book of Order or if we’ve been doing this for a century, or two, we write the scripture interpretations we like into something we call a Confession of Faith. Now you may say that those type of documents are actually really necessary and if we are going to keep operating with a shallow relationship with God then you are probably right.

A friend was asking me what I thought about the place of women in the Church? I said to him look at the example of Lydia in the bible. No one appointed her to be the leader of the Church in Thyatira. She simply became Paul’s first convert there and started a church in her own home. No one seems to have opposed the idea just because she was a woman. Paul seemed happy enough with her and God seems to have appointed her and they were walking in the Spirit with a powerful relationship with God. No church book of order required.

You see the Holy Spirit writes God’s law in your heart and puts it in your mind but if you don’t stay connected to God then you start having to write down your own laws in a document somewhere. It is not as good as God’s because its Man’s Law not God’s but in the absence of the real thing it fills a gap. The reason Satan likes it is because as it did with the Pharisees using Man’s Law consolidates power with the Church leadership in the hands of a few powerful people. The locus of control moves from the people into a church hierarchy that becomes an amalgam of church and state and ultimately doesn’t even resemble the organisation that God intended His Church to be. Check out Revelation seventeen.

So Satan’s attack on Christianity and the Church as an organisation is four fold. First, get the Christians focused on themselves and to walk by sight instead of faith. In the flesh not in the Spirit. Instead of seeking God in continual prayer they spend most of their time living in their own power. Instead of miracles they seek solutions. The result is they drift away from God and their faith begins to wain. Instead of a vibrant spiritual life they become spiritually dead.

Secondly, because, they no longer commune with God they need rules to enable the solutions they seek. So, they start to write guidelines for the Christian life and the functioning of the Church. Next, they start to write commentaries and catechisms filled with their best guess interpretations of God’s Word. Soon, those writings take on a kind holiness and become of a higher status than the Bible. Because there is error in them they begin to have and impact which is visible, and measurable, when compared to the Bible and the voice of the Spirit in our hearts. If we are honest we know this nonsense is not right but when has the sure knowledge of error ever stopped men walking in error.

Thirdly the enemies next step is to set up a hierarchy among the leaders of the Church and among the congregants. The hierarchy among the congregants is especially useful because it can be used to control those who would seek to steer the Church back in the right direction. The hierarchy amongst the leadership goes from deacon to Bishop and is theoretically based on God’s word but it rapidly becomes and old boys club and it is not what you know but who you know that determines the outcomes. With this structure Satan usurps God’s control within the Church and establishes a culture that at its root is Antichrist. This is by no means universal in its control but there are elements of this hierarchy in every denomination.

Finally, having lulled the believers to sleep; Having instituted rules and theology; Having instituted a dominant leadership hierarchy; Then the enemy capitalises on the fact that the believers are not communing with God and not obeying the great commandment. Jesus said “You will know them by their fruit.” The reality is they don’t have any fruit not in the mainline Churches and none that is good in any case.

So, what has to happen to turn all of this around? The same thing that usually happens when the Almighty quickens the flock. Probably, some persecution followed by a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The impact will most likely be stronger among the lost although it will certainly start among the Churches and the Christian folk who wake and begin to walk in the Spirit and commune with God once more.

Dear Friends,

Your personal relationship with Jesus Christ is everything and is paramount. Your walk in the Spirit depends on it. To actually achieve the will of God you need to commune with Him all of the time. When you do things for the Church you need to do it as a whole and prayerfully seeking God’s will.

Remember what Jesus said...

John 15: 4-5

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ESV

In Christ,

Bruce

Are we free to choose Christ Jesus?

 

Some folk believe that man is totally depraved and without the ability to choose to believe on Jesus Christ or to do any good thing. That he has no free will and that he lives a life scripted by God for good or for bad. When I think about this I wonder what would the world look like if we knew there was a God but we had no divine guidance in the form of the bible. If we had no authoritative source of information to tell us about the history of the people of God. Nothing to lead us to Christ Jesus or to show us about His redemptive work on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead. What would the world be like?

The apostle Paul told us that the all of mankind knows right from wrong in their hearts. God has put that knowledge in the souls of all humanity (Romans 1:19-20). Satan tells mankind that there is no God and a man should do whatever he desires to do. Do what you want in other words. However, the conscience that God has given you informs you that there is a path that is wicked and a path that is righteous. You have the knowledge and you have the choice.

So, if we look at our depravity from the God’s point of view we simply don’t measure up. Romans 3:10 tells us that “There is non righteous not even one.” Romans 3:22 says “All have sinned and all fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 puts it this way “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So when stand before God we are clearly deficient or as the prophet Isaiah states “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” KJV

If we consider our situation from a human point of view where we are considering our good deeds or our sinful acts in comparison to our equally fallen brothers and sisters. May be we can be more merciful to our fellow men and women. We all know at least someone who is not a Christian but who is a good person when judged by human standards and as I mentioned before we all have a heart felt knowledge of right and wrong. Christians are saved but are not perfect in this life and this is also the case with non believers who are often decent folk but not perfect in this life. Non Christians may choose to be as righteous as they can be because they have the free choice. They may not have heard the gospel or read the bible but often they try to be as righteous as they can as people who don’t know God. This does not apply to all as some people are just wicked but that is often a choice they make for themselves.

However, The fallen and unsaved do good things every day. Mothers and Fathers love their children. They feed and care for them and even give their lives for them in many places around the world. Are these not righteous acts. We hear tales of valor from wars and from disasters and often these are from people who are not Christian. If we cannot do any good thing with out the grace of God, how is it that the unrighteous can do these things at all?

I believe that much of the thinking that underpins ideas like “We are so depraved we can do no good thing without the grace of God,”comes from legalism and church tradition. It is the traditions of men based in the arrogance that we know better than those around us. It is so easy to be saved and credit the grace of God for our salvation while condemning the lost for their depravity. Interesting in the light of what Jesus says in John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (NKJV). If God does not condemn the world then why do we?

Ezekiel chapter eighteen is interesting reading when it comes to learning about God’s attitude to sin and repentance. In paraphrase, Ezekiel speaks here of how God views the sins of the fathers and the impact they have on the righteousness of their sons. The end of the chapter, verses thirty through thirty two says this: “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Here, the prophet speaks to the reader as though they are able to hear his message and react to to it. There appears to be no question of them being unable to respond to his instructions because of their depravity. God who inspired the prophet, seems to expect them to repent and return to Him as though the course is open to them and they are completely able to comply with His request. It is as though He views them as free will beings with the freedom to choose.

It is interesting that the people are being told to repent and turn from their transgressions in a similar way to that which the apostle Peter proclaims in the book of Acts chapter three verses seventeen through twenty: “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers also did. But the things which God previously announced by the mouths of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you..” (NASB).

Now, if you read Ezekiel chapter eighteen and the passage from Acts chapter three you will see that the people are given a clear vision of sin and repentance and God has given them a clear choice, and He gives it with the expectation that you will obey and live. The choice is yours my friends. It always has been and it is a choice given to free will beings created in the image of God. Whom God hopes will choose His Son, Jesus Christ, that they might have eternal life and live forever with Him in the kingdom of heaven.

So let the bible which is the divinely inspired word of God have the last say.

Two Peter chapter three verses eight and nine:

“But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance..” (NASB).

John chapter three verse sixteen:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)

The Whole Picture

 

Many Christians speak of salvation in terms of election and grace. However, the bible provides more information about salvation than election alone and the bigger picture involves faith, belief and an element of personal choice.

Now, it is not agreeable to talk about freedom of choice in many Christian circles. This is because as it is considered that since the fall of man, humanity is so completely depraved that they are unable to choose to do any good thing.

A fallen person then, would be unable to believe that God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, bore their sins on the cross and that through believing in His redemptive work they would receive eternal life.

Therefore, from this perspective people can only be saved through God’s grace. This statement is true but focuses on only part of the picture of salvation. This is because God desires a people for His own possession (1Peter 2: 9-10), and that we each must choose to believe on Jesus Christ to become members of the people of God and to gain entry to the Kingdom of Heaven.

You see, it all comes back to what happened with Lucifer in heaven. Lucifer was perfect in every detail until sin was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15). Although God created him perfect, Lucifer (Satan), chose to disobey the will of God and sought to usurp the throne of God. To attempt to achieve this he led one third of the angels in a battle against God. He lost the war and was forcibly ejected from Heaven (Revelation 12:3-4).

He then came to Earth and decided to attack God’s creation there and by tempting Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and to disobey God (Genesis 3:1-6). In doing this, he brought about the fall of man and usurped their throne to become the prince of this world.

Now, because Satan was created perfect and decided to rebel against God as were Adam and Eve. It is now very important to God that man makes a choice to either believe on Jesus Christ and live or to reject Him and die. It must be a free will choice. Which is not to say that God will not assist man to make that choice through grace.

This is because, man has experienced sin and its consequences in this one life on Earth (1Corinthians 15:42). Every man is to live and die once and then the resurrection To those who choose to believe on Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the cross. They are resurrected to Eternal Life. To those who reject Jesus Christ. They are resurrected to judgement and the second death, eternal fire.

Thus, it is not only a matter of predestination and election from the foundation of the world although this is an essential part of salvation. It is also critical that man be able to exercise freedom of choice in the matter of salvation.

The method of delivery of that freedom of choice is the Holy Spirit. He brings the conviction of sin into the heart of the lost person who hears the gospel message (John 16:8). Under conviction, he enables them to make a decision, either to believe on Jesus Christ and to receive eternal life or to reject Jesus Christ and to receive eternal damnation. The choice is theirs.

So it is, that those who would believe on Jesus Christ would also want to spend eternity in the universe run according to the will and law of God (Psalm 16:11). Those who reject Christ would not want to spend eternity in His kingdom. As is evidenced by those who implore the rocks to fall on them and the hills to cover them when Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation in the book of Revelation.

It is often put forward by those who favour a Calvinist approach to predestination and grace, that all is provided that is needful for salvation through God’s grace and that all is achieved through the fulfilment of the sovereign will of God. However, there is also a mention of the will of man in the bible (Revelation 21:6).

If we read the bible clearly and without bias and were we to consider the concept of a ‘People of God’s Own Possession’ as if they were in a train on a railway line. Then each of the rails in this track would have a name. One would be called Election and Predestination, and the other rail would be called Freedom of Choice to Believe.

God desires a people who will obey His will. This is mentioned in Revelation chapter 22 verse 17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” KJV

The meaning of this verse is a positive decision on behalf of the believer to obey the will of God and to strongly desire to avail themselves of the glorious rewards of eternal life, bestowed on the people of God in the Kingdom Age to come.

So, what is the outcome of election and faith in my opinion. Well, I believe that we are chosen of God and surely elected in the sovereign will of God. I also believe, that we must choose God and believe on Christ Jesus with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, with all of our minds and with all of our strength. Then we must love our brother as we love ourselves.

Sovereign Election and Free Will Beings – Both Are True In God.