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CHRISTIANITY
– A RELIGIOUS LIFESTYLE?
Christianity
is a way of life not a Religion! How
can there be a doubt of that? Paul
created a Church, whose members make up the body of Christ.
One body! Paul only
knew one story. He got it
from God, and he devoted his life to teaching all who would become his
brother in Christ, the meaning of the brotherhood of Christ and the
promise of redemption fulfilled. For
centuries, religious organizations have adopted the Christian way of
life as the basis for their belief system, each claiming it their own,
with each dividing the word differently, but all practicing the rituals
of religion that have been handed down by tradition for two millennia.
What happened to
the body Paul began? Funny,
God asked the same question of each of the Churches in Revelation.
Two are singled out for praise; Smyrna, for enduring the
bitterness of persecution, and Philadelphia, the body of brotherly love
for keeping the truth of His word.
The others are reminded of their short fallings and finally
warned in the end time age of Laodicea to repent or suffer the Great
Tribulation.
If we are in the
time of the end signaled by the events of Daniels prophecy coming to
life on the stage of history, then we are in the time when the Christian
Church on earth is depicted in Revelation as the Laodicean Church.
Laodiceans are going to be spit out unless they repent.
Philadelphian’s
on the other hand have a door being held open for them by Jesus, and His
promise that He won’t let the warning to the Laodiceans last very
long.
John is writing to
the Churches that Paul started. In
just a few years the body of Christ that Paul started was already
beginning to be diluted into what became the exchange of a way of life
for a structured set of religious beliefs known generically as
Christianity.. Each sharing
the common intention of getting followers to heaven through them.
Is Christianity a
brotherhood today? Other
than the Philadelphians who have kept the word of the truth of Paul’s
original body kindling in their time, is there anyone listening to what
Paul taught? Who are the
Christian guru’s of today? What
are they teaching? What’s
their message? Jesus said
that you can tell a tree by it’s fruit.
Paul was a blunt
talking preacher. He got
right to the point and didn’t mince many words.
His end time prophecy is pervasive through out his teachings, yet
seldom do I find or hear of a guru teaching on it.
Typical of the
time I guess, because a major characteristics of the Laodicean’s is
their blindness and their need for eye salve
Recently I
commented on the present crop of gurus who are touting that God is
punishing the United States because of the governments Middle East
Policy. Well, in answering
a question the other day, I found myself having a few more thoughts on
the subject.
God
And Punishment
Scripture shows
that God punished the Jews in line with the Covenant He made with them,
but the covenant that He made with the Church doesn't involve
punishment; it involves forgiveness and reward for being a member of the
body.
Jesus died for all
man kind, and His covenant requires a willful act to become a member and
participate in the forgiveness and the reward. You either join in
or you don't! It's just that simple. If you choose to be in, it
makes no difference to God what kind of sins you commit.
He’s not looking to punish you for them, He’s looking for you
to recognize that they are sins, and to know that because you do, you
are being looked at through the work of Jesus, and they are covered by
Him. The word sin comes from the Greek; Homorita, which means to
fall short. Everything we do as humans falls short of the glory of
God, therefore no sin is "worse" than any other, and all of
them, past, present and future were nailed to the cross that Jesus bore,
so what are they talking about special punishment for nations that don't
obey the "laws" of God? God
is looking for trust from man, not perfection.
Remember folks, we are not sinners because we sin, we sin because
we’re sinners.
I can think of two
reasons why God made us sinners. First,
it fits His plan perfectly to use our sinfulness to keep the connection
with us alive and vital. Our
personal relationship is dependent on sinning!
We stay connected to God by knowing that our sins were forgiven
by His actions, and working directly with Him in our daily struggle to
avoid the Devil and his temptations.
Without owning up to sins, we would have no need for God.
Secondly, for His own good, He uses our sins to build the trust
in Him that is requires to accept His word as fact, so you can freely
accept the graciousness of the gift of His mercy.
Sin gives grace meaning. That’s
why He doesn’t make and end to it until the end.
Christians are Raptured! Paul
said that you are changed from corruptible to incorruptible when you put
on your immortality. You
are no longer a sinner, but sin goes on, and the Great Tribulation is
how He deals with it after the Rapture, with those who mistrusted Him
and didn’t accept His gift.
The
law is included in the covenant with the Jews, not Christians!
Christians are covered by Grace, which is "unmerited favor"
from God because of what Jesus did. Faith is what saves, and faith
is an action based upon belief and sustained by confidence. People
are either in Christ or not in Christ, and scripture is clear about how
you get in Christ; you must ask Him in, and when you do, by God’s GRACE
you receive eternal life for your FAITH, instead of the death
that sinners deserve, because the LAW says, for sin comes DEATH!
Nations
can't have faith! People have faith! It's a common misnomer that
the USA, or England, or France, or Italy or any country for that
matter, is a "Christian Country", just because lots of the
people in those countries believe that Jesus is the Messiah. The
governments of those countries couldn't care less about the Messiah.
God called governments "beasts", all governments! I
don't care if they are democratic, autocratic, or any other cratic, God
considers them beasts.
The
Jews are under the LAW and are punished accordingly if they break
the law. Their prophecies are full of examples.
God provided them a way of atonement, but it’s presently a
rubble heap, and temporarily on hold.
Christians
are under grace by free will choice, and will be judged accordingly when
it's time. So, I don't think that God is singling out America for any
special treatment for the “sins” of their government or it’s
unbelieving citizens. The outcome of the Covenant is already
spelled out in scripture. Don't you think that God would have spelled
out everything that he was going to include in the covenant from the
beginning? I do, because in all instances, that’s His manner!
The
word is already nigh you, speak it forth, for with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation (Rom 10:10). Speak not, and receive not. It's
doesn't say speak not and expect to receive special treatment.
Christianity has to be freely chosen and it's available to all man kind,
so it's up to each individual to accept or deny the lordship of Jesus,
and for that they will be judged when they come before the Lord to
answer for their actions. For
those who chose Christ, there will be a great celebration in heaven on
that day.
The
real problem is that once again in history, the word of God, which is
His covenant has been turned from a life style into a religion.
The Jews did the same thing, resulting in them missing the Messiah when
He came on the scene, which is what Scripture says will happen to
Christians in the end. The only special warning that God gives in
the end time is to the Church of Laodicea, the final age of the Church.
He says; either ask me in, and join me in my throne, or don't and get
spit out. Then He says; those who have an ear, let them hear what
the Spirit sayeth unto the Churches. Then no more words for the
Church.
Today
the emphasis is placed on salvation and that's all they talk about.
There is no teaching going on past that; only condemnation for your
sins, which should never be a concern. It's much more important in
my opinion to learn about Christianity as a life style because once you
accept Christ, you are saved. After that it's a matter of learning
to live like you are, and that's what they don't teach which is what I
find to be most disturbing, because therein lies the road to Laodicea.
Paul
taught love, forgiveness and reward.
The Church teaches fire and brimstone along with doom and gloom
and being left behind, which are the things slated for those who did
not choose Christ!
Is
there a hope of changing that? Well, that's why I teach, in that
hope, but, it takes more than just one lonely voice in the wilderness,
and after 5 years, I'm still that voice in the wilderness, still hoping
to make a dent, but I need your help.
Thanks
for listening and God bless.
Humbly,
Your Brother in Christ,
Brother Sal from CHN
PS: I would like to be updated as to the status of Sister Marian
Epperson. Thank you.
"The Prophecy of Daniel The Book of Revelation
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