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The
world of religion,
what a world! Almost
everyone is in their
own particular place
regarding a search
for a personal belief
system. How would
we graph our place
as a believer or an
unbeliever? Do you
know what you believe?
Do you know why you
hold these beliefs?
Some have a belief
in a god
of some description,
others may not. Some
pray, some believe
in an afterlife, while
others have no faith
in any god nor any
life following this
one.
There are so many
religions inside and
outside of Christianity.
There are so many
named gods and paths
to appeasing them.
Within these myriad
forms of belief or
worship some have
developed a set of
moral values in accord
with these beliefs.
Indeed many of these
values promote peace
and brotherhood toward
the greater community.
Meanwhile, other religious
beliefs may generate
hatred and intolerance
toward those outside
of that faith. Some
religious factions
hold that unbelievers
people must convert
even if through duress.
"Religion"
as a general topic,
is an admirable study
for some, a mandatory
doctrine for millions.
Religion in general
revolves around the
belief in "spirits"
as defined by Margaret
Mead, the anthropologist.
The crusades were
a demonstration of
wrong Christian
beliefs. The
inhumanities done
were done in accordance
with a form of religion
and not in conformity
to the Gospel of Christ.
The crusades and the
inquisition were chapters
in Catholicism that
further demonstrated
an abuse of power
that is presumed when
the rule of God on
earth is assumed in
the rulership of a
political church
on earth. As we study
further we will discover
serious detriments
in the widely varying
forms of the institutional
church that have been
perpetuated for centuries
Christianity is meant
to be a message of
love, acceptance and
forgiveness. Desolations
and judgment against
unbelievers is not
to be exercised by
believers in the true
Gospel. In the Gospel
there is an invitation
to come freely and
receive, partaking
in the power of Jesus'
love, and forgiveness.
There is no sword
to convert the unbeliever,
but rather the demonstration
of the supernatural
power of God that
converts the heart
and pursuades each
that there is a loving
God in heaven who
desires that no one
dies under condemnation.
"God so loved
the world - - ,"
John 3:16 is the often
quoted basic text.
Condemnation never
comes from the hand
of a believer who
is commanded to walk
in the same love and
forgiveness that Jesus
modeled to all.
This true gospel
has 3 factors
to determine authenticity:
The
right Jesus, not
an angel, not merely
a prophet nor a good
man, not a teacher,
but the only begotten
Son of God, the Jewish
Messiah.
The right gospel,
it is a gospel of
good news that
humanity may come
to the giver of life
and receive eternal
life and forgiveness
freely, without the
mediation of a priest;
nor is it a gospel
of works, nor is it
a gospel of faith
and works; the door
is open to any who
call upon the name
of the Lord.
The source of truth
and understanding
of this gospel is
the Holy Bible.
The right Spirit,
there are many spirits
in the world, some
sacred and others
demonic. Spirits abound
in the atmosphere
of every nation and
have been a factor
in human life for
thousands of years.
Evil spirits addressed
by disciples and apostles
of Jesus' day are
still present to seduce
and steal from the
life, liberty and
spiritual potential
of all, even a believer.
The spirit of the
world is a spirit
of self exaltation
and pride. Of course
modern thought and
psychology discredits
spirits as a primitive
and obsolete belief
system. However, it
is to be noted that
Jesus the Messiah
came to "destroy
the works of the devil,"
Satan, the ruler of
all fallen beings.
It is God's purpose
to restore the proper
line of earthly rule
under the dominion
of Jesus Christ. In
due time nations will
recognize him as the
Holy One of God, appointed
Lord of all things.
Evil or wrong spirits
include, pride, rebellion,
witchcraft, defilement,
sensuality, gluttony,
drunkeness, etc.
One
God equals any other?
The broad-minded,
ecumenical world would
like to assert that
any god is essentially
at par with any other,
or declare they all
are expressions of
the same sublime higher
One.
I am now a Christian
believer, but was
not always so. Disallusioned
by religion, sensing
all of the superficialities,
the hypocrisies, and
the lack of any proof
in the God of the
Bible I went on searching
and doubting, and
trusting that I was
good enough not to
fall into condemnation
in the event that
my presumptions were
wrong. I had heard
the term "Good
News" referring
the Gospel of the
Messiah Jeshua (Jesus).
But experience in
Christianity was only
valued in a sentimental
way. I knew the memories
of a lifestyle in
my childhood. During
these days I yearned
to touch and experience
something that was
real, powerful and
persuasive. This,
I believe, is exactly
where so many seeking
people are at today.
Hopeful, but without
proof that God is
real and reachable.
I was not taught that
God was a reality
to be experienced
and the Gospel is
the Power of God to
effect human life
in many profound ways
outside of my religious
experience.
The Gospel as
the power of God,
powerfully persuades
us to believe, in
a God of love and
a God who can impact
human lives in remarkable
life-changing ways
that exist out of
the realm of church
life. This is no shallow
tradition ruled religion,
but knowing God who
reveals himself as
Saviour and King of
the universe. And
even more amazingly,
the Bible proves to
be entirely believable
and consistent in
spite of its detractors,
who work continuously
to discredit any belief
in its accuracy or
consistency. Now when
I hear of a God who
walked with man in
a spiritually perfect
world, I believe it;
when I hear of a God
who did wonders in
the days of Moses
or the prophets I
do not doubt for one
moment; when I hear
the prophecies of
the appointed men
of God to declare
the end from the beginning
I have no doubt in
the veracity of any
of those words.
God spoke through
prophets with inerrant
accuracy to declare
the Messiah and his
mission to redeem
fallen humanity and
all these prophecies
came to pass. Jesus
as the lamb of God
came to close the
divide between God
and humanity. The
resurrection of Jeshua,
as irrational scientifically
unsound it sounds
on the surface, remains
the foundation of
Christianity. Resurrection
establishes the "Power
of the Gospel"
and enables any believer
to partake in His
divine nature.
Religions
of the world vary
in name and beliefs.
Establishing worldly
kingdoms as the launching
pad for those beliefs
is contrary to the
Gospel. Christian
religions, including,
Catholicism, Mormonism,
Jehovah's Witnesses,
and most of the protestant
denominations have
distorted the simplicity
of the Gospel greatly,
making it formalistic
and religious.
Churches (Buildings
with congregations)
are now what people
think of when we imagine
Christian practices.
When ceremony and
ritual are the practiced,
and where obligations
or extraneous demands
are taught, these
are contrary to the
original Gospel, e.g.
the Apostolic epistles.
Are
You a Seeker?
IS YOUR RELIGION DRAWING
YOU CLOSER TO GOD?
This
is an introduction
to the book series
I completed in 1996.
I decided to call
this series "The Gospel
Without Religion"
which best captures
its major focus and
intent. It is based
upon my own Spiritual
interests and in the
liberating
promises of Bible
(The Power of God
in Scripture).
These are concise
revelations that I
believe reveal the
truth revealed in
the Scriptures. Those
who are seeking will
find it may answer
concerning questions
of life, liberty and
faith; and these truths
achievable quite apart
from institutional
"religion".
I
came to an understanding
of the "Gospel" after becoming
a "believer".
I experienced God's love,
being 'born again' in 1981.
I was amazed and dismayed
that the simplicity of Jesus'
teachings that have
the power to change and
to transformed lives with
divine blessings were never
made known to me in the
spiritually vacant denominational
experiences I grew up with.
Knowledge
of these simple Bible truths
are still virtually unknown
and unpracticed among most
of the tradition- bound
doctrines of thousands of
supposedly "Christian churches"
throughout the world.
I
find that there are
3
paradigms of "wisdom"
and "truth"
which
people are apt to
follow:
The
first, the paradigm of worldly
wisdom, finds truth in a
context of worldly life
and thought:
(simply put, the natural
man can not know God, The
Holy One through his wisdom
has made it difficult for
the strong, the wise, the
self sufficient, the noble,
the well-off of this world
to know the truth.
Instead we must become "needy"
and "poor" or be made small
like a child in order to
enter in at this gateway
of truth.
The
second, the paradigm of
religious wisdom, echos
truths based upon catechisms
or religious teachings:
as it pertains to "godliness"
and truth. This is "church
house" religion. The paradigm
is observable more or less
in every formal and institutional
house of religion where
human leadership and traditions
rule.
The
third is the paradigm of
truth revealed by God's
Spirit which we call God's
Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is given
through Christ to each believer
who seeks it. Through the
Spirit we are able to become
disciples and to know the
ways of God which were once
totally foreign to us. It
is a token investiture of
divinity; and it is freely
given a gift.
The
True believer, in the Holy
Spirit paradigm, requires
no priests or intermediaries
though we are all called
upon to be guides, mentors
and eventually mature. There
is a fellowship that is
pure. It is a fellowship
of love, acceptance and
forgiveness that extends
the "kingdom of heaven"
to our hearts (our spiritual
selves) and transforms our
souls (mind, will, and emotion).
Believers
may grow and mature as disciples.
Jesus told his followers
to do this, to teach (disciple,
or make disciples) people
in all nations.
Shortly
after inception of the "Church"
in the age of apostles,
human headship and tradition
took the place of the divinely
ordered fellowship of believers
in which Jesus reproduced
himself in each believers
who became a "True Worshipper."
Apostolic
Expectations and Guidelines
for
Christian Fellowship
What
we are called upon
to seek in Koinonia
1. To be: United in purpose
- namely, to give God glory
2. To be: United in Spirit
- The Spirit that is in
Christ Jesus
3. To be: Bound in mutual
love and acceptance.
The spirit
of Love denotes we are Christians
4. To: Seek God individually
and corporately in Spirit
and Truth
5. To: Realize that the
Holy Spirit must be welcomed
and given place so that
He may lead and guide
6. To: incorporate the unique
gifts and abilities God
has given to each
7. To: Follow the "Gatekeeper",
the head of the home or
house;
the(leader) who is designated
to follow the Spirit in
an orderly way
8. To: Gaurd against pitfalls
against unity; to gaurd
against the rong spirit;
anger, prejudice, suspicion,
jealousy will "grieve" the
Holy Spirit.
9. To see to it: That all
things are in order and
intended for gaining God's
peace, edification and joy.
10. To: Use the Word of
God to establish every principle
of truth and doctrine.
Growing
in the knowledge of
God as Disciples
1.
Discipleship provides learning
experiences for a believer.
2. Knowledge of fundamental
principles of doctrine which
are taught in the Word:
Essential Apostolic Doctrine.
3. Paradigms of wisdom:
worldly, religious 'Godliness',
and Spiritual Godliness
understanding principles
Becoming
acquainted with spiritual
understanding pertaining
to:
-
the power of agreement
recognizes the spiritual
law pertaining to
agreement between
2 or 3 witnesses,
the amen of God.
-
understanding principles
pertaining to God
speaking the end from
the beginning, Spirit
of prophesy.
-
understanding principles
pertaining to words
and their power
-
understanding principles
pertaining to blessings
and curses
-
understanding principles
pertaining to apostolic
order
-
understanding principles
pertaining to the
new covenant (gospel)
-
understanding principles
pertaining to the
blood of Jesus
-
understanding principles
pertaining to types
and foreshadows of
Christ in the Old
Covenant Scriptures
-
understanding principles
pertaining to Jewish
roots of the Gospel
-
understanding principles
pertaining to feasts
of Israel, all fulfilled
in Christ
-
understanding principles
pertaining to the
kingdom of God
-
understanding principles
pertaining to kingdom
authority of the believer
over spiritual enemies
-
understanding principles
pertaining to praise
and worship entering
the streams of God
-
understanding principles
pertaining to agreement
the first step in
receiving from God
-
understanding principles
pertaining to spiritual
warfare, the ongoing
battle for each divinely
invested saint
-
understanding principles
pertaining to ways
of prayer, communion,
intercession, enforcement,
faith
-
understanding principles
pertaining to ministry
of every disciple
-
understanding principles
pertaining to Holy
Spirit baptism, equipping
and empowering the
disciple to minister.
Quest
for God, Introduction to
the Gospel Without Religion
KOINONIA
Koinonia
is the first step
in experiencing the
fellowship with God
and with believers,
Within koinonia, individuals
are edified and matured
by the sharing the
gifts of the Holy
Spirit.
Why Christians Gather
Additional Pages of
Christian Insight
Complete
Listing of Christian
Topics
Introduction
to "The Gospel
Without Religion"
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