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GWR
05
click
below for
AUTHOR'S
VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Author's Brief
Testimony
Denominational
Empires become Worldly Kingdoms
When
Religion Becomes a Worldly Empire
Jesus
when asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom
of God was coming, answered;The kingdom of
God is not coming in a way that can be observed;
(21) nor will they say, Look, here it is! or
there it is! For, in fact, the kingdom of God
is among you. (Luke 17:20 - Luke 17:21 20
)
Religion
(as church denominations) are the best known
expressions of Christian religious institutions.
Why were holy wars or religious wars fought?
Why did reformations and counter reformations
occur that saw nations pitted against nation,
and men and women pronounced heretic to be
imprisoned in chains, and executed by fire
or by ax?
Worldly power and dominion were absolutely
NOT what Jesus planned to actualize his kingdom.
Jesus clearly stated to Pilate the Roman governor,
just before he was crucified, "my
kingdom is not of this world, if it were my
followers would fight."
A future time is coming when the
perfect
will
have come. In that day the perfect will include
the personal physical rule of Christ over an
earthly kingdom. Jesus reiterated to Pilate,
"Now,
my kingdom is Not Of This World!"
Yet, earthly kingdoms have usurped the purposes
and desires of the Lord. The growth of institutional
Christianity as a political, economic and social
power began quickly after the earliest years
of the faith. The life of God, along with truth
and simplicity of the Gospel began to dissolve.
Individual centers of fellowship were once
Spirit led and non formalistic. The immediacy
of first hand Holy Spirit revelation and Spiritual
fellowship gave way to religious structure
and formalism. The form and power of the Book
of Acts church faded from existence. When religion
became bereft of spiritual understanding and
becomes empowered as a political force, it
does its ugliest, most evil work. That house
became divided and raged against itself. "The
Spirit of Truth is exchanged for a lie. The
'Right Spirit' is exchanged for the spirit
of pride, vengeance and retribution the very
spirit of murder.
Satan a spiritual opportunist seeking opportunity
to usurp rulership of the church. Demonically
inspired doctrines creep in and a house is
divided. Vanity reigns in gaudy splendor. and
individuals ruled over the ordinary believer.
Religious empires defend their power in an
orgy of blood-letting. Men come against others,
maybe their own brothers, to destroy one another
in the name of God.
The
wisdom and counsel of God's Word was abandoned
when men and nations began to create worldly
kingdoms and called them God's kingdom? The
Kingdom of God and Truth was exchanged for
something without eternal substance. "My
kingdom is not of this world, if it were of
this world my people would fight. But now
it is not of this world." Denominationalism
continues to build its own worldly kingdoms.
They foster their own "princes and nobles"
and rulers of states. They have multitudes
of lesser nobles and greater multitudes of
serfs who continue to serve the fiefdoms, while
receiving nothing more than spiritual gruel
that can neither nourish the "inner man"
nor set him free. Among
the manifold
religious traditions that we are so familiar,
there are too many departures from understanding
of truth. These produce detriments to human
spiritual life, liberty, power, and fruitfulness.
NEXT
CHAPTER
E
Book 1:
The
Gospel Without
Religion
E Book 2:
A
Disciples Handbook
E Book 3:
Mysteries
in the Bible Index
to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles
Index
to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles
Resources:
Understanding Home Fellowships
Frank Viola Interviews a typical church-goer
(Discussion
of Open Church)
Frank
Viola
"Who's
Your Covering"
"Rethinking the
Wineskin"
Sid
Roth
Guest, George Barna
"Moving beyond the established church"
Barna's
Book: "Revolution"
Interview 2/20/2006 http://www.sidroth.org
Sid
Roth Guest:
Tim and Katie Mather
Subject: Open Church
http://www.sidroth.org/radio.htm
Guest:
Jim Rutz
Author of Book: "Megashift, "
"Experiencing the fullness of God
outside of Institutional Religion"
Subject: Open Church
http://www.sidroth.org/radio.htm
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