There are so many religions in this world. They worship a god or gods. Everybody claim that the god they worship is the true god. Christians and Jews are supposed to worship the Creator, who created all things in existence, as God. All other gods are created by men and they are false gods. The Lord Jesus Christ showed the way to God to his people. The way is righteousness and holiness through which Jesus Christ walked. Christians do not follow that way. Instead, Christians follow a religion with another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel. Most Christians follow a false way as any other religion. They lost the way of life and became religious. In short, Christians also follow a religion.
Two kinds of people are getting involved in the Church. They are carnally minded and spiritually minded.
"Rom 8:4 ... the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The spiritually minded people shall fulfill the righteousness of God. The carnally minded people will also be the part of the Church. But yet they cannot and will not obey the commandments of God. For example: If you talk to them about water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, gifts of the Holy Spirit, becoming holy, obeying God, becoming perfect, stop sinning, etc, they may accept one or two and will reject the rest or they may reject them all. They will argue and justify why they should not obey the doctrine of God. They may belong to a certain denomination of a church or a group, but they do not belong to God. They are carnal Christians. They are in enmity with God even though outwardly they appear to be serving God.Most Christians and Pastors do not know the difference between religiosity and spirituality. Sentiment, tradition, emotion, etc, which are considered spiritual by many are actually religious. Good Christian music in churches is accepted as the presence of God. The excitement and the admiration for the performance of music is mistaken for spiritual worship. We can add many more to this list.
"John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." Jesus Christ says that the born again people, who are the children of God, will move along with the Wind, which is the Holy Ghost. They will do whatever the Holy Ghost requires from them with perfect obedience. Religious and Spiritual people may speak the same vocabulary. Spiritual people will live in obedience to the doctrines of God while religious people will not obey, but will put up a show.When Satan deceives people he will not identify himself as Satan.
Even his disciples will not identify themselves as the servants of Satan. "2 Cor 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." Pretending as ministers of God, they preach false gospel and offer false salvation for which they will be punished accordingly.We obtain salvation by obeying God out of our love toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan wants us to love God but not with obedience. To love God through our ceremonies, songs, music, festivals, prayers, testimonies, witnesses, preaching, proclamations, etc, is the easiest thing in the world. But this is not the true love. "Matt 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." But they that love God with a sincerity will escape from deception. "2 Pet 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error."
We can hear the deceptive preaching of Satan from most churches. They say that grace is the favor of God that accepts a person to heaven, who continues to sin, as long as he confesses Christ. They believe that obeying God's commandments is the law. They say that God gave commandments just to show that commandments cannot be obeyed. They preach that God is against his own law and he hates those obey the law. They preach many lies such as this. It is so sad that so many Christians fall for it. If you need more clarity on this topic you may read these articles, "Beware of False Prophets" and "Satan Shows himself as God". Most Church people who are just carnal, religious or/and sentimental may be deceived by Satan. But God's people will overcome the world and Satan with the abiding of God in them.
"John 16:8 And when he (The Holy Ghost) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"
If sin is present in a Church, then the Holy Ghost will reprove the people of sin. If a message of love, joy and peace is preached instead of the message of reproving sin, then that message is not from the Holy Ghost. If the church congregation cannot stand a message of righteousness and will run away from the message on judgment of God, then this congregation is neither seeking God nor it is of God.The Holy Ghost will guide the disciples, who will do what the master says, into 'All Truth.' If it is All Truth, they will be guided into every truth without leaving anything and there will be no room for any error or a spot of lie. "John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
The disciples will find themselves abiding in Jesus Christ by the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ told the disciples that the Holy Ghost who is guiding them will also abide in them. "John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." The worldly Christians cannot receive the Holy Ghost.
A Spirit that exhibits something other than the holiness of God is not the Holy Ghost. A False Spirit will lead people to another Jesus, that is, to the antichrist. "1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
If we love God with reverential fear, we will obey God and We will stop sinning.
the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
|
|
|
|
