When
Jesus started His public ministry, He did not call the learned Rabbis.
He called fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, farmers, shopkeepers...
the common man. The Gospel of the Kingdom is foolishness to the high and mighty intellectuals. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:17-18. Jesus did not call the trained in organized religion, He trains the called.
Churchianity
says if you are not a member of our "one and only true church," you
have no hope of salvation. Jesus says in Mark 9:38-41..."if they are not
against us, they are on our side." Was Cornelius a member of any church? Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation (or denomination) whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."
~ Acts 10:34-35
To
organized religion it seems right to incorporate a Church name, have an
earthly headquarters, put up building, hire a preacher, and go into
business, but what seems right may not be right. ~ Proverbs 14:12
Jesus did not incorporate His Church and hire men to preach. As it is written: The general assembly of God and church of the
first-born are registered in heaven (not a corporation registered on
earth) ~ Hebrews 12:23. Jesus
did not build a "church" building, have altar calls, teach the
"sinner's prayer," have a "praise and worship team," teach earthly
riches, or observe pagan holidays. God is not confined to Temples or Church buildings. He chose the human
heart as His dwelling place. As it is written: "Do you not know that you
are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" ~ 1 Corinthians
3:16
Jesus teaches that the Sabbath Day and the Feasts Days are part of the New Covenant.
In the Kingdom of God (both current and future),
the
Sabbath is an eternal ordinance instituted at creation, while Feast Days, particularly those described in prophetic texts like
Ezekiel 45-46 and Zechariah 14, are observed as memorials of salvation
and times of worship. The weekly seventh-day Sabbath represents a
perpetual rest, while the Feasts, such as Tabernacles, signify the
fulfillment of God’s dwelling with humanity. The difference between a Church member and a Disciple of Christ is: a
Church member follows the doctrines of their denomination, a Disciple
follows Jesus Christ. ~ 1 John 2:3-6
Have
you ever heard your Pastor teach these things? When was the last time
you examined what you believe and why you believe it? Are You a Truth Seeker?
You are cordially invited to share your Christian experience with Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group
The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.
