One thing that I am thankful to God for is the revelation that I was
in sin's prison and through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and his
resurrection He set me free...from sin. But, the very entity that helped me see
and understand that revelation and helped free me from the minimum security
prison of sin, impounded me in the maximum security prison of religious bondage.
The controls that are in place within the bondage of religion is difficult to
break free from because the bars are made from deception's lies that has been
presented and accepted as truth for so long that it is deemed to be Bible Truth.
Thus the only way to break free is the religious encasement that encases the
prisoner's heart has to be broken by the softening agent of the Spirit of Truth
so that the truth of God's grace can begin to do it's work in melting away
Religion's facade and be discarded for the lie it is.
In order understand
and experience the reality of New Covenant life...grace living...the religious
mindset must be broken exposing the wrong doctrines, practices and rituals that
negate the finished work of Christ on the cross and the godless entity it is.
It MUST be broken in order for God's people to recover the powerful spiritual
relationship and inheritance that they have been defrauded of because of
religion's deception. Until we break out of religious bondage we will not know
or experience life living as God's righteous people...new-creation people...as
children of God united in a spiritual union with Jesus by His victorious
resurrection from the dead.
The iceberg religious mentality of the frozen
chosen that dominates religious hierarchy MUST MELT to the warmth of God's love
and grace so that believers, including themselves, can experience the truth and
freedom of living as a loved child of God free from the religious mindset that
dominates most of the religious world.
For too many years I accepted the
way of man-made religion with its man-made doctrine without question. I
thoroughly agreed with what the denominated seminarian of my denomination taught
me and I was not looking for any reason to contradict it. In fact, when I was
questioned on the denominated doctrines I interpreted the scripture in light of
that doctrine and refuted the question using out of context scripture
interpretation with air of superiority for knowing the Bible and feeling good
because I was a Bible-quoten-sharp-shooten Bible-verse-slinger. However, in
laying aside my man-taught beliefs and studying the scripture to help formulate
what I believe instead of interpreting them in-light of what I believed, I have
come to realize, a new understanding...the revelation of being in Christ and Him
being in me. I found out that relationship with God is not about religion or
being religious, I found out that spirituality was not about the deceived
rightness of a denomination and a multitude of other iceberg mentalities that
dominate religious denominationalism.
One great dawning of my spiritual
relationship with God was when I woke up from the religious stupor I was in and
began my escape from religion's prison of religious bondage to enter into the
New-Covenant way of living...living in Christ and Him living in me, and coming
to a place of realizing that it is not my religious works that make me
acceptable to God. Rather it is the works of Jesus that makes me acceptable to
God. I then saw the need for Him to do His work in me so He could do His works
through me in the gracefulness of His Love and
Grace.
Religion with its man-made traditions
and doctrine, is the biggest hindrance to living in the freedom of God's Grace
and Love. Even though people view religion as well-meaning it is misguided in
that it is a distraction to a glorious life of freedom in Christ.
People
have been misguided by man-made religion and have been mindlessly taught
man-made tradition and doctrine for so long that most believers do not
recognize how most religious teaching contradicts the scriptures that is
preached from and the very foundation of the the Good News of the Gospel
itself.
Though my post are weighed heavily against religion and the
content contradicts a lot of religious sacred cows when it comes to religious
beliefs...they are in NO WAY meant to be a personal judgement or attack on any
brother or sister in Christ that are caught up in the religious system...I spent
many years in that same system. I have no disparagement against any person in or
out of that system. However, the teaching that springs from the religious system
or any teaching outside of that system should be open for questioning and
examined in the light of Jesus' teachings and adjusted accordingly.
From
my study and understanding of scripture (for what that's worth) some very
popular religious teachings and doctrines are heavily laden with error that
needs exposing and abondenment, this in no way is an accusation against those
who teach the doctrines. Most of the people holding to and teaching the error
are believing they are doing the right thing and fail to see the error in it.
Only the Spirit of Truth will convince them of the error and lead them to the
Truth. God loves them or me, in spite of the error we may be in.
Paul
said in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, “we know in part” and “we see through a glass,
darkly;” therefore, we do not see truth in its purity. However, we can pursue a
better understanding of the truth and we can extend the grace and love of God to
one another in the process. If we disagree, there is no call for argument,
dispute, animosity or hatred with fear-mongering. We can agree to disagree
respectfully. Each person must walk with God in light that is revealed to them
by the Spirit.
However, if we refuse to question our preconceived ideas,
traditional thinking and ritual practices, and prayerfully consider the
measuring of what we believe and do through the lens of Jesus...the express
image of God...we will never mature spiritually in our spiritual relational
journey with God or move toward the highest and best that God has provided in
Christ for the Community of the Redeemed.
We all need a spiritual
revolution in our lives. Remember everybody is loved by God equally and as His
Children we are to love everybody, even though we may not agree with their
actions, or beliefs and when necessary explain our opposition to such action and
beliefs.
- Glenn Regular
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