Today's "Christian Religion" would want us all to think the church is a place we go to for fellowship and worship. However, that is not what Jesus taught us about the Church. It is fact that true followers of Christ find fellowship with other true believes all around the world on a daily basis. Hence, the Church is not a weekend event or being a part of an institutionalized organization as many would have us believe. We who belong to Christ are the Church! The scriptures tell us that true believers, "Are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22). "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:9-11).
However, todays Christian Religion has built their own buildings based on a foundation forged by manmade traditions and doctrines shaped by human thinking and the crafty work of the spirit of this world, Satan. In these manmade so-called local churches, you will find division, deceit, a lust for power, and a desire to hear the things that tickle one's own ears. Here you will find rock groups under the guise of "worship teams," teachers and pastors betrayed by their own lack of spiritual guidance, false apostles and prophets, etc. Hence, it is not hard to believe how these self-serving heretical establishments continue to thrive, they are filled with congregations who allow themselves to believe these lies. Many of those who follow these practices are very comfortable where they are at in life because they wish to live for themselves and therefore will not repent from a life in this world. The truth is, the foundation of today's Church has already been laid by the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone.
The true believer, unlike those caught up in today's religious system, has surrendered their whole life here in this world to serve the kingdom of heaven by doing the will of the Father. Our lives are lived out much like that of the seventy-two disciples sent out by Jesus as found in the Gospel of Luke. "The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. And He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves" (Luke 10:1-3). He told the seventy-two, "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you" (Luke 10:9). When the seventy-two returned they were filled with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name." So He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:17-20). We do not need to look to demonstrate God's power to others, He will do this naturally as we allow Him to do His will through us.
The true Church has been given a commission, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20). He did not tell us to create today's Christian Religion and He surely did not want us to live our lives in this world the way those who are deeply rooted in these establishments do. The Gospel of Mark echoes our true commission, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well" (Mark 16:14-18). This is what God can and will do through the lives of those who serve HIM, not the worlds version of Christianity.
However, todays Christian Religion has built their own buildings based on a foundation forged by manmade traditions and doctrines shaped by human thinking and the crafty work of the spirit of this world, Satan. In these manmade so-called local churches, you will find division, deceit, a lust for power, and a desire to hear the things that tickle one's own ears. Here you will find rock groups under the guise of "worship teams," teachers and pastors betrayed by their own lack of spiritual guidance, false apostles and prophets, etc. Hence, it is not hard to believe how these self-serving heretical establishments continue to thrive, they are filled with congregations who allow themselves to believe these lies. Many of those who follow these practices are very comfortable where they are at in life because they wish to live for themselves and therefore will not repent from a life in this world. The truth is, the foundation of today's Church has already been laid by the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone.
The true believer, unlike those caught up in today's religious system, has surrendered their whole life here in this world to serve the kingdom of heaven by doing the will of the Father. Our lives are lived out much like that of the seventy-two disciples sent out by Jesus as found in the Gospel of Luke. "The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. And He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves" (Luke 10:1-3). He told the seventy-two, "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you" (Luke 10:9). When the seventy-two returned they were filled with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name." So He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:17-20). We do not need to look to demonstrate God's power to others, He will do this naturally as we allow Him to do His will through us.
The true Church has been given a commission, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20). He did not tell us to create today's Christian Religion and He surely did not want us to live our lives in this world the way those who are deeply rooted in these establishments do. The Gospel of Mark echoes our true commission, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well" (Mark 16:14-18). This is what God can and will do through the lives of those who serve HIM, not the worlds version of Christianity.
