Post by Rob W. Case on May 4, 2010 3:15:44 GMT -6
Many people openly profess that they do not believe in God. Many profess this disbelief because their way of living is in direct parallel of the opposite of what God approves of, and as such, they actively seek to build a case to justify their non-belief. After all, the habits of said people drive them to seek information that goes against God as opposed to wanting to seek information that either supports God, or in a fair and balanced approach, compares and contrasts (weighs in fairness) both arguments. Other people have genuine concerns that to them legitimizes their not believing in God. Some people listen to a bad minister, see a crazy person do crazy things in the name of Christ, or watch a “man of God” make obvious attempts to make money using his influence. A quick “for example” is those infomercials that say “God wants you to have this beautiful new Ferrari” or “God wants you to have that multi-million dollar house.” As a result of people exploiting God for monetary gain, many get turned off from the whole thing. As people try and use the gospel to cater to their own self-serving ambitions, the actual truth has a much more difficult time to reach other people because they are too turned off by the lunatics, fanatics, and corrupt preachers, and so dismiss it all as “one in the same.” The true power-source is even more difficult to find within the sea of crazies, wackos, and all of the scammers who do not know the Lord at all. It shows me the true reality of when Jesus said…
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Matthew 7:21-23
There is a difference when people use God’s name to make a name for themselves, and those who actually have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In the secular world, it might sound as if they are both one in the same, that they are all cut from the same cloth. But there are many differences between the two, as I will explain.
A true Christian doesn’t go to church to be told what to do. A true Christian decides of his own free will to go to church to be taught something. If you are in the right kind of church, you will learn valuable insight that will aide and strengthen you in your spiritual walk and daily life. I have led bible studies in the past at my church, and I have noticed that this dynamic always works without fail. God works with every believer in a unique way, and they take notice of it through their own perspective. When I ask questions around the table, and/or when people share their experiences, I find that not only do I learn something new and insightful from them, but I am amazed at how they take notice of the work that the spirit is doing in their daily lives. And here is another interesting dynamic. I find that if you are going through a hard time, someone who once had the problem that you are facing at the current moment will serve as either a mentor, or their insight as to how to endure the problem will serve as an aide to help you endure the problem. That does happen. And yet, if you do not encounter someone who has gone through a certain problem that you might be experiencing at the moment, if you pray to the Lord and depend on him, he will give you the wisdom to analyze, organize, and endure the problem, but it takes discipline and the will to persevere. Once this is established and well balanced, you will have the spiritual know-how to be able to counsel others who may need your experience to endure later on. It’s a very intriguing and compelling dynamic that is genuinely alive and true.
The Problem of the Rituals and Superstitions:
The problem of rituals in my opinion is that they are mostly unnecessary and proven to be vain. In other words, the meaning behind what the participant is doing may be unknown, never sought, or may not actually have real meaning to begin with. Some people do ritualistic things because it is customary, and because it is customary to do these things, participants in these rituals, I believe, simply “follow the leader” in doing them. When you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, rituals and superstitions are not needed. It is your relationship that is genuine and real, and God is not a God that requires that you do this or that in order to access His blessings. In ancient Israel, rituals (once dictated by God) were once performed in King Solomon’s Temple, long before Christ was incarnated into human flesh. When Jesus died on the cross, the infamous curtain in the temple was torn in half. This unleashed a deep, significant meaning. But you cannot understand the meaning without knowing what the curtain signified.
The End of Empty Rituals:
In Old Testament times, the curtain in the Jewish temple signified a boundary. In front of the curtain was where men dwelt, and behind it is where God’s presence would reside, separate from sinful man. The only person permitted to go behind the curtain was the Jewish High Priest, and that was only once a year in order to enter God’s presence so that Israel could make an atonement for their sins. When Jesus died, the restricted communications were no longer restricted, the curtain was torn in half, and the only way to access God would only be through Jesus Christ, and nothing more. When Christ rose from the dead, the sin aspect (taking our sins on him--which was the only possible way he could die since he never sinned) was removed from Christ, and forgiven, so the atonement in God’s eyes was made. In other words, there was no more need for the rituals of the temple. When you decide to ask Christ in your heart, you gain God’s favor since his blood covers your sins, and is now atoned for. But some people still hold on to their rituals. But here’s the truth. It’s not what you do for God that makes him happy. It’s your deciding to accept what God did for you, and asking Christ—the gift that atones for sin that makes him happy. If you receive what he did for you, and ask Christ to come into your heart, it’s all yours. Then, with that comes true life experiences and from that, testimonies from those experiences. Then, things begin to change. There are certain damaging habits that were once desirable, that are no longer. , There are things that you once did that you placed so much importance on, that are now meaningless to you. You seek a change. You want the change. And as you change, people take notice. From that change, God is happy because you are not only wanting to have the same things that he wants for you, but now that change becomes a testimony, alive, well, and genuine to the marvelous things that God is actually doing in your life. It in turn reveals His power actively working in your heart.
The Flow of Power:
Acts 1:8
8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
When you recognize this power, you will know it, because when you have it, it is not something you will forget. This is one of the reasons why some of my atheist friends who try to derail my faith, cannot. I cannot deny my experience and my relationship with God. It’s as real and interactive as my relationships with my family and friends. But among those who have a genuine relationship, there are those who talk favorably towards God, but don’t know him personally. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, we get a picture of the godless climate that would occur in the last days. In the first part of verse 5, it mentions that people would have a form of godliness, but deny its power. The New Living Translation describes it this way….
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly……
Acting is far different than genuine power. I have known people who have acted religious, but disregard the reality of it all. Hmm. Interesting. As I would continue talking about it, they would interrupt me and say, “Rob, how do you know that there really is a God?” or, “How do you know that God really exists?” This has happened at least twice with me, and both were professing “Christians.”
I’ve seen this on many occasions. They will talk here and there about prayer, or say something nice about God, but if you talk about your true life experience with God, they simply either do not understand, or they react in a foreign way. Your experiences do not resonate with them. They cannot relate at all. And yet, when you see them, and you know that they cannot relate, it is at that point you realize that that person is actually fulfilling in front of your very eyes, the dynamics that make these scriptural descriptions reality. You know that they cannot understand what you’re talking about because they do not have the same experiences with God that you have. I find it amazing, and almost scientific. When you come in contact with a Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can relate to them as they can relate to you, and it will be as if you’ve known that person all your life. Even if you just met that person for the first time ever, you will find that you have so much in common with them, because the same spirit that is working in their lives is now working in your life. On the flip side, you might have a friend or loved one who’s known you for many years, and has seen your faith in action many times, but cannot explain it. So they try to come up with a way in their minds to describe it. They might say, “Oh, he/she’s just religious,” and if they’re okay with it, they might accept that as nothing more than just, “it makes him/her happy, so I won’t stand in their way.” That’s very tolerant of that person if they take it that way, but it’s not by far the real deal.
A personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ is true Christianity. It is not just the empty belief that there is a God. It’s the reality of an interaction between you and God, and a hesitation to do something wrong in God’s eyes, because you know that if it’s wrong in God’s eyes, then it is bad for you bodily, physically, spiritually, and/or mentally. God created life, and created rules to preserve life. When we sin, it feels good; I’m not going to lie. But it takes its toll on us until we damage ourselves to the point where our physical, bodily “shells” cease to work any longer. And by the way, Christians still sin. Christians aren’t perfect, they are just forgiven if they accept Christ as their savior and are under construction through the influence of the Holy Spirit, becoming more improved and more reformed up until the day he meets the Lord face to face. This is the essence of a true Christian.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Matthew 7:21-23
There is a difference when people use God’s name to make a name for themselves, and those who actually have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In the secular world, it might sound as if they are both one in the same, that they are all cut from the same cloth. But there are many differences between the two, as I will explain.
A true Christian doesn’t go to church to be told what to do. A true Christian decides of his own free will to go to church to be taught something. If you are in the right kind of church, you will learn valuable insight that will aide and strengthen you in your spiritual walk and daily life. I have led bible studies in the past at my church, and I have noticed that this dynamic always works without fail. God works with every believer in a unique way, and they take notice of it through their own perspective. When I ask questions around the table, and/or when people share their experiences, I find that not only do I learn something new and insightful from them, but I am amazed at how they take notice of the work that the spirit is doing in their daily lives. And here is another interesting dynamic. I find that if you are going through a hard time, someone who once had the problem that you are facing at the current moment will serve as either a mentor, or their insight as to how to endure the problem will serve as an aide to help you endure the problem. That does happen. And yet, if you do not encounter someone who has gone through a certain problem that you might be experiencing at the moment, if you pray to the Lord and depend on him, he will give you the wisdom to analyze, organize, and endure the problem, but it takes discipline and the will to persevere. Once this is established and well balanced, you will have the spiritual know-how to be able to counsel others who may need your experience to endure later on. It’s a very intriguing and compelling dynamic that is genuinely alive and true.
The Problem of the Rituals and Superstitions:
The problem of rituals in my opinion is that they are mostly unnecessary and proven to be vain. In other words, the meaning behind what the participant is doing may be unknown, never sought, or may not actually have real meaning to begin with. Some people do ritualistic things because it is customary, and because it is customary to do these things, participants in these rituals, I believe, simply “follow the leader” in doing them. When you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, rituals and superstitions are not needed. It is your relationship that is genuine and real, and God is not a God that requires that you do this or that in order to access His blessings. In ancient Israel, rituals (once dictated by God) were once performed in King Solomon’s Temple, long before Christ was incarnated into human flesh. When Jesus died on the cross, the infamous curtain in the temple was torn in half. This unleashed a deep, significant meaning. But you cannot understand the meaning without knowing what the curtain signified.
The End of Empty Rituals:
In Old Testament times, the curtain in the Jewish temple signified a boundary. In front of the curtain was where men dwelt, and behind it is where God’s presence would reside, separate from sinful man. The only person permitted to go behind the curtain was the Jewish High Priest, and that was only once a year in order to enter God’s presence so that Israel could make an atonement for their sins. When Jesus died, the restricted communications were no longer restricted, the curtain was torn in half, and the only way to access God would only be through Jesus Christ, and nothing more. When Christ rose from the dead, the sin aspect (taking our sins on him--which was the only possible way he could die since he never sinned) was removed from Christ, and forgiven, so the atonement in God’s eyes was made. In other words, there was no more need for the rituals of the temple. When you decide to ask Christ in your heart, you gain God’s favor since his blood covers your sins, and is now atoned for. But some people still hold on to their rituals. But here’s the truth. It’s not what you do for God that makes him happy. It’s your deciding to accept what God did for you, and asking Christ—the gift that atones for sin that makes him happy. If you receive what he did for you, and ask Christ to come into your heart, it’s all yours. Then, with that comes true life experiences and from that, testimonies from those experiences. Then, things begin to change. There are certain damaging habits that were once desirable, that are no longer. , There are things that you once did that you placed so much importance on, that are now meaningless to you. You seek a change. You want the change. And as you change, people take notice. From that change, God is happy because you are not only wanting to have the same things that he wants for you, but now that change becomes a testimony, alive, well, and genuine to the marvelous things that God is actually doing in your life. It in turn reveals His power actively working in your heart.
The Flow of Power:
Acts 1:8
8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
When you recognize this power, you will know it, because when you have it, it is not something you will forget. This is one of the reasons why some of my atheist friends who try to derail my faith, cannot. I cannot deny my experience and my relationship with God. It’s as real and interactive as my relationships with my family and friends. But among those who have a genuine relationship, there are those who talk favorably towards God, but don’t know him personally. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, we get a picture of the godless climate that would occur in the last days. In the first part of verse 5, it mentions that people would have a form of godliness, but deny its power. The New Living Translation describes it this way….
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly……
Acting is far different than genuine power. I have known people who have acted religious, but disregard the reality of it all. Hmm. Interesting. As I would continue talking about it, they would interrupt me and say, “Rob, how do you know that there really is a God?” or, “How do you know that God really exists?” This has happened at least twice with me, and both were professing “Christians.”
I’ve seen this on many occasions. They will talk here and there about prayer, or say something nice about God, but if you talk about your true life experience with God, they simply either do not understand, or they react in a foreign way. Your experiences do not resonate with them. They cannot relate at all. And yet, when you see them, and you know that they cannot relate, it is at that point you realize that that person is actually fulfilling in front of your very eyes, the dynamics that make these scriptural descriptions reality. You know that they cannot understand what you’re talking about because they do not have the same experiences with God that you have. I find it amazing, and almost scientific. When you come in contact with a Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can relate to them as they can relate to you, and it will be as if you’ve known that person all your life. Even if you just met that person for the first time ever, you will find that you have so much in common with them, because the same spirit that is working in their lives is now working in your life. On the flip side, you might have a friend or loved one who’s known you for many years, and has seen your faith in action many times, but cannot explain it. So they try to come up with a way in their minds to describe it. They might say, “Oh, he/she’s just religious,” and if they’re okay with it, they might accept that as nothing more than just, “it makes him/her happy, so I won’t stand in their way.” That’s very tolerant of that person if they take it that way, but it’s not by far the real deal.
A personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ is true Christianity. It is not just the empty belief that there is a God. It’s the reality of an interaction between you and God, and a hesitation to do something wrong in God’s eyes, because you know that if it’s wrong in God’s eyes, then it is bad for you bodily, physically, spiritually, and/or mentally. God created life, and created rules to preserve life. When we sin, it feels good; I’m not going to lie. But it takes its toll on us until we damage ourselves to the point where our physical, bodily “shells” cease to work any longer. And by the way, Christians still sin. Christians aren’t perfect, they are just forgiven if they accept Christ as their savior and are under construction through the influence of the Holy Spirit, becoming more improved and more reformed up until the day he meets the Lord face to face. This is the essence of a true Christian.