I dislike when people with the same Faith as me start out with "selling" the
religion. Basically Christians aren't called to convince you that you should become a Christian. When Man's objective is to convince he sets himself up for failure. Man is called to receive the gift of Jesus Christ, find their purpose, then be an ambassador: 2 Corinthians 5:20
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."
The word "religion/religious" is found 11 times in the Scriptures. And the most interesting one is this: James 1:27
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
From a logical standpoint, this is a good thing. A routine that helps people and a routine that keeps oneself from being polluted.
From a Spiritual Standpoint; how glorious it is not Religion that saves us, but it is a gift from God, Jesus Christ, that saves us: Romans 3:23-25
"23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—"
If the Lord our God wanted us to be caught up in Religion then it would be Religion that saves us. I can't logically believe that going to Church every Sunday will get me into Heaven. And the Scriptures have confirmed that its through Jesus Christ that we are saved: Ephesians 2:4-10
"4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Christ in Hebrew means savior. So Christians are people who have been Saved. Thats it. But something went terribly wrong...Christians started labeling themselves with worldly things.
I can't find one Scripture that tells me, me as in myself, to give myself a Label. And no where does it tell me to make a symbol for myself. The Jews have the Star of David...but no where in the Old Testament was David told to create a symbol. In actuality thats a Hexagram used in the Kabbalah(Hebrew for mysticism.) What I have found is what God has called Man who believes; Ambassador, Children of God, Saved. According to the Scriptures He is Holy therefor I would have to logically conclude that these are not labels but Holy names. Its a concept I still don't understand but in my heart it speaks Truth.
Its really difficult to understand this because of how the Church has acted in the past. What needs to happen is a return to the Basics which will be explained below.
Back to the Basics wrote:
It probably wouldn't work, but somebody ought to start a movement back to the basics. And again, it might be just novel enough to not only catch on, but to flourish.
How long has it been since you walked into a store without seeing "New" or "Improved" written on every bottle? And toothpaste? There's a new ingredient added every week. If you don't have FL-7, Amalgam-58, ammoniate, fluoride, chlorophyll, etc., your teeth are sure to fall out before you finish reading the label. Regardless of how faithful you have been in brushing your teeth in the past, that doesn't count if you have missed out on the latest ingredient.
It's a wonder people ever got their clothes clean in the past. Just think of it! They actually used non-miraculous soap, and often with "non-purified" water. What a world!
Do you recall what happened to Coca Cola when they wasted multi-millions of dollars bringing out the "New" Coke? Improvement went too far and irate customers wouldn't drink the new stuff. Coca Cola almost immediately decided the old drink wasn't so bad after all. This time they returned to the old formula, but gave it a new name (Classic). What a world!
Given the state of our times, it's hardly any wonder that there are countless preachers out trying to sell a "new" and "improved" Christianity. Let us pray that it will have the same success Coca Cola enjoyed.
Basically Christians need to go back to what the Living Word says.
What I believe, which is directly from the Scriptures is I am to be an ambassador. I never found a Scripture telling me to be convincing. I don't need to be convincing to any of you. This isn't something I would try to win. I only wish to be the messenger for God. And the message I have is, Eternal Life is a gift from God and that you will find your purpose in Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures also say that the Holy Spirit will be with us:
John 14 wrote:
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus the Way to the Father
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
"Come now; let us leave.
Power of Indwelling Christ wrote:
A Buddhist monk in Ceylon, who was acquainted with both Christianity and Buddhism, was once asked what he thought was the great difference between the two. He replied, "There is much that is good in each of them, and probably in all religions. But what seems to me to be the greatest difference is that you Christians know what is right and have power to do it, while we Buddhists know what is right but have not any such power."
This is the short summary of what I call my Faith.
He really should give that as the reason why he wants to convert when he starts his RCIA classes.