|
GWR
05
click
below for
AUTHOR'S
VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Denominational
Empires, World Kingdoms
When
Religion Becomes a Worldly Empire
Jesus
when asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, answered,
“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed;
(21) nor will they say; Look, here it is! orThere it is!; For, in fact,
the kingdom of God is among you.; Luke 17:20 - Luke 17:21 20
Denominations
(churches)' are the best known expressions of Christian religious institutions.
Why were holy wars or religious wars fought? Why did reformations and
counter reformations occur? Why were nations pitted against nation,
and men and women pronounced heretic to be imprisoned in chains, and
executed by fire or by sword?
Worldly power and dominion were absolutely NOT what Jesus planned to
actualize his kingdom. The Kingdom of God is in no way comparable to
earthly rule and authority. Jesus clearly declared to Pilate the Roman
governor, hours before he was to die on the cross, that "my
kingdom is not of this world, if it were my followers would fight."
A time is coming when the perfect will manifest. In that day
the perfect will include the personal physical rule of Christ over an
earthly kingdom. Jesus reiterated to Pilate, "Now, my kingdom
is Not Of This World!"
Yet, earthly kingdoms have usurped the purposes and desires of the Lord.
The growth of institutional Christianity as a political, economic and
social power began quickly after the earliest years of the faith. The
life of God, along with truth and simplicity of the Gospel began to
dissolve. Individual centers of fellowship were once Spirit led and
non formalistic. The immediacy of first hand Holy Spirit revelation
and Spiritual fellowship gave way to religious structure and formalism.
The form and power of the Book of Acts church faded from existence.
When religion has no spiritual understanding and becomes empowered as
a political force, it does its ugliest and most evil work. That house
became divided and rages against itself. "The Spirit of Truth is
exchanged for a lie." The right Spirit is exchanged for the spirit
of domination, vengeance, retribution and the spirit of murder.
Satan, humanity's spiritual foe, seeks every opportunity to usurp rulership
through religion. Demonically inspired doctrines that creep in have
one agenda and that is to lead us away from the light and truth of Christ's
gospel of Grace. These apostasies speak to man's fallen nature. The
flesh wars against the spirit and religion serves to accomodate a form
of godliness. The house is divided, the house of God becomes polluted
with the house of the demonic. Vanity reigns in gaudy splendor. Individuals
rule and lord over the common believer. Religious empires are defended
one against others, maybe their own brothers, to destroy one another
in the name of truth, in the name of God.
Where was the
wisdom and counsel of God's Word when men and nations began to create
worldly kingdoms and called them God's kingdom? The Kingdom of God and
Truth was exchanged for something else. "My kingdom is not of this
world, if it were of this world my people would fight. But now it is
not of this world." Denominationalism continues to build its own
worldly kingdoms. They foster their own "princes and nobles"
and rulers of states. They have multitudes of lesser nobles and greater
multitudes of serfs who continue to serve the fiefdoms, while receiving
nothing more than spiritual gruel that can neither nourish the "inner
man" nor set him free. Among the manifold religious traditions
that we are so familiar, there are too many departures from understanding
of truth. These produce detriments to human spiritual life, liberty,
power, and fruitfulness.
NEXT CHAPTER
E
Book 1:
The Gospel Without
Religion
E Book 2:
A Disciple's
Handbook
|
