a reply to:
adjensen
I never said true christianity comes from the bible. Because I don't believe it does. It comes like rain from the Father. (He sends rain on the
just and unjust, the early and latter rains, the Dew of Hermon psalm 133)
Who do you say that I am?
You are the Christ, The son of God
Blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood did not REVEAL this to you, but my Father in heaven.
AND ON THIS ROCK, I will build my church
The rock that the church is built on is the Revelation from The FAther to see the Son.
You search the scriptures daily for in them you think you will find eternal life, but it is these that testify of me.
The Scriptures are for a sign, they are a marker, a map, but they are not the reality. They bear the marks of fallible men along with the doctrines
of men (infallible popes???). They are completely dead save for the life giving Spirit. You and I are given the Spirit as down payment along with
the Pope, Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, your priest, my pastor.
I am not saying we are to be lone rangers, for that is not the design. But the unity in the Spirit cannot be achieved when certain men are given
privilege over others
Matt 23
1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair
of Moses; 3therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4“They
tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5“But they do all
their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6“They love the place of honor
at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. 8“But do not be
called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in
heaven. 10“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
12“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Eight Woes
13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in
yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 1
Broadened phylacteries: fancy bishop robes, gold crosses, giant ornate churches, 20 million dollar buildings that sit empty 90% of the time but house
a bunch of rich white folk drinking their starbucks on sundays.
Rabbi: Father, Priest, Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, Prophet, Evangelist, lord, master, masta'
Burdens: morality codes, heresy hunts, in and out, guilt, shame
It is the institution that Jesus rails against here. The religion. Which happens to be the same as now. He comes out and tells them that Moses is
wrong, that they did not see the Father, that the Law is wrong, He is echoing the prophets who railed against the Sacrifice demanding god they called
YHWH.
Just after the woes to the Pharisees in Matt 23, we see Matt 24 where Jesus speaks of the temple being torn down. Every brick. Every layer of
religion will be torn down. And when it was rebuilt from His blood that spilt onto the ground it was not another dead religion, with its brick
buildings, and burdens, and Rabbi's, and clergy and laity. It was a living body.
You might be thinking "hold up, you're telling me christianity doesn't come from the bible, but now you're quoting it to support your point" Yes
because we have the words of Jesus and the Apostles condemning that old way of thinking. That we need a structure, and these old books to tell us
about God. They are saying look at the full revelation of the Father, Jesus Christ. The exact image.
Peter was not reading the bible when the revelation came that Jesus was the Son of God, that was the rain of life flowing down from the Father
directly to Peter. The revelation means unveiling, the removing of the veil, which is over our eyes, that blinds us to the glory of God. Aka we
cannot see who Jesus is, which is the exact image of the Father. That rock upon which the church is built does not require the bible, or a priest, or
a bishop, or a pastor. Those are things that keep people from the kingdom of heaven.
That is not to say that within the Roman church or the baptist church or any of the 22,000 denominations that there aren't people operating within the
kingdom of heaven. Very much so, there are many great brothers and sisters who have contributed greatly. But that does not necessarily justify the
institution.
I know you don't agree, and that is fine. I hope you understand when I say these things that I have nothing but love for all mankind. I just don't
agree with the system. I believe that is part of the kingdom of this world. I know you don't see it that way. I'm not anti-catholic, I'm pro-living
body. I believe there is a better way. The seed is within all men
Just as Christ is, so are you in the world-- Paul
edit on 19 8 2014 by zardust because: (no reason given)