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Christian or Religious?
In this message I'll touch on how to become a true Christian. What in means to be a true Christian. What to do if you find yourself in a church "of religion” and not true Christianity. There are too many counterfeit messages of Salvation being preached today. You need to know the truth -your eternal destination is at stake!
Are you a Christian or are you just religious?
You may ask, "does it make a difference?” Most definitely! When we die what we believe in our heart determines our eternal destination heaven or hell. We have a choice! God won't force anyone to believe His Word or to love Him.
Satan works on your mind your entire life trying to convince you, "it does not matter.”
This is where too many people are today. They feel as they are basically good people and maybe even believe there is a God and that somehow they will get to heaven or that you need to get great knowledge to get closer to God.
There are some who go through seminary or some who spend most of their lives learning and never find Salvation through Jesus Christ. What I find appalling about this is that these people will work against true Christians to lead people to religious ideas and away from Christ. Whole denominations have been started by religious folks teaching just enough truth of the bible to lead people away from the true message of Salvation.
The truth is - it is not knowledge that brings salvation, it is faith – faith in the Son of God, Jesus.
John 14:6
6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
It is time the true Church – which is the Body of Christ, takes Her place in the plan of God. True Christians must demand un-compromised teaching of the Word from their pastor. If the pastor refuses - then leave that church and find one who does teach the truth.
Your spiritual growth is in your hands, not the pastor's!
Ephesians 1:9-14
9 God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. 10 And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. 12 God's purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. 13 And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.
If we are a true Christian we have Holy Spirit living inside of us! Yet religious teachers would try to convince us that we go to heaven by living according to the law (the old testament) or by the rules of their church! Some teach it is by what we do in this life that determines if we get into heaven. They believe they can earn their way in. This simply is not true!
This is a lie of Satan to deceive anyone who does not know the truth.
Galatians 3:1-5
1 Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has cast an evil spell on you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ's death as clearly as though I had shown you a signboard with a picture of Christ dying on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 You have suffered so much for the Good News. Surely it was not in vain, was it? Are you now going to just throw it all away?
5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law of Moses? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.
Some churches teach we are to love everyone and over look our differences in doctrine - "as we all are part of the Body of Christ.” Are we? We are if we believe the message of Salvation – the whole bible not just parts of it. We are, if we are true believers and not just religious folks learning about God, but not getting to know Him.
There are some Christians we are to avoid! Here is one example.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-14
6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you. 7 For you know that you ought to follow our example. We were never lazy when we were with you. 8 We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 It wasn't that we didn't have the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: "Whoever does not work should not eat.”
11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and wasting time meddling in other people's business.
I know some of these people -some are pastors... and that is all I'll say at this time!
Do Christians ever go through tough times or have people do nasty stuff to us?
Actually, we do and there is a reason.
1 Peter 4:12-19
12 Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.
14 Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God's own children. And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God's Good News? 18 And
"If the righteous are barely saved,
what chance will the godless and sinners have?”
19 So if you are suffering according to God's will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you.
Romans 5:1-3
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure.
Does it matter how Christians live or act?
Romans 13:11-14
11 Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. 13 We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. 14 But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires.
Ephesians 2:1-10
1 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. 2 You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5 that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus. 7 And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Some churches teach that as Christians we can do what ever feels good
and that the blood of Jesus covers it!
2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17 It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
The blood of Jesus covers our sin when we repent and turn from our wrong way of living according to what we have learned in the Word of God. It is not a get out of jail free card!
Titus 1:10-11 & 15
10 For there are many who rebel against right teaching; they engage in useless talk and deceive people. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. 11 They must be silenced. By their wrong teaching, they have already turned whole families away from the truth. Such teachers only want your money.
15 Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled.
1 Peter 2:1-3
1 So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. 2 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
Religious knowledge can be a Christians worse enemy especially if the pastor teaches tradition and man's teaching over the Word of God, the bible. The various denominations that have sprung to life are a direct result of this process. Religious teaching that leads people away from the truth, instead of, to the truth. Another way to put it is it is an anti – Christ message.
Titus 3:9-11
9 Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These kinds of things are useless and a waste of time. 10 If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person. 11 For people like that have turned away from the truth. They are sinning, and they condemn themselves.
The message of true Christianity is simple.
It takes religion to make it complicated!
Romans 10:5-14
5 For Moses wrote that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But the way of getting right with God through faith says, "You don't need to go to heaven” (to find Christ and bring him down to help you). 7 And it says, "You don't need to go to the place of the dead” (to bring Christ back to life again). 8 Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, "The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”
9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them. 13 For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
I'm here today to tell you!
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. 4 Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5 The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6 God sent John the Baptist 7 to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.
10 But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. 11 Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.
14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
Psalm 27:1
1 A psalm of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?
The Lord protects me from danger— so why should I tremble?
Matthew 5:14
14 You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.
That tells me true Christians stand out in the crowd!
The decisions you make from this day forward are between you and God. I don't want you to think I have all the truth, because I don't, I am still learning. What I have experienced is the filth, the deception and the hurt of religion! I believe God has called Northern Light Ministries to be a Light to those who have been affected by religion and a counterfeit gospel.
If you are a true Christian it is time to show a dark world our Light!