Romans 10 NIV
Many years ago, I was in sitting in a "religious" class and I responded to a question with this: "Faith comes by hearing by the Word." The response from the Pastor/teacher was no it does not and he moved on. That was that!
Paul wrote to the Romans: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (vs 17) And... no, not everyone who hears the word will receive it and accept it. Not even everyone who claims to be a Christian accepts Christ. I know that's hard to believe. When taking instruction or receiving guidance from someone who does sit in a place of Christian authority, listen. Listen to whether they testify that Jesus is Lord or not. Discern whether their zeal is based on real knowledge of Christ or if there zeal comes from someplace else. It may be that their zeal comes purely from the fact that they feel they have been elevated to some high seat in the church or because they get to do "good works" for the world around them to see. There zeal could come purely from their own ego.
Maybe you noticed and wondered why I put "religious" in quote marks above. This word is used in many ways today. Often, I hear it used in a derogatory sense pertaining to all who would profess Jesus as Savior. Spiritual tends to be applied to those who do not know Jesus but have made contact with their inner selves. That is often presented as the preferable way to go. I believe the opposite is true. It appears to me that those who profess to be spiritual are actually "religious" as they tend to have all kinds of rules as to how to conduct ones life (a certain, personal, morality to keep some sort of balance in life) and those who profess Jesus as Lord are spiritual as they live with zeal in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord. They follow Him and not personal ego-made rules to live by.
Beware! Not everyone who would be self-described as Christian is Christian. Some are indeed "religious;" teaching things not found in scripture and denying things that would open hearts to the message of Jesus; denying the very truth that would save us.
God's Peace - Pr. J.
Many years ago, I was in sitting in a "religious" class and I responded to a question with this: "Faith comes by hearing by the Word." The response from the Pastor/teacher was no it does not and he moved on. That was that!
Paul wrote to the Romans: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (vs 17) And... no, not everyone who hears the word will receive it and accept it. Not even everyone who claims to be a Christian accepts Christ. I know that's hard to believe. When taking instruction or receiving guidance from someone who does sit in a place of Christian authority, listen. Listen to whether they testify that Jesus is Lord or not. Discern whether their zeal is based on real knowledge of Christ or if there zeal comes from someplace else. It may be that their zeal comes purely from the fact that they feel they have been elevated to some high seat in the church or because they get to do "good works" for the world around them to see. There zeal could come purely from their own ego.
Maybe you noticed and wondered why I put "religious" in quote marks above. This word is used in many ways today. Often, I hear it used in a derogatory sense pertaining to all who would profess Jesus as Savior. Spiritual tends to be applied to those who do not know Jesus but have made contact with their inner selves. That is often presented as the preferable way to go. I believe the opposite is true. It appears to me that those who profess to be spiritual are actually "religious" as they tend to have all kinds of rules as to how to conduct ones life (a certain, personal, morality to keep some sort of balance in life) and those who profess Jesus as Lord are spiritual as they live with zeal in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord. They follow Him and not personal ego-made rules to live by.
Beware! Not everyone who would be self-described as Christian is Christian. Some are indeed "religious;" teaching things not found in scripture and denying things that would open hearts to the message of Jesus; denying the very truth that would save us.
God's Peace - Pr. J.
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