The Secular Christ
Christianity is not a religion. A lot of Christians may be religious but they do so in complete defiance to Christ himself. Religion in all of its facets and forms comes down to one principle: preoccupation with self. Me, me, me, me; you, you, you, you to the exclusion of Jesus Christ. What can you do for God? What can I do for myself? How can I get people and God to notice me? The message of salvation has been extant throughout human history and thankfully it rests entirely upon the work of God. Man can take no credit, even if he steals it or associates himself with God, God will not recognize man's "contribution" to God's plan nor accept it. That's why Christ himself was against the religious authority of the day that prevailed in Israel. He wasn't against Jews for he himself was the King of the Jews and was sent by God to the Jew first to present his portfolio as their savior and prince.
The rejection of Christ by religious Jews is not entirely a "Jewish" problem. It was a religious one. If Christ had gone to Rome then the religious pagan authorities there would have crucified him in Italy. If he had gone to China first then the Asiatic religious authorities there would have murdered him to preserve their power as well. The message of Christ was that for all of man's "beauty" and good works no matter how much he may have "sacrificed" for God, he still fell short of God's righteousness. God has rejected the self-righteousness of man. And that my friends is good news! Thank God he has rejected our works of righteousness and all the hypocrisy and deception that goes with it. We can free ourselves from the shackles of religion as well as its addictions by a one-time innoculation that requires no merit on our part: Faith alone in Christ alone. By accepting Christ as your Savior you are saying to God that you cannot make it to heaven by your own works in part or whole and that you acknowledge the perfect righteousness of God as the only basis of your salvation.
This fundamental concept is what changed the Roman Empire forever and ultimately Western Europe from its backward pagan modus vivendi. You will note, only in the Roman Empire was this belief embraced and in all other places of the world, including Israel, it would be rejected en masse. Small minorities would come to accept Christ and reject religion in other parts of the world but sadly not enough to change the culture that they belonged to in a world ruled by religion.
When Christ returns at the Second Advent, he comes not as a humble saviour but as a conquering hero. His return will mark a significant demarcation in the history of humanity in that religion will be relegated to the dustbin of history. Judiaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Shinto and all the other religions in between will cease to exist for all practical purposes. Jesus Christ is reality. His physical presence in the Capitol of Israel in one fell swoop will render religion obsolete when he returns to Jerusalem as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What think ye of Christ?
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 21:1-4; 22-27
The rejection of Christ by religious Jews is not entirely a "Jewish" problem. It was a religious one. If Christ had gone to Rome then the religious pagan authorities there would have crucified him in Italy. If he had gone to China first then the Asiatic religious authorities there would have murdered him to preserve their power as well. The message of Christ was that for all of man's "beauty" and good works no matter how much he may have "sacrificed" for God, he still fell short of God's righteousness. God has rejected the self-righteousness of man. And that my friends is good news! Thank God he has rejected our works of righteousness and all the hypocrisy and deception that goes with it. We can free ourselves from the shackles of religion as well as its addictions by a one-time innoculation that requires no merit on our part: Faith alone in Christ alone. By accepting Christ as your Savior you are saying to God that you cannot make it to heaven by your own works in part or whole and that you acknowledge the perfect righteousness of God as the only basis of your salvation.
This fundamental concept is what changed the Roman Empire forever and ultimately Western Europe from its backward pagan modus vivendi. You will note, only in the Roman Empire was this belief embraced and in all other places of the world, including Israel, it would be rejected en masse. Small minorities would come to accept Christ and reject religion in other parts of the world but sadly not enough to change the culture that they belonged to in a world ruled by religion.
When Christ returns at the Second Advent, he comes not as a humble saviour but as a conquering hero. His return will mark a significant demarcation in the history of humanity in that religion will be relegated to the dustbin of history. Judiaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Shinto and all the other religions in between will cease to exist for all practical purposes. Jesus Christ is reality. His physical presence in the Capitol of Israel in one fell swoop will render religion obsolete when he returns to Jerusalem as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What think ye of Christ?
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 21:1-4; 22-27
posted by Bruce R. McConnell | 10:55 AM
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