Stratos wrote on Dec 1
st, 2013 at 9:22pm:
......Christianity is based around the church, and there are many clear instructions in the bible that faith revolves around the church and it's roles. See 1st Corinthians 12 for a very cool analogy for how the Christian church is supposed to operate, and why it is crucial to Christianity.
Stratos,
What are you, a lapsed Catholic ?
Did you ever read the bible ?
I mean,
read, the bible.
"Going to church does not make you a Christian, any more than standing in a garage makes you a car."
Jesus said...
"...thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."
Revelation 2:6
Revelation 2:15
Nicolaitans???
'Nicolaitan', refers to those who [Nico] 'rule over' or 'conquer', and [the laity] 'the people'.
Jesus in Revelation, and, in the Gospels, said that he hated those hypocrites, who use the authority of 'religion' [a false, worldly 'spirituality'], to rule over men.
Matthew 20:25
But Jesus called them unto him, and said,
Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Popes???
'Papa'?
"....And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
"...But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
Matthew 23:1-13
Mark 10:42-44
Luke 22:23-27
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
John 4:23-24
Matthew 6:5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
+++
Again, people who want to know the truth
about God,
should take some time and try to read the bible.
For anyone unfamiliar with the bible, i would suggest they
start by reading the Gospels, OR, the Psalms.
For me, probably the most beautiful book of the Bible, is the book of Psalms.
Psalms 15:1
LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy,
nor knowledge of God in the land.
Jeremiah 9:3
And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies:
but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they know not me, saith the LORD.4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit
they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
DEAF AND BLIND - lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.Isaiah 6:9
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
The 'Knowledge of God' spoken of in Hosea 4:1, is the knowledge of
God's righteousness.
But men are following their own
prideful 'wisdom'.
In their very wickedness, men imagine that they are wise.
But all that we reveal, is our rebellion against God's righteousness.
Look at the wickedness in this world, today.
A wickedness most prevalent among mankind's highest echelons.All, coming from man's
prideful 'wisdom'.
If you, with a clean and humble heart, search for God, God will reveal himself to you.