The Mis-Education of the Christian; What True Christianity is and How We have been Misled (Part 1)

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Do you feel something missing from your Christian walk? Do you know who you serve and fully understand why you serve him? Do you feel fed days after leaving worship service? Do you feel you can defend your faith and your beliefs? For many Christians, the answers to these questions is no! Why? Because the church that was founded by Yasua (Jesus was his name in Greek. His name in Hebrew is Joshua. The language of the Jewish people 2000 years ago was Aramaic. In Aramaic his name is Yehosua ,Yasua or Yashua) and carried on by the Apostles is dead. This that we see today is not true Authentic Christianity as we see in it in the New Testament. Study the Book of Acts and you will see the direct opposite of what we have today. This thing that is paraded before us today is a cheap counterfeit lifeless religion. What they had then was a life giving, living, breathing, life changing movement. What they had back then was unity in the Body. Today's so called church is riddled with division. Why are there so many different denominations all going in different direction? There is one GOD, one faith, one baptism. So there could only be one creed... The Bible. We have developed this "Gang mentality", where all we care about is what's going on within our four walls with our ministry. We don't support anything not affiliated with our denomination, or even church for that matter. When will we learn, Satan's trick is to divide us and get us to focus on things that are not important. In Church some of us sing songs about how we want "old time religion" back but this refers to what we had before the eighties, which was not much better than what we have now. "It's not about the old ways. It's about the much older ways". We need to take it back to the way it used to be, the way it was meant to be. When the church grew daily, sometimes hundreds at a time; when there was genuine love and fellowship; when titles did not matter and no one was greater or better than the other; a time when all followers were fed and grew. The church is dead but the time has come to bring it back to life. There is a old cliché that states "you don't know where your going until you know where you been." History is the key to the present and future. Church histories, including old and new testaments are the most important branch of theology. It has great value for all Christians not just "clergy". When Yasua begin his ministry his primary opponents were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees followed and believed GODs word as it was interpreted by the scribes. They also created a long list of tradition and man made laws often called "the tradition of the elders". They taught that these laws were equal to the word of GOD (Herbert Lockyer Sr. Ed., Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986) 830-831, 951-958. See also Matthew 23:23-24). What The Sadducees had in common with the Pharisees was their dislike of GOD the son. They did not add to the scripture like the Pharisees, they took away from it. They only took the part of GODs word they felt was most worthy to be observed. They denied existence of spirits, angels, the soul, the after life and the resurrection. (I. Howard Marshall, New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed. Wheaton, Il intervarsity Fellowship, 1982 1055) When Jesus' ministry began to grow, it became quite clear he was a threat to both camps. They both took steps to get rid of him. It is a well known and understood fact that history repeats itself. Today Christianity has gone there same direction the Pharisees and the Sadducees went 2000 years ago. Like the Pharisees, the church has added many man made "Laws" that nullifies the church and keeps it from being the life giving ministry it should be. Like the Sadducees, there are leaders in the church that that have erased a large sum of first century practices from Christianity. Conservatives and liberals both argue back and forth about who is right and who is wrong, but when you study the scripture you will see there to a great degree they are both wrong. Unlike the present church, the church of the first century was organic and fresh. By that I mean it contained no man made adjectives or perservitves. It was 100 % GOD made. For that reason it was living, it was breathing and it produced radical, bold Christians. They where not led by a "set guide" or a "program". They are only led by the Holy Spirit, so everything was always fresh and spontaneous. Everything they did was confirmed in scripture and complimented GODs word. In contrast, much of what we do is not has no authentic root in GOD's word! Our practices contradict scripture. Careful close study will prove that most of our Christian practices and customs were stolen from pagan culture. Today's church lacks growth, lacks boldness, has countless division, power struggles and lakes the ability to change GOD's people. Why? Because we need to return the church back it its organic simple state. The early church operated in the power of the Holy Spirit according to GODs design for the body of Christ. Like the church at Corinth there are some bodies that had to be put in line, but over all the results were astronomical. The book of Acts as well as the writings of the Apostles found in the New Testament gives us a picture and example. Matthew 6:24 teaches us "no one can serve to masters," yet we try very hard to prove the words of Yashua wrong. Aside from attending "worship" service and/or Bible "bible study", in what ways are we different from a conservative that is not a Christian... We watch and listen to the same entertainment, Speak the same, dress the same and we share in the world's lust for commercial and materialistic things. "We claim we are not of this world" but our practice says otherwise. Where is there evidence? Early Christians lived by a completely different set of principles then the rest of mankind. They rejected the world's titles, entertainment and riches. The early church had an unconditional love for all of their brothers and sisters, including those who were not saved. Early church leader Justin Martyr said "we who used to value the acquisition of wealth and possessions more then anything else now bring what we have into a common fund and share it with anyone that needs it. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now because of Christ we live together with such people and pray for our enemies." Early Christians lovingly helped the poor, orphans, the elderly, the sick, even there persecutors. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus said "Love your enemies... and pray for those that spitefully use you and persecute you." This was accepted as a commandment from GOD and they took GODs word seriously. GODs word teaches us that we are not to take our brothers to court (1 Cor 6:7). Yet many of us in the church are sue happy. You even have churches and whole denominations going to court. Early Christians refused to do any such thing. First century Christians had a childlike trust in GOD! To them trusting GOD meant more then a teary-eyed testimony. It meant 100 % obedience to God even if it meant great suffering. To claim to trust God while refusing to obey him was a contradiction (1. John 2: 4). Their faith was not just verbal. They didn't just speak great things, they lived them! Understand from the time of the Emperor Trajan (about A. D.) till the edict of Milan was issued in 313, Christian practices were illegal and were punishable by death. The fact that they were bold enough to suffer and/or die for their faith was their most effective evangelistic tool. How many of us would die for our faith? Any one who does not believe enough to die for their beliefs does not really believe. Many of us would give our life for our family, friends and even material things but not for GOD. We would rather renounce our faith and live. You give your life for that which you love. Early Christians trusted GOD's Word when he said his church would be built on a rack and the gates of hell would not over power it (Matt. 16:18). It was though constant prayer that they received the spirit of boldness. A study of Acts 4:1-31 shows us how persecution did not destroy them. It brought them closer together and encouraged them. They sang, they prayed and the spirit filled them. They spoke the word of GOD boldly. We learn from Acts 2:42-47 that there was balance in the early church. Everyone was dedicated to the Apostles teaching, and to the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They were always together, thy shared all that they had and gave to anyone in need. They even ate together. Their fellowship was balanced with teaching, benevolence and worship. Because they functioned in this was there was much growth, "the Lord added to their number..." when we do as we are supposed to evangelism happens.

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The Mis-Education of the Christian; What True Christianity is and How We have been Misled (Part 1)

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