Religion is the most powerful force on earth.
Despite the claims of the contrary, everyone on earth is religious. Religion is defined as the adherence to a set of beliefs that regulate the moral, social, and ritualistic behavior of an individual. This includes atheist, secularist, communist, socialist, humanist, or agnostic. For they all adhere to a belief system of some kind, even if it is the belief that there is no providential component, so to speak, in creation in life as we know it. Rather than uniting humanity with common power and knowledge of purpose, religion has I believe proven itself instead to be the great divider of mankind.
Genesis 1:26 “ Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
This statement says one of the most important declarations ever made regarding "mankind". It declares the motivation, nature, purpose, and mandate behind mankind’s creation. Dominion is the purpose for man’s creation and existence. I like finding Hebrew translations sometimes. “Dominion” translates to the Hebrew word “mamlakah", which can also be translated as “kingdom”, “sovereign rule”, or “royal power”. Man was created to have rulership and authority over the earth.
The first thing man was given by his Creator was a “kingdom”.
But, you know the story, we messed up and lost the kingdom given, the gift of divine power. So when man fell from grace, he lost a “kingdom”, not a “religion”. Therefore man’s search is not for a religion, but for his kingdom. This is why religion will never satisfy that deep hunger within us. Religion is itself the search. The hunger of a human heart, my heart and yours, is for the lost kingdom.
Author Myles Munroe once said, "I would dare to say no one has been more misunderstood than Jesus. Misunderstanding has caused Muslims to reject Him, Hindus to suspect Him, Buddhists to ignore Him, atheists to hate Him, and agnostics to deny Him.But it just may be those who claim to represent Him most, “Christians”, who have in fact misunderstood Him and, therefore, misrepresented Him the most." That hits hard to me, because there is a lot of truth to that.
Jesus’ message, assignment, passion, and purpose were to not establish a religion of "rituals and rules" but rather to reintroduce a kingdom. Everything Jesus said and did (His prayers, teachings, healings, and miracles) was focused on a Kingdom, not a religion.
Jesus made it clear from the very beginning that the principle need of the human race, and the only solution to mankind’s dilemma, was the Kingdom of Heaven. His first statements in Matthew reveal this Kingdom priority.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
Fellas, the power of religion lies in its ability to serve as a substitute for the Kingdom, so it prevents us from pursuing the genuine answer to our dilemma. Religion just cannot be a substitute for a relationship.
trying to die to myself,
-tmart
4 comments:
I cannot believe some people in this day and age still worship "Gods and/or Dieties". Of course the grand consequence of this thing called 'religion' is usually tribal conflict.
Man will never achieve his full potential as long as there are religions in the world.
We all worship something. What do you put your hope, confidence, and trust in? Whatever that is, is your God, and you will worship it.
"The grand consequence of this thing called 'religion' is usually tribal conflict." My question to you is, "what are the grand consequences of the humanistic, atheistic ideologies that shaped the beliefs of the leaders of Germany, Italy, and Russia in the mid-twentieth century?"
If you think about it, we're all slaves to what we obey. Do you obey the world, money, sex,power, zodiac signs, greek gods, women, your 9-5? Or you can obey God and His righteous commands, the gospel set upon His infallible word. People willing died for what they believed in (a man in flesh who was unlike anyone ever), not like other religions that motivate their people to die (suicide) so they can get to their own heaven where dozens of virgins awate.
Many old military leaders served power, we serve Jesus, who do you serve? If you say you serve nothing, you're a liar, think about it? Pursue the truth, know who you are where you're going and what you stand for. Claiming there is no God is intellectual suicide.
Once you have claimed there is no God, then you have declared yourself as your own personal God. Once you declare there is no absolute truth you have become a hypocrite because if there is no absolute truth then your statement can not be considered truth. If you claim that truth can't be known then you yourself are claiming to know the very thing you just said can't be known. Most people are blinded to see this in their own lives.
-TEvans
Post a Comment