Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Linda Twaddell's avatar

It seems a failure that has existed since Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden. Human filters placed on God that can never match up.

I run, as you know, to 1 John, which you have put here. And the funny thing is that I don't really think we are defined by defining God correctly, but acting as he does and he does the defining. Here sits the catch missed in Religion. What I speak of is what God says about us rather than the other way around. After all, we do get it wrong so often, don't we? 45,000 Denominations stand as a testament to this.

But it is the TRAITS of God and the TRAITS of the enemy that seem to narrow things down a bit. Pride, lies, twisting the truth are the friends of religion - perhaps a harsh take but quite accurate and you give perfect examples. The human lens is just that set of mirrored boxes everyone wears on their head except for their chosen leader, right? They see the reflection they want to in their chosen teacher, then congratulate him on his reflection. And he can smile and say he saw his approval shining throughout the entire congregation. No wonder he thinks he is right.

What a mess. (I think I say that a lot LOL)

But I do, I go back and forth searching for the balance. And if pride or false humility is a constant companion of those in conversation (you said subtle condemnation - I say it isn't so subtle) one must evaluate 2 Timothy 3:1-9 and ask the Lord when to throw it up to His capable hands to handle it.

David has measured out 10 years as an estimate to see striking changes in this world. I have to agree because the body that calls itself the church has not just lost it moorings, its hold to morality is even slipping. Religion is defined now rather than God because God is self. There will be a time that the Lord says, "be a witness of that sin" as he says in his word and leave it at that. They are full of so much knowledge stating their sin is an obvious challenge to repentance. Guess I need to study more of that.

I sure am grateful I have a few to speak truth with. Sergio, I can't say it enough, thanks! David too, I know you read my comments, and I love you so very much. You are a dear brother!

More than all of that I am so grateful that my Lord is ever patient to attend to all my humanity - after all, he is the greatest promise keeper.

Expand full comment
David Bergsland's avatar

Extremely well done, although you come up short by not saying that the problem in all cases is doctrine. Doctrine is Man's distillation of scripture—it is always less, from the very beginning, than Scripture itself. Doctrine is used to define denominations. I tend to think less of denominations than I do of doctrine. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us while we study the Bible in many versions. We don't need or want commentaries. I do not care what Man has to say. I want to know what the Lord has to say.

I believe the solution is two-fold. 1: The Biblical requirement of being reborn of God. 2: The requirement that we know the Lord. That is know, ginosko, an intimate relationship as we see in the plan for marriage. In fact, the Greek word is slang for sex. I believe the Hebrew word for know is also.

We are betrothed to Yeshua Messiah. We are in the courtship stage where both parties strive to know each other intimately. This requires conversation.

I have a newsletter on my site called "Hearing Jesus now": https://biblicalreality.substack.com/s/hearing-jesus-is-necessary It has seven articles so far about practical steps to take to build a verifiable conversation with the Lord in your mind.

Yeshua will guide you to where He wants you to fellowship. He knows where you can be useful to Him.

I don't know what it means that the fellowship He has led me to is Substack.

But the days of doctrines and denominations are almost over. Soon, the shofar will blow. Jesus will call us, and we will know the Truth completely. But the key until then is to determine where the Lord wants you to be.

Expand full comment
2 more comments...

No posts