I have made the statement "Satan wants to make us religious but lost" and I now want to expand this idea.
It is a fact that some of the "Christian Jews" wanted the Gentile Christians to become Jewish by doing the things that the Jews did ""under the law."" This was the big problem that was discussed in Acts 13:1-2, Acts 15:1-20. It was an attempt to get Christians back under the law, which by the way, no one could keep. It was the subject of Acts 21:20-21 as well.
But that did not end the attempts of the Judaizers from continuing their assault on the Gentile believers. Most all of Paul's writings are in response to those that would add the Jewish law requirements to his gospel of the grace of God. Galatians 3:1-10 is just one example.
I want to tell you three reasons why I want to post this article.
My wife, and I, went on a cruise tour to Alaska in June this year. She and I like to visit historical sites. In Juneau we found an old "Russian Orthodox Church" and there was a person there that gave us a tour of the building. Towards the back of the room there was a partition that went from one side of the room to the other. In the middle of this partition was an arched doorway with a red curtain in it, (think veil of the Temple Matthew 27:51). It was explained that only the Priest could go behind that veil. It was also said that the Priest must offer up incense before the podium that stood before the curtain.
In July of this same year my wife and I attended a wedding in an "Eastern Orthodox Church." The inside of the church was the same as the "Russian Orthodox Church" and they had the same functions. During the wedding ceremony the Priest went behind the curtain and took a pot of incense with small decorative ropes and brought it out from behind the partition. This incense was swung around the podium. The Priest asked each of the bride and groom the same question "three time" and after each answer he would lead the couple around the podium swinging the incense and chanting in a monotone voice. The explanation was that the ceremony had to reference each member of the trinity.
Thinking about these things I realized that the RCC uses incense around the podium too and have other rituals and ceremonies that they say a person has to do to be saved and to be kept saved.
It seems to me that the Judaizers started the three churches listed above and that many of these same things are found in protestant churches. Have we begun in the spirit and fallen back into a form of Judaism? Did the JUDAIZERS win a place in history? Can anyone tell me that they are no longer with us?
Most all "religious" people are seeking to produce good works in their lives to earn salvation. This is a never-ending battle that is filled only with frustration and defeat. Until they accept the true gospel of Jesus Christ, they will never be able to rest in His finished work on the cross and consequently will never be able to experience the liberty of new life in Christ.
True liberty can come only in Christ. Only when we realize that we are SECURE in Him can we cease from our own works and rest in his work on the cross. This gives us a position of complete peace with God.
Think about it.
It is a fact that some of the "Christian Jews" wanted the Gentile Christians to become Jewish by doing the things that the Jews did ""under the law."" This was the big problem that was discussed in Acts 13:1-2, Acts 15:1-20. It was an attempt to get Christians back under the law, which by the way, no one could keep. It was the subject of Acts 21:20-21 as well.
But that did not end the attempts of the Judaizers from continuing their assault on the Gentile believers. Most all of Paul's writings are in response to those that would add the Jewish law requirements to his gospel of the grace of God. Galatians 3:1-10 is just one example.
I want to tell you three reasons why I want to post this article.
My wife, and I, went on a cruise tour to Alaska in June this year. She and I like to visit historical sites. In Juneau we found an old "Russian Orthodox Church" and there was a person there that gave us a tour of the building. Towards the back of the room there was a partition that went from one side of the room to the other. In the middle of this partition was an arched doorway with a red curtain in it, (think veil of the Temple Matthew 27:51). It was explained that only the Priest could go behind that veil. It was also said that the Priest must offer up incense before the podium that stood before the curtain.
In July of this same year my wife and I attended a wedding in an "Eastern Orthodox Church." The inside of the church was the same as the "Russian Orthodox Church" and they had the same functions. During the wedding ceremony the Priest went behind the curtain and took a pot of incense with small decorative ropes and brought it out from behind the partition. This incense was swung around the podium. The Priest asked each of the bride and groom the same question "three time" and after each answer he would lead the couple around the podium swinging the incense and chanting in a monotone voice. The explanation was that the ceremony had to reference each member of the trinity.
Thinking about these things I realized that the RCC uses incense around the podium too and have other rituals and ceremonies that they say a person has to do to be saved and to be kept saved.
It seems to me that the Judaizers started the three churches listed above and that many of these same things are found in protestant churches. Have we begun in the spirit and fallen back into a form of Judaism? Did the JUDAIZERS win a place in history? Can anyone tell me that they are no longer with us?
Most all "religious" people are seeking to produce good works in their lives to earn salvation. This is a never-ending battle that is filled only with frustration and defeat. Until they accept the true gospel of Jesus Christ, they will never be able to rest in His finished work on the cross and consequently will never be able to experience the liberty of new life in Christ.
True liberty can come only in Christ. Only when we realize that we are SECURE in Him can we cease from our own works and rest in his work on the cross. This gives us a position of complete peace with God.
Think about it.