Do You Agree?

[RichardBurger]

From the book “hard to believe” by John MacArthur.Man-made and demon-designed systems of religion are based on the assumption that we don't really need a Savior, or aren't fully dependent on Him, because we have the capacity to develop our own righteousness. Just let God give us a little religious environment to aid our natural goodness, dispense a little power to us, or infuse a little strength into us. Give us a few rules, a few religious routines and rituals, and we'll crank up salvation on our own. The lie of human achievement comes under myriad different titles, but it's all the same system, because it's spawned out of the same source: Satan himself. He packages it in different boxes, but it's all the same product. On the other hand, the truth of divine accomplishment is Christianity. And it stands alone.Tragically, most of humanity is religiously speeding down the wide highway of human achievement, convinced it's headed toward some fabulous heavenly destiny because of its own basic goodness, noble works, and religious deeds. By contrast, Jesus said the only true way to heaven is the narrow pathway of trusting Him alone as Lord and Savior.The Jews taught that they could make it on their own. That's why it was so shocking when the apostle Paul said, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3:20). He also said that the law came in order to stop our mouths from any claim to righteousness and to render the whole world guilty before God. The Law came to show us our sinfulness, but when self-righteous, ego-centered man saw that he was sinful by the Law, he didn't want to face his sinfulness. Fallen people set their sinfulness aside and are constantly inventing new systems that accommodate their shortcomings, then affirming that they are okay before their gods, based on their own personal criteria or religious beliefs and behaviors.Do you agree?Richard

 

[thisistheendtimes]

Yes, it's "human achievement" that has been the goal of mankind's "religiosity"/religion since the Garden of Eden. The desire to be "as God"/equal with God, divine, accomplish "Godworthiness", and be independent of Him (as in the Tower of Babel) has always been the main motivation of humanity.Even after Moses delivered the opportunity to know God closely after 400 years in Egypt, the Israelites still couldn't resist the goal of human achievement (and of course they very quickly learned how to make money off of it). Even still, we really shouldn't waste our time crying that the evildoers condemn themselves, it is the "proselytes" that are misled by the "religion masters"/Pharisees...Matthew 23:15"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves".It is a sad situation today that many "fans"/followers of religion have been misled, but for many, it is because they themselves find satisfaction in their heart by what mankind's "religion" and prudish CODES of "morality" and propriety/properness have to offer. In the Garden, mankind "bit off more than it could chew". The knowledge of GOOD versus EVIL is rightly only God's domain (but we must now learn how to use it properly, Hebrews 5:14), the human knowledge/understanding of "right/wrong morality" codes cannot produce peaceful coexistence among the human race (obviously). In reality, "human ACHIEVEMENT" is almost a contradiction in terms/oxymoron because of all the wars, corruption, cheating, hatred, etc. (which was always "grevious" to me and made me "poor in spirit")...Ecclesiastes 2:17"So, I hated life...".John 12:25"he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life".Matthew 5:3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (the present/inner heaven).It can only be speculated that the number of proselytes who will genuinely overcome the desire for human achievement and travel the "narrow pathway" is a very small percentage (Jeremiah was the "weeping prophet" and "Jesus wept"). I started to "weep", but weeping does no good, and then God explained to me that "bleeding heart compassion" is only a personality trait of man's "morality" (as opposed to understanding GOOD/EVIL), and God is no respecter of personalities, He only has regard for our TRUE NATURE (besides, would it be just for me to cry for those who won't love my lord?).So, human achievement is one thing, but refusal to love my lord leaves me hard pressed to pity those who won't take the narrow path.

 

[shmity72]

wonderful topic.I am sometimes perplexed myself with the opacity of the churches where people are dancing around for 'Jesus' when they might as well be singing Hare Chrishna. I think God/Jesus wants us to come from a logical foundation and yes, celebrate and praise His name. And if i want to go to a party...well that's an entirely different atmosphere as it ought to be.I hope, I made a point.sincerely, shmity72