THE RELIGION BOX

[H. Richard]

If you can see it religion is a box that men of religion have built. It was built by Emperor Constantine in about AD300. It was called the “Roman Catholic Church” Their doctrine was established on a mixture of law, grace and what ever they could come up with to get people to come into it.. They then kept them there by threaten them with being put out of their church. This is their religion box

Put this box inside of a bigger box which I call THE RELIGION BOX.

The RCC religion box had many spin off into other religion boxes which I call the SECONDARY BOXES, plural because there are so many of them. Put these boxes inside of THE RELIGION BOX with the RCC religion box.

Everyone of those boxes say they are the way to heaven. Join anyone of them and they will tell you that you are going to heaven, if just do as they tell you. If you join you will be told what to believe and do. If a person doesn’t make it they must not have done enough what they were told to do.

This is the condition of those in THE RELIGION BOX. Everyone of them has a different theology. ----

Question == Is this what Jesus left us with?

Afterward those that had started with Paul’s gospel of grace fell victims’ to the believing Jews and started to include the works of the Law of Moses. This created a blended, mixed gospel of two different plans of salvation. One thing is certain from what I’ve read -- the Asian fathers largely failed to acknowledge the uniqueness of the revelation Christ gave to Paul. Why? Because, as Paul himself wrote, Asia had already turned away from him even while he was yet alive. Those in Asia were even then “turning aside unto myths.” These church “fathers,” with their compounded mythical doctrines, are only the fruit of the apostasy that began in the first century before Paul died.

2 Tim 1:15
15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
(NKJ)

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

This is exactly what happened: from among the Gentile believers of Asia, false teachers DID arise, DID speak perverse things and DID draw away disciples unto themselves. All within 100 years of Paul's death.

For anyone, today, to find salvation in THE RELIGION BOX is betting their eternity on the ideas of other men who say their idea is correct. But what if it isn’t?

According to the scriptures a child of God has been given the Holy Spirit to indwell them and teach them. They are not left to man’s ideas since the holy Spirit will open up the scriptures for them. He does this through revelation just as he did for Paul.

But THE RELIGION BOX is a trap. It is hard to step on the outside of this box and see the things that God wants you to see. The god of this world clouds the mind of men so that they will not see the truth or even try.

The only way to escape THE REIGION BOX is to step out of it and see it for what it is. A person must see that they are lost in THE RELIGION BOX because they are left with the impossible task of trying to do enough works to be saved. They must see that they are lost and with all their heart pray that God will lead you to understand the grace gospel in it purity, Faith + nothing.

Now I want you to see Jesus’ story of the “LOST SHEEP” and connect it to those in THE RELIGION BOX.

Matt 18:12-14
12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
NKJV

Knowing about sheep helps to understand this teaching. The one who is lost KNOWS he is lost while the 99 have strayed and do not know they are lost too. So they do not call out that they are lost. This is the trap of THE RELIGION BOX. The only way to escape is to know you are lost.

Written by H Richard

 

[Helen]

Amen. Good word.

There is also another box.
It is the "I am free ,in grace, and bow to no man box"
I fell for that one myself...and found that having no denomination or belonging to any established church and proud of it....was a box in itself!
I think the non-church free people are greater in number than any think. Elijah thought that he alone was "God's true man"
God said- "I have yet been 7000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal". God has always had His hidden non-boxed people.
I have nothing against good worship and a good free church where God's Spirit is in charge and a true word preached.
But, as soon as I get a sniff of " become a church member" .....and .." Let us build ourselves a Tower that reaches heaven... " I am out of there.
At the moment I am anti-religion, anti established church, and one with those who have an ear open , waiting for the Voice of our Lord saying- "It is time, sons of Gods arise ........."

 

[lforrest]

We can no more keep God in a box than Jesus could be kept in the grave!

 

[tabletalk]

If you can see it religion is a box that men of religion have built. It was built by Emperor Constantine in about AD300. It was called the “Roman Catholic Church” Their doctrine was established on a mixture of law, grace and what ever they could come up with to get people to come into it.. They then kept them there by threaten them with being put out of their church. This is their religion box

Put this box inside of a bigger box which I call THE RELIGION BOX.

The RCC religion box had many spin off into other religion boxes which I call the SECONDARY BOXES, plural because there are so many of them. Put these boxes inside of THE RELIGION BOX with the RCC religion box.

Everyone of those boxes say they are the way to heaven. Join anyone of them and they will tell you that you are going to heaven, if just do as they tell you. If you join you will be told what to believe and do. If a person doesn’t make it they must not have done enough what they were told to do.

This is the condition of those in THE RELIGION BOX. Everyone of them has a different theology. ----

Question == Is this what Jesus left us with?

Afterward those that had started with Paul’s gospel of grace fell victims’ to the believing Jews and started to include the works of the Law of Moses. This created a blended, mixed gospel of two different plans of salvation. One thing is certain from what I’ve read -- the Asian fathers largely failed to acknowledge the uniqueness of the revelation Christ gave to Paul. Why? Because, as Paul himself wrote, Asia had already turned away from him even while he was yet alive. Those in Asia were even then “turning aside unto myths.” These church “fathers,” with their compounded mythical doctrines, are only the fruit of the apostasy that began in the first century before Paul died.

2 Tim 1:15
15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
(NKJ)

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

This is exactly what happened: from among the Gentile believers of Asia, false teachers DID arise, DID speak perverse things and DID draw away disciples unto themselves. All within 100 years of Paul's death.

For anyone, today, to find salvation in THE RELIGION BOX is betting their eternity on the ideas of other men who say their idea is correct. But what if it isn’t?

According to the scriptures a child of God has been given the Holy Spirit to indwell them and teach them. They are not left to man’s ideas since the holy Spirit will open up the scriptures for them. He does this through revelation just as he did for Paul.

But THE RELIGION BOX is a trap. It is hard to step on the outside of this box and see the things that God wants you to see. The god of this world clouds the mind of men so that they will not see the truth or even try.

The only way to escape THE REIGION BOX is to step out of it and see it for what it is. A person must see that they are lost in THE RELIGION BOX because they are left with the impossible task of trying to do enough works to be saved. They must see that they are lost and with all their heart pray that God will lead you to understand the grace gospel in it purity, Faith + nothing.

Now I want you to see Jesus’ story of the “LOST SHEEP” and connect it to those in THE RELIGION BOX.

Matt 18:12-14
12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
NKJV

Knowing about sheep helps to understand this teaching. The one who is lost KNOWS he is lost while the 99 have strayed and do not know they are lost too. So they do not call out that they are lost. This is the trap of THE RELIGION BOX. The only way to escape is to know you are lost.

Written by H Richard

From your post:
"Everyone of those boxes say they are the way to heaven." "A person must see that they are lost in THE RELIGION BOX because they are left with the impossible task of trying to do enough works to be saved."

Not every Christian church in the world teaches "they are the way to heaven", or teaches "do enough works to be saved."

 

[H. Richard]

We can no more keep God in a box than Jesus could be kept in the grave!

***

DID I SAY THAT GOD WAS IN THE BOX??????

 

[Helen]

***

DID I SAY THAT GOD WAS IN THE BOX??????

It's man that gets boxed...if we allow ourselves to be....the Enemy likes us to have ridged thinking. In fact, as I think on it...most religions and controlling systems demand boxes. They are and have always been afraid of free thinkers...afraid we may come to the knowledge of The Truth .

 

[Job]

Oooo, another catholic bashing thread.

Thought I'd never get tired of seeing these threads. Boy was I wrong.

 

[lforrest]

***

DID I SAY THAT GOD WAS IN THE BOX??????

No, I said that. Religion would love to put God in a box with them. They would like to dictate the conditions under which he can move, and what he is willing and able to do, and to decide what is true.

It isn't just the RCC

 

[Helen]

@IForrest Agree....it has been with us since the tower of Babel.....
I still ponder the fact the God scattered them back then,...I wonder if we are all still scattered today..because of all our ( denominational) boxes!!
Everyone of them thinks they have to perfect and correct box that we should all fit into.
I wonder how God will sort out this mess and do what He said He will do...in making us all one in Him. We 'say' that we are all "Christians" under one GodHead...but our actions tell a different story!

 

[H. Richard]

No, I said that. Religion would love to put God in a box with them. They would like to dictate the conditions under which he can move, and what he is willing and able to do, and to decide what is true.

It isn't just the RCC

***
Nor did I indicate it was just the RCC.

 

[Armadillo]

There are so many denominations and we don't all agree, obviously, but if their faith is in Jesus Christ then we are family and if their faith is by grace alone, we'll get along and if their faith is by law and grace, they are not my enemy. The world is watching how we as Christians treat one another.

 

[bbyrd009]

I wonder how God will sort out this mess and do what He said He will do...in making us all one in Him.

lol--simply waiting long enough for those who see enemies in every shadow to all succumb to the realities of reproduction/proliferation will imo do the trick

 

[Job]

Now I want you to see Jesus’ story of the “LOST SHEEP” and connect it to those in THE RELIGION BOX.

Matt 18:12-14
12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
NKJV

Knowing about sheep helps to understand this teaching. The one who is lost KNOWS he is lost while the 99 have strayed and do not know they are lost too. So they do not call out that they are lost. This is the trap of THE RELIGION BOX. The only way to escape is to know you are lost.

This is the worst interpretation of scripture I've ever seen.


o

 

[lforrest]

This is the worst interpretation of scripture I've ever seen.


o

Year, if the Shepherd is with the sheep they are not lost.

 

[Job]

Year, if the Shepherd is with the sheep they are not lost.

He states the exact opposite of what the scriptures tell us. I think he's still in the BOX and doesn't realize it.


13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

[

 

[aspen]

Knowing we are lost is not a bad thing, but Richard's interpretation seems to recommend wandering off the path, which he has labeled 'religion'. This is not an accurate understanding of the scripture presented.

 

[DPMartin]

If you can see it religion is a box that men of religion have built. It was built by Emperor Constantine in about AD300. It was called the “Roman Catholic Church” Their doctrine was established on a mixture of law, grace and what ever they could come up with to get people to come into it.. They then kept them there by threaten them with being put out of their church. This is their religion box

Put this box inside of a bigger box which I call THE RELIGION BOX.

The RCC religion box had many spin off into other religion boxes which I call the SECONDARY BOXES, plural because there are so many of them. Put these boxes inside of THE RELIGION BOX with the RCC religion box.

Everyone of those boxes say they are the way to heaven. Join anyone of them and they will tell you that you are going to heaven, if just do as they tell you. If you join you will be told what to believe and do. If a person doesn’t make it they must not have done enough what they were told to do.

This is the condition of those in THE RELIGION BOX. Everyone of them has a different theology. ----

Question == Is this what Jesus left us with?

Afterward those that had started with Paul’s gospel of grace fell victims’ to the believing Jews and started to include the works of the Law of Moses. This created a blended, mixed gospel of two different plans of salvation. One thing is certain from what I’ve read -- the Asian fathers largely failed to acknowledge the uniqueness of the revelation Christ gave to Paul. Why? Because, as Paul himself wrote, Asia had already turned away from him even while he was yet alive. Those in Asia were even then “turning aside unto myths.” These church “fathers,” with their compounded mythical doctrines, are only the fruit of the apostasy that began in the first century before Paul died.

though one can say religion is a box so is government, and especially the hearts of men is a box, a box that can't be escaped but your view is limited to Christianity, its the same through out the world. in all religions. the RCC was merely the result of a state religion approved by the emperor of the day, no different then any other "religion" in Rome or Greece or the Medes or the Persians or Babylon or China Russia Egypt so on and so forth. what the children of a society is taught to be true about existence is the approved belief, system of belief, "religion" and mankind can not get out of that box.

so bashing Catholics or the Catholic Church won't solve anything, but you can bet without a doubt that the Almighty set and let the catholic church and the branching thereof continue for the sake of the Children of God in the world. other than some countries in the world who chased out and killed off the church in their territory (mostly Muslim), persecution either discontinued or was eventually over come of the declaration of Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Salvation therein. even in Russia and China they purged their countries of Christianity and just about any religion and now St Petersburg once changed to Leningrad now is St. Petersburg. and China now has a state approved church that from the info I've read its packed every service. so Vatican misdeeds and underhanded corruption the church still stands even though one sees the destruction with in. and the RCC is still a church of the state.

be honest if the Vatican was to go down in full destruction and elimination, to never return, the world and the Christian community would be thinking the end of the day of the Gentiles. and fear would strike the believer of coming persecutions.

 

[H. Richard]

Could it be that the religious do not understand what a church is under grace?

Church = The Church is a "Spiritual Church" (spiritual house 1 Peter 2:4-5) (Mark 14:58) (Acts 17:23-25) (2 Cor. 5:1) (Heb 9:11 and 24) made up of Christians. Since it consists of 'born again Christians' the true Church is as Jesus described a born again Christian in John 3:8.

John 3:8 NKJV
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Therefore, the Church is a spiritual entity, made by the will of God and built without human hands of flesh, and the head of the Church is Jesus Christ who gave his life for it. I, personally feel that no man is to be considered as head of the Church. The Church's visibility in the world is shown through Christians that profess that faith in Jesus‘ work on the cross has saved them, individually and as groups. It is not a religious organization, or building, or certain place. Read LUKE, 17:20 "The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, here it is, or there it is, because the kingdom of God "is" within you.

 

[Helen]

@H. Richard Excellent thoughts. I like that!

 

[Stranger]

Could it be that the religious do not understand what a church is under grace?

Church = The Church is a "Spiritual Church" (spiritual house 1 Peter 2:4-5) (Mark 14:58) (Acts 17:23-25) (2 Cor. 5:1) (Heb 9:11 and 24) made up of Christians. Since it consists of 'born again Christians' the true Church is as Jesus described a born again Christian in John 3:8.

John 3:8 NKJV
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Therefore, the Church is a spiritual entity, made by the will of God and built without human hands of flesh, and the head of the Church is Jesus Christ who gave his life for it. I, personally feel that no man is to be considered as head of the Church. The Church's visibility in the world is shown through Christians that profess that faith in Jesus‘ work on the cross has saved them, individually and as groups. It is not a religious organization, or building, or certain place. Read LUKE, 17:20 "The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, here it is, or there it is, because the kingdom of God "is" within you.

You might want to rethink that. (Matt. 16:18) "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;...." Jesus Christ is indeed the Head of the Church. But He is a Man as much as He is God. And when He builds His Church He does it by both Spirit and human hands, as He is a Man also.

Do not confuse the kingdom of God with the Church.

Stranger