Matthew 15:7-8, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
What most people don't understand is that truth and religion are two
entirely separate things. Nearly all religion in the world is destitute of
the truth of God's Word. Ironically, most religious groups who claim to
believe the Bible adhere to a system of religious beliefs that are nothing
but lies and deceptions. The Bible calls these “doctrines of devils” in 1st
Timothy 4:1.
If I had my way, I'd disband every religion in the world. What we need is THE TRUTH. God's Word is truth. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Phooey on religion. The Apostle Paul said he horribly persecuted and wasted the Church through religion while unsaved. Galatians 3:13, “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' RELIGION, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.” Nearly every religious person is unsaved, i.e., without Jesus Christ, bound for Hell in their sins. They have never been born-again as the Bible requires to enter Heaven (John 3:3). Have you been born-again?
Religion is a paved road to Hell. Just as Las Vegas, religion shows people all the neon lights; but they don't show you the morgue, the prisons, nor the broken lives. Religion is the worst thing to ever happen to this sin-cursed world. What you need my friend is THE TRUTH. In John 14:6, Jesus proclaimed to be THE TRUTH, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
In John 5:39 Jesus commanded for us to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES . . . “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” Amen! The Scriptures testify of Jesus Christ, Who was manifest to mankind as the Godhead incarnate, i.e., God in the flesh (1st Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9). John 1:14 teaches us that “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” We read in Revelation 19:10, “...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Jesus is the capstone of the pyramid of prophecy. All of these Bible passages plainly reveal that Jesus is the focus of all the Scriptures. The Bible testifies to us concerning Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
Hence, all spiritual truth must be centered in the soulwinning work, teachings and Person of Jesus Christ. Nearly everything of a spiritual nature being taught today via television, radio and books are completely devoid of the precious Savior, the Lord Jesus. Someone recently asked me to sum up what the Bible is in as few words as possible. My immediate reply was one word... TRUTH. The world is woefully ignorant of THE TRUTH today, willfully so in most cases.
The Bible teaches that salvation is of the heart (Romans 10:10); but Satan blinds the mind (2nd Corinthians 4:4). Most people willfully adopt worldly philosophies in their mind (such as Evolution and Humanism), and follow false religions in their mind (such as Catholicism, Mormonism and Seventh-Day Adventism) in order to evade the truth. Such people knowingly ignore the Scriptures (Mark 7:7-13). The problem is in their wicked heart of unbelief. You can argue with their mind all day long and they'll never get saved. The Holy Spirit of God appeals to one's heart concerning salvation.
Regarding the unbelieving Jews, the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 3:15, “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon THEIR HEART” The vail of unbelief was upon their HEART. Thus, I don't try to appeal to an unbeliever's mind with cunning words of wisdom or eloquent speech; but rather, I simply give them the gospel and pray for God to work in their heart.
Salvation happens when a sinner turns (repents) to Jesus Christ in their heart to be forgiven of sins. Anyone who trusts upon Jesus as the Son of God, the Christ, to be forgiven of their sins will be saved according to Acts 10:43, “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” This is THE TRUTH. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” What a precious Savior!
To clarify, I'm not saying that all religious denominations are false. I am an Independent Baptist myself. I'm not saying that believers ought not go to a church. Believers ought to join a local New Testament Church if one is available. Sadly, many areas of the world today do not have a good church to attend. Even in the United States, there is a woeful lack of Bible-believing, Christ-honoring, sin-hating, people-loving churches.
I often encourage Christians to start a church in their home if they cannot find a good one in their local area, as did the early Christians in the New Testament (Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). They had no church building. They met in each other's homes and their ministry was mostly public (as documented for our learning in the Book of Acts). Ironically, the biggest churches in America are doing the least for God. It's individual Christians who are making the biggest impact for the cause of Jesus Christ. It is amazing what God can do with a small handful of dedicated believers who are on fire for God, who love the truth and are passionate about getting lost sinners saved. What are you doing for God? Going to church is not a ministry. Tithing is not a ministry. God wants every believer to become a soul-winner (Proverb 11:30).
Tragically, most churches today operate like the occult, i.e., in secrecy. A Biblical church ought to be very visible and involved reaching out to the local community with the saving power of the gospel of Christ, helping the misfortunate, contending for Biblical truth (i.e., the Christian faith), and taking a stand against open wickedness. The early Church in Acts preached publicly (Acts 20:20), causing either revival or riots. They were passionate about proclaiming the truth.
This is in sharp contrast to the average so-called church today that is nothing more than a 501c3 state-licensed business making money. The New Testament Church in the Bible was NOT licensed by the State. It is Police State Communism to require churches to obtain a license! Shame on today's apostate ministers who have sold their souls to the government to escape paying taxes. It's illegal for 501c3 groups to criticize the government. That is wickedness. No Sir, I will never apply for a license from the government to have a church. Start a church in your home or designate a regular meeting place. If your pastor never preaches against the blatant wickedness being committed by our nation's leaders, then you need to find another church, with a pastor who genuinely hates sin and loves the truth. America is going to hell.
Most pastors DON'T love THE TRUTH. They couldn't care less about the evils of the New World Order, the criminal Federal Reserve Banksters, 911 being a proven inside job, the theft of The White House (which President John F. Kennedy warned the American public about 10-days before being assassinated), the thieving IRS, the brutality of America's increasingly paramilitary police departments, the deliberate open borders, the lying newsmedia, the immoral filth of the Public School System, the deliberate poisoning of our water and toxic vaccinations, the stealing of trillions-of-dollars of taxpayer money, the brutal illegal war in Iraq (which has murdered over 1,000,000 innocent people), the exploitation of our military troops as paid mercenaries, having a president who's not even a U.S. citizen, the evil Communism of property taxes, the evils of stifling free speech and the wickedness of NO FREE SPEECH ZONES, the violating of our Bill of Rights (outlining our God-given rights as human beings), et cetera!!!
John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
Notice that the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of truth.” In John 4:24, Jesus taught the Samaritan woman at the well that God must be worshipped in TRUTH. Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Charismatics and other false cults attempt to worship God in heresy, lies and the traditions of men. God can only be worshipped in truth. The Bible is truth. Jesus Christ is truth. God is truth. You may never step into any church and yet have the truth. Religion is manmade. Jesus said that THE TRUTH would set us free; not religion (John 8:32). Jesus is the truth. Sin enslaves; but the Son of God gives us life. John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
