Colossians 2:20-23, “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.”
Matthew 15:7-9, “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. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
I don't like formal worship in church services. Kindly said, I love the people at the local First Baptist Church of Pensacola down the street from where I live, but I dread their Sunday formal morning service (i.e., their 10:30 am traditional service). They sing old Episcopalian type hymns that I've never cared for. I love the plain hymns; such as: I've Got A Manson In Heaven, When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder, Just A Closer Walk With Thee and What A Friend We Have In Jesus (to name but a few). Those are the precious hymns that I thankfully grew up with, not The Doxology! Dear reader, formal worship is an enemy of soulwinning!
I learned a long time ago that there's a big difference between being religious versus being a good Christian. I know many people, fundamental Baptists in particular, who go to church every Sunday. They would never even consider smoking a cigarette, or drinking a beer, or even saying a curse word. Yet, that is all religious dedication and good moral character, and not what it means to be a good Christian. What is a good Christian? Well, it depends who you are asking the question to, because you will get back dozens of different answers! What saith the Scripture? ...
Mark 12:28-31, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
Since the two greatest commandments in the Bible are “TO LOVE” (i.e., love both God and our fellow mankind as our self), then it is logical to conclude that a good Christian is a believer who faithfully obeys these two commandments.
With these truths in mind, where does that leave the religious person who attends church 3 times a week, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink alcoholic beverages, doesn't fornicate, doesn't take the Lord's name in vain, et cetera? They might abstain from all of these vices, and yet not love God or their neighbour at all. I have known many “goody two-shoes” type self-righteous churchgoers in my lifetime, who were arrogant high-minded snobs, especially pastors (namely: Jeff Redlin, Marty Herron and Gary Walton). Today's pulpit are filled with religious phonies, false prophets and hypocrites!!!
I wrote this blog to teach and encourage you that you cannot please God by just going through the motions, attending a good church, abstaining from sinful things, and living a religious life. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Without faith, we cannot please God. You can attend church and not have faith. Roman Catholic do it every Sunday. Catholics put their faith in their church, priests and the seven sacraments instead of solely in the Lamb of God who has the nail-scared hands and feet. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” The Catholic religion is of the Devil, a grand deception!!!
God wants His children to have blessed peace, joy, assurance of salvation and contentment even in our losses, misery, suffering, unhappiness, emotional and physical pain:
John 10:9-10, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
I am going to surprise my blog visitors with my next statement: I am not much of a religious person! You read right. I do not consider myself a religious person. I do attend church, but only when I can, due to my permanent neck injury (which cause me neuropathic nerve burning, chronic neck pain and intermittent sharp pain radiating down my arms and legs). I don't like religion!!! I don't open the door when Jehovah's Witnesses come knocking. My father was a Skid Row minister for over 30 years, who taught me: Religion is the worst thing that ever happened to this world. My father was right! Religion won't get you to Heaven. Religion can make you feel good in your false plan of salvation, but it can never save anybody! The law cannot give spiritual life!!!
One of my favorite audio sermons by Dr. Jack Hyles is called: “The Good Man Versus The Spiritual Man.” Honestly, if you listen to the sermon and understand its great Bible truth, then you'll likely agree that we could just as easily rename Dr. Hyles' sermon to: “The Religious Man Versus The Spiritual Man.” There are millions of good Christians in our churches today. They are born-again and on their way to Heaven, but they are not walking close to the Lord (they think they are). They are cold in their affection toward others, uncaring, lacking depth of compassion and love, going through the motions of attending church, shallow.
But then there is that 1 person out of 1,000 who truly fears God, having been humbled by suffering, sin and the burdens of life, who have grown in Christ's love to the point that they can forgive their enemies, love the unloving, and give others who have hurt them a second chance. Ecclesiastes 7:28, “Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.” Times haven't changed. You will have to look long and far to find a true born-again believer, who has the GREAT HEART OF GOD in them these days.
You're Only As Good A Christian As Your Care About Everybody
You cannot be right with God and only care about 99% of people. Pastor Jeff Redlin refuses to forgive me. He refuses to allow me to come back to Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College (PCC). Kindly said, Jeff Redlin doesn't walk closely with God, for if he did then he would contact me to let me know that I am welcome to come back to PCC's Campus Church. Instead, Jeff Redlin harbors a hateful grudge in his heart toward me. Of course, he would never admit such a terrible thing because he is in self-denial, which many believers are guilty of doing. Since we know it is wrong to shun, ostracize and refuse to make a path of restoration for our Christian brother, we'll find some cute excuse to justify murdering them in our heart and shunning them from our life. That is Satan dear reader. Jeff Redlin is doing Satan's will. I am still willing to reconcile with the PCC camp, but they refuse to communicate with me. They talk the talk, but they do not walk the walk at PCC. They are devoutly religious, but bad Christians.
I don't know about you dear friend, but I don't want to be average. I want to care more than the average Christian who pretends to care, but really doesn't. I have received numerous emails from frustrated people, who tell me that when they contacted a church for help, they were brushed off and mistreated by the pastor. That is so terrible! Anybody who knows me will tell you that I always take the time to reply to emails, writing lengthy caring emails to help people. I don't get paid to do this. I CARE!!! I care because God cares, and I walk with Him.
I am not trying to be religious, God forbid. I am trying to please God by getting the job done (my ministry). My goal is not to be a good Christian, but to help people in any way I can, whenever I can, wherever I can. I am commanded in the Holy Bible to love God and love my neighbour (all humanity) as myself. Ecclesiastes 12:13 declares that the WHOLE DUTY of mankind is to FEAR GOD and to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. That is my goal in life.
Our churches are full of religious people, but they woefully lack God's love for others. I don't want to be like that! I want to walk with God and please Him, walking by faith. The world is full of religious nuts! I am not a nut. Religion doesn't make people turn crazy, but religion often provides a vehicle for crazy people to ride on. I am a born-again, adopted, grateful, child of God. I need Jesus! Every moment of every day I need Him! We all need Jesus!!! So I encourage you friend to rise above mere religion, and instead walk with your God and Creator.
We see churches all over the place which are walled-up, resemblant of prison compounds or secret cults. Their attitude is Us Four And No More, making outsiders feel unwelcomed and unloved. There is no love for people. Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College comes to mind, with their fascist security and thug style unforgiveness toward those who get on their bad side. I humbly asked Pastor Jeff Redlin in June of 2022 for his forgiveness, and his blessing to attend Campus Church, but he sinfully refused, ignoring me in his hatred and resentment. That is a religious cult, not a New Testament church! Sadly, they are religious at PCC, but not good Christians. A good Christian doesn't ignore and look down on others. Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
“We're saved because we have faith in Jesus. We believe that He died on the cross. We believe He was buried, and stayed there for three days, and we believe He got up out of the grave. ...The law never gives life!” —Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr., 'Justified: The Book Of Galatians, Chapter 2'
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