What happened to Christianity?

[Shiranui117]

Christianity has been hijacked.


It’s a religion completely dominated by man made doctrines, even though the God they claim to follow said “and in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of man”. Matthew 15:9.

A religion whose doctrines have some truth (“I am the way and the truth and the life” John 14:6), yet just off enough to lead so many people astray. “They are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch”. Matthew 15:14.


Visit many Christian churches today and you may think you’re in a Las Vegas show. Dim lighting, smoke and mirrors, ear damagingly loud music. Then come the sermons. Bible verses: yes. Spiritual knowledge: no. And then they constantly speak of a loving god that they are to follow, yet so many of their actions are so far from loving.


I call myself a Christian but as I learn more (in respect to Bible knowledge), I realize I have so little in common with the regular church attending Christian.


There are plenty of like minded people online, but finding the same in real life has been a challenge. What am I to do? Should I adopt a new label? And what would that be? And would it help?

You can investigate Orthodox Christianity if you still follow Christ but are looking for something different and more ancient than your average American mega-church. We still hold to the teachings of the first Christians, and our bishops can trace their lineage right back to the first bishops ordained by the Apostles in the first century. We've kept our faith the same as it was handed to us by the Apostles and their disciples.

 

[sooda]

Yes, Laodicea was inhabited until the 1200's. The Turks and the Mongols destroyed the city.

It was destroyed in an earthquake about 61 AD.. so it must have been rebuilt. I have a class. Catch you later.

 

[Shiranui117]

It was destroyed in an earthquake about 61 AD.. so it must have been rebuilt. I have a class. Catch you later.

Yeah, it was rebuilt, and the Laodicean church was still there as well. There was actually a church synod at Laodicea in the year 363-364 AD. The rulings of this synod were later adopted by the Quinisext Council in the year 692.

 

[shmogie]

There are many man made beliefs that are held by most Christian denominations. The two that are most harmful sound so pious:

• The Bible is the word of God
  • ...and without error
  
  There's lots of great in the scriptures, but Christianity is a revealed religion. The scriptures even tell us that the Spirit will guide us into all knowledge. It never claims to be the Word of God nor does it claim to be without error. Unfortunately, we love laws. We love to judge. So the one "law" that Jesus gave us has been multiplied to massive amounts.
  
  Unless your claim to Christianity boils down to "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.", then you've bought in to legalism. All you need is love.
  
  Galatians 5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. NIV

Yes, this is the modern mantra. Just love, nothing else matters.

Jesus used the word repent more than he used the word love. Repent of what ? Sin, failure to keep the enunciated and written standards of God.

Much is made of Jesus being involved with the marginal members of society and this is a great thing.

Why however did He seek these people out ? Did He just want to hang with them, drink wine and play Jewish darts ?

Of course not ! In love he wanted them to repent repent of their sin, and seek being in harmony with God.

Do Christians have a responsibility regarding His ministry ? Yes, in love the Church is to explain Christs love for every person in the world.

The Church is further responsible for explaining why people are out of harmony with God, the concept of sin, and repentance, and why Gods just nature requires repentance ( turning away, seeking a new direction) to be accepted by Him.

No one can meet the required standard perfectly, and that is why in mercy Christ was provided as our substitute, we are justified in that his perfect life is attributed to us.

It doesn´t end there, each believer must repent daily to God for thoughts, and deeds that are defined as sinful. Sincerity on the believers part will always bring loving forgiveness and strength through the Spirit to battle sin, and continually improve through obedience.

Gods desire is not to save us wallowing in sin, but to save us from our sin.

No Christian has any responsibility in judging anothers soul, to presume to do so is a heinous sin. Only God knows the heart.

There are circumstance where acts must be judged, but only the acts, never the individuals relationship with God.

 

[shmogie]

Did Laodecian church or city recover after the earthquake?

Why do you think Martin Luther rejected the Book of revelation as neither apostolic or prophetic?

I know that the book of James was a thorn under Lutherś saddle.

Please enlighten me re his rejection of the book of Revelation.

There were many then, as well as now who considered the book as closed.

That is, no one could understand the book till the last days, when the Spirit would bring the ability to understand.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

What happened? Nothing. It's been like this from the start.

No, not quite. Christians didn’t “start” out, killing Christians. But very soon after the death of the Apostles, which group was acting as a “restraint”. — 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

False teachers (and teachings) became prolific!

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Christianity has been hijacked.


It’s a religion completely dominated by man made doctrines, even though the God they claim to follow said “and in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of man”. Matthew 15:9.

A religion whose doctrines have some truth (“I am the way and the truth and the life” John 14:6), yet just off enough to lead so many people astray. “They are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch”. Matthew 15:14.


Visit many Christian churches today and you may think you’re in a Las Vegas show. Dim lighting, smoke and mirrors, ear damagingly loud music. Then come the sermons. Bible verses: yes. Spiritual knowledge: no. And then they constantly speak of a loving god that they are to follow, yet so many of their actions are so far from loving.


I call myself a Christian but as I learn more (in respect to Bible knowledge), I realize I have so little in common with the regular church attending Christian.


There are plenty of like minded people online, but finding the same in real life has been a challenge. What am I to do? Should I adopt a new label? And what would that be? And would it help?

I have a hard time with the sort of person who says, "I'm this religion and I worship it in spirit and in truth, but everyone else is corrupted and materialistic and shallow." Or something similar. Even Jesus understood my feeling when he said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I know that the book of James was a thorn under Lutherś saddle.

Please enlighten me re his rejection of the book of Revelation.

There were many then, as well as now who considered the book as closed.

That is, no one could understand the book till the last days, when the Spirit would bring the ability to understand.

There are actually a handful of books in the NT that Lutherans today STILL consider of "disupted canon" (the antilegomena). I always have to google this -- don't know why I can't remember it. They are James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Hebrews, and Revelation. That makes the Lutheran canon the smallest canon among Christians, even among Protestants.

It is interesting to me that Christians can't really agree on Canon. Catholics have another one. The Eastern Orthodox have a fourth. The Oriental Orthodox an even larger one. I think the Ethiopian Orthodox have the largest canon of all.

 

[Watchmen]

Christianity has been hijacked.


It’s a religion completely dominated by man made doctrines, even though the God they claim to follow said “and in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of man”. Matthew 15:9.

A religion whose doctrines have some truth (“I am the way and the truth and the life” John 14:6), yet just off enough to lead so many people astray. “They are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch”. Matthew 15:14.


Visit many Christian churches today and you may think you’re in a Las Vegas show. Dim lighting, smoke and mirrors, ear damagingly loud music. Then come the sermons. Bible verses: yes. Spiritual knowledge: no. And then they constantly speak of a loving god that they are to follow, yet so many of their actions are so far from loving.


I call myself a Christian but as I learn more (in respect to Bible knowledge), I realize I have so little in common with the regular church attending Christian.


There are plenty of like minded people online, but finding the same in real life has been a challenge. What am I to do? Should I adopt a new label? And what would that be? And would it help?

What do you think of more traditional forms of Christianity? I’m thinking of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, etc.

 

[sooda]

I know that the book of James was a thorn under Lutherś saddle.

Please enlighten me re his rejection of the book of Revelation.

There were many then, as well as now who considered the book as closed.

That is, no one could understand the book till the last days, when the Spirit would bring the ability to understand.

Martin Luther called Revelation "neither apostolic nor prophetic" in the 1522 preface to his translation of the New Testament ..

I think its serious BS and a stumbling block for Christians not to mention fodder for charlatans. It was written for the first century..

 

[shmogie]

Martin Luther called Revelation "neither apostolic nor prophetic" in the 1522 preface to his translation of the New Testament ..

I think its serious BS and a stumbling block for Christians not to mention fodder for charlatans. It was written for the first century..

Yes, but Luther did eventually accept the book as both Apostolic and Prophetic.

So you say it is BS, an opinion. As the saying goes, opinions are like rectums, we all have one.

I totally disagree with you, and it certainly was not written for the first century.

So, we agree to disagree. I assure you, we each will find out who is right

 

[shmogie]

There are actually a handful of books in the NT that Lutherans today STILL consider of "disupted canon" (the antilegomena). I always have to google this -- don't know why I can't remember it. They are James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Hebrews, and Revelation. That makes the Lutheran canon the smallest canon among Christians, even among Protestants.

It is interesting to me that Christians can't really agree on Canon. Catholics have another one. The Eastern Orthodox have a fourth. The Oriental Orthodox an even larger one. I think the Ethiopian Orthodox have the largest canon of all.

As to Protestants, we all agree as to the fundamentals of the faith.

Remove the books you have listed, and and the fundamentals remain.

Luther had some monumental insights about the Gospel, actually rediscovering it, and he had some monumental failings. He was just a man not a prophet.

 

[sooda]

Yes, but Luther did eventually accept the book as both Apostolic and Prophetic.

So you say it is BS, an opinion. As the saying goes, opinions are like rectums, we all have one.

I totally disagree with you, and it certainly was not written for the first century.

So, we agree to disagree. I assure you, we each will find out who is right

God wouldn't neglect the people of the first century for thousands of years in the future with symbolic language that would not be understood. .. and why, if Jesus paid the price, would he destroy the world?

 

[shmogie]

God wouldn't neglect the people of the first century for thousands of years in the future with symbolic language that would not be understood. .. and why, if Jesus paid the price, would he destroy the world?

God has neglected no one. The true Christians of the first century will be part of Gods literal Kingdom.

Gods literal Kingdom will come about just as Christ said it would occur at his second coming, and it will.

Peter said the earth would be purged by fire at the very end, and would be made new for all resurrected believers.

A new world as it was originally intended, with redeemed and made new perfect people, as God originally intended.

Revelation tells the story of events leading up to the end.

However, one need not be overly worried about the book if one believes and is saved from the wages of sin, which is permanent death,

 

[sooda]

God has neglected no one. The true Christians of the first century will be part of Gods literal Kingdom.

Gods literal Kingdom will come about just as Christ said it would occur at his second coming, and it will.

Peter said the earth would be purged by fire at the very end, and would be made new for all resurrected believers.

A new world as it was originally intended, with redeemed and made new perfect people, as God originally intended.

Revelation tells the story of events leading up to the end.

However, one need not be overly worried about the book if one believes and is saved from the wages of sin, which is permanent death,

Jesus never said there would be a literal kingdom on earth.

What end? The end of an era and a new beginning.

Jesus kingdom was not of the Roman Empire.

The kingdom of God is not something which will one day come, for it already exists. Jesus said:

“if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Mt. 12:28).

“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:20-21).

 

[IndigoChild5559]

As to Protestants, we all agree as to the fundamentals of the faith.

I hear this often, but look closer, and no you guys don't. You can't even agree on what a Christian is.

Some Protestants say baptism saves. Some say baptism is works.
Some say a personal relationship with Jesus, others says there is more to it.
Some say professing a certain checklist of beliefs such as Trinitarianism, but others say even Satan believes.
Some say a dramatic, life changing, before and after, born again experience. Other say that emotional stuff can be deceiving.
Some say turning to God in repentance. Others note that even non-Christians like Jews repent.
Some say you can tell a person is a true Christian by their good works and fruits of the spirit. Others say that Satan works counterfeits.
Some say you can tell a true Christian by the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Others say these gifts are frauds, or perhaps even Satanic.

So there it is, the very first item on the checklist, what is a Christian, and you guys can't agree.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Yes, but Luther did eventually accept the book as both Apostolic and Prophetic.

To this day, Revelation's canonicity is questioned by the Lutheran church. Sorry kiddo.

 

[Deeje]

Jesus never said there would be a literal kingdom on earth.

And yet it was what the Jews were expecting.....even as Jesus was ascending to heaven, they asked him.... "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts of the Apostles1:6) It was not until Pentecost that the anointing of his 120 disciples revealed the truth....the kingdom of God was in heaven, and they were going there to rule with their Lord Jesus. Holy spirit convicted them of that hope, which was all consuming.

As time went on, the truth, (the sacred secret) hidden from the founding of the world, was progressively revealed through the apostles after Jesus' death. (Romans 6:25; Ephesians 1:4) God gave his first prophesy in Eden, before Adam and his wife had children, (Genesis 3:15) but no one understood the details of it until the holy spirit began to become operative in the first century. The "light on the path" (Proverbs 4:18) continues to get brighter as the day for God's judgment (with Jesus and his angelic forces at the helm,) brings this current world system under the control of the devil, to its finish.

What end? The end of an era and a new beginning.

Man's rulership under influence from the devil will cease. (1 John 5:19) God will bring his rulership back to the earth with Jesus as king, reconciling redeemed mankind with their Creator, regaining the paradise conditions on this earth that Adam forfeited. (Revelation 21:2-4)

This is why Jesus said that, as part of the "sign" that he gave his apostles to indicate that his Kingdom had begun ruling, a world wide witness had to be given before the "end" would come. (Matthew 24:14)

Jesus kingdom was not of the Roman Empire.

Jesus did not interfere with the Roman empire because the "appointed times of the nations" had to run its full course.
He said..."Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)
The Gentile nations that would dominate God's people had been foretold by Daniel. Beginning with Babylon, then Medo-Persia, then Greece, then Rome, and out of the ashes of Rome came Britannia, to be joined in the time of the end by America. This is the last ruling power before the coming of God's kingdom which will crush all failed human rulership out of existence, and replace them. (Daniel 2:44)

The kingdom of God is not something which will one day come, for it already exists. Jesus said:

“if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Mt. 12:28).

“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:20-21).

The Kingdom is what Jesus taught us to pray for. Daniel tells us plainly that it is a real government of God which will "come" and take over control of this earth after every last vestige of this wicked old system has been removed. (2 Peter 3:11-13)

This is not a new planet, but one cleansed of all wickedness and those who practice it. Those who have ruined his earth will pay the penalty according to Revelation 11:18....

"But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to reward your slaves the prophets and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth."

When that was written, man did not have the capacity to ruin the earth....now he has the ability to wipe out all life. The wrath of man will be no match for the wrath of God.

The Kingdom was represented by Jesus when he walked the earth. When Jesus said that "the kingdom of God is in your midst" he was speaking to the Pharisees who had already determined that this man would never be King over them....but as the appointed King of God's kingdom, there he was walking right among them and they failed to recognize him.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

What do you think of more traditional forms of Christianity? I’m thinking of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, etc.

Closer to reality than the protestants. Yet considerably flawed.

 

[tayla]

Visit many Christian churches today and you may think you’re in a Las Vegas show. Dim lighting, smoke and mirrors, ear damagingly loud music. Then come the sermons. Bible verses: yes. Spiritual knowledge: no. And then they constantly speak of a loving god that they are to follow, yet so many of their actions are so far from loving.

Yes, you have to find an orthodox church that also isn't condemning of others.