Saturday, May 6, 2017

A SHORT PRESENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF GENUINE CHRISTIANITY

A SHORT PRESENTATION OF THE

PRINCIPLES OF GENUINE

CHRISTIANITY

in



opposition to the total farce of Christianity as presented in the



institutional and denominational churches of the present day.,



being that the true Church is not a building or institution, but is



a body of people wholly committed to the righteousness of God.


  
WHY CHRISTIANITY? 
Genuine love does not work ill and sin is simply a result of an absence of love. In other words, if an individual truly loves their neighbour then they would NEVER work ill towards their neighbour. Yet the world is full of all manner of ill. Why?



The simple and obvious fact is that the world is full of people who refuse to truly love, the result being hatred, deceit, jealousies, impatience, coldness and much worse. Generally speaking, whilst there may be a “form of love” with many people, if people are truly honest with themselves they know that the love they profess is compromised in some fashion. Who can truly claim that they truly love their neighbour and therefore NEVER work ill towards them? Very few.



Jesus Christ was a teacher of righteousness. One day a scribe asked Jesus which commandment of the law was the greatest of all.



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? nd 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.” Mat 12:28-31



This exchange between Jesus and the scribe notes the preeminence of “love” as the true foundation for law. Jesus described this principle thus...



Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Mat 22:37-40



In Exodus we find the commandment “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exo 20:15), would such a commandment be necessary if people truly loved their neighbour? Of course not, genuine love precludes theft.



This principle is illustrated by the Apostle Paul in the following statement...



For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Rom 3:9-10



Imagine a world in which people restrained their natural passions and kept their sexual activity within the confines of committed permanent marriage relationships. Would society then be rife with sexually transmitted diseases, unfaithfulness, jealousies, broken homes, and the extermination of unwanted infants in the womb?


Imagine a world in which people restrained their natural passions and kept their actions within the confines of truthfulness. Would society then be rife with scams, deceptions, lies, manipulations, fraud, and general dishonesty.



Imagine a world in which those whom professed Christianity had actually crucified their natural affections and desires in order to walk in the Spirit of love.



“...they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Gal 5:24



Genuine Christianity is inclusive of “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Pet 1:4) via the means of being “crucified with Christ” (Rom 6:6, Gal 2:20) in repentance wherefore one is set free from compromise and sin. Having been “crucified with Christ” (Rom 6:6, Gal 2:20) the root issue of rebellion in the heart has been destroyed, thus allowing for a root of godliness to take up residence unfettered. The Christian no longer being part of the problem of working ill in the world, rather they are part of the solution, working righteousness, a solution having been wrought through the total renovation of their character.



Genuine love and righteousness does in fact work. It is a self evident and obvious truth. The most obvious proof of the existence of God is righteousness and order. Love is the glue for a proper functioning society, when love is rejected then society breaks. This world is broken because genuine love has been rejected by the majority of people.



Jesus made the following statement...


And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Joh 3:19-21



The condemnation upon humanity is simply the rejection of the truth of genuine righteousness and love. To reject the light makes one an enemy of God for one is operating in discordance with proper function, in discordance with love. Hence the call to the world is to genuinely repent from wickedness and to yield unto the influence of God.



Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Jam 1:21-22


THE CALL OF THE GOSPEL 
The Gospel is the call to participate in life with God, a manifestly abundant life of victory over unrighteousness through the Spirit. The Gospel is the call to no longer be a part of the problem, but a part of the solution, by which the true purpose and peace is found.



This call is to a covenant relationship with God, similar to a marriage, whereby we commit out well being and interests to God and He provides us with everything that we need. Not a provision by magic, but a provision through the power of His Spirit working within us, wherein we walk in accordance with righteousness being productive vessels of light in an evil and corrupt world.



The New Covenant which was established by the blood of Jesus, which in practical effect is the signature of God testifying of His will for humanity, testifying of a covenant relationship in which our consciences can be purged from deeds without purpose unto an abundant life of purpose.



How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” Heb 9:14-17



Jesus Christ was manifested to this world to both demonstrate and teach the way of true righteousness, the way of true love. Not a love or righteousness sought in ourselves apart from God, rather a love and righteousness wrought in us through the Spirit of God, having yielded ourselves wholeheartedly to godly influence.



This opportunity to partake in life with God is taken up by very few. The majority of people prefer a love of the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.



Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1Jn 2:15-17



Very few truly consider the value of their soul. Very few consider the true implications of the temporal versus eternity. Very few consider the implications of the true character of their heart.



Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Mat 7:13-14

2 comments:

  1. Hi Scott,

    How do I contact you? I would like to find out more about your study of the Bible

    ReplyDelete
  2. scottwilsontn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete