It is 6 AM Sunday morning, as I am finishing the final article on this topic, there are many who are getting prepared to attend a church service. Attending to enjoy the service and fellowship is all well and good; but the deception is the belief that doing so puts them in right-standing with God. There are pastors and religious leaders who want you to believe that not attending church is a sin, but that is not the truth. That is a religious mindset built on denominational laws and customs. The Lord Jesus had the same challenges with the religious leaders of the day while He was here on earth. Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:1-13
Keep in mind that religion and religious people make a big deal about the exterior of their church buildings and their people. Their focus is on raising huge building funds to build bigger, more extravagant buildings. It gives the appearance of success. But on the inside, you wouldn’t have to look very long in the congregation to find lack and despair with people struggling with sin, joblessness, hunger and homelessness. In some religions, it only takes a religious collar to be viewed as a holy person. But the Lord God does not see our holiness by the outside. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:6-7
This outward religious appearance makes it difficult for people to come to Christ. There are too many rules, traditions and cultures to overcome. It can feel overwhelming and insecure about their “ability to live up to it all”.
I reiterate, it is never required for anyone to join a church in order for them to come to the King. King Jesus made this statement that applies to all mankind: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18
Remember, you are a tripod being—you live in a body, you have a soul (mind, will and emotions) and most importantly, you have a spirit that will live on eternally. King Jesus made this statement regarding those who have done good or evil. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:28-29
King Jesus mostly taught and preached about God’s Kingdom in their synagogues. He could have had His own temple built and let people come to him. But He didn’t. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. . .Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease ]among the people. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 13:54
Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, He went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at His teaching, for He taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law. . . Jesus left that part of the country and returned with His disciples to Nazareth, His hometown. The next Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. They asked, “Where did He get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Mark 1:21-22, 6:1-2 NLT
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Luke 4:14-15
The more religious doctrine that is in a person’s mind, the more difficult it is to receive the Kingdom message. You cannot see the Kingdom government through a religious mindset. That is why I have written these three teachings. There must be a focused detoxing of our thoughts to embrace the Kingdom message. In order to do that, you must be able to differentiate between what beliefs are religious and what are Kingdom. Once you do, read King Jesus’ parables on what “the Kingdom is like”. On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. . . But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Matthew 13:1-13, 16-17
Remember what God’s Constitution states: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7 Yes, a government! God’s Kingdom government, in no way a religion. Pray for wisdom and understanding. Study God’s Constitution.
Always remember that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord Jesus the Christ’s Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:1-13
Keep in mind that religion and religious people make a big deal about the exterior of their church buildings and their people. Their focus is on raising huge building funds to build bigger, more extravagant buildings. It gives the appearance of success. But on the inside, you wouldn’t have to look very long in the congregation to find lack and despair with people struggling with sin, joblessness, hunger and homelessness. In some religions, it only takes a religious collar to be viewed as a holy person. But the Lord God does not see our holiness by the outside. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:6-7
This outward religious appearance makes it difficult for people to come to Christ. There are too many rules, traditions and cultures to overcome. It can feel overwhelming and insecure about their “ability to live up to it all”.
I reiterate, it is never required for anyone to join a church in order for them to come to the King. King Jesus made this statement that applies to all mankind: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18
Remember, you are a tripod being—you live in a body, you have a soul (mind, will and emotions) and most importantly, you have a spirit that will live on eternally. King Jesus made this statement regarding those who have done good or evil. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:28-29
King Jesus mostly taught and preached about God’s Kingdom in their synagogues. He could have had His own temple built and let people come to him. But He didn’t. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. . .Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease ]among the people. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 13:54
Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, He went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at His teaching, for He taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law. . . Jesus left that part of the country and returned with His disciples to Nazareth, His hometown. The next Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. They asked, “Where did He get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Mark 1:21-22, 6:1-2 NLT
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Luke 4:14-15
The more religious doctrine that is in a person’s mind, the more difficult it is to receive the Kingdom message. You cannot see the Kingdom government through a religious mindset. That is why I have written these three teachings. There must be a focused detoxing of our thoughts to embrace the Kingdom message. In order to do that, you must be able to differentiate between what beliefs are religious and what are Kingdom. Once you do, read King Jesus’ parables on what “the Kingdom is like”. On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. . . But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Matthew 13:1-13, 16-17
Remember what God’s Constitution states: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7 Yes, a government! God’s Kingdom government, in no way a religion. Pray for wisdom and understanding. Study God’s Constitution.
Always remember that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord Jesus the Christ’s Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
