Christianity, a Religion, vs Kingdom Government
As I live and travel around this land, I can't help but notice how religion is hindering people from living in the Kingdom. The power of religion lies in its ability to serve as a substitute for the Kingdom message. It distracts mankind from pursuing the genuine answer for his dilemmas. As I study the nature of man's religious mindset and how it impacts the process of man's search for the Kingdom, I have uncovered several significant characteristics: A) Religion distracts from the Kingdom B) Religion preoccupies and keeps man busy from discovering the Kingdom C) Religion seeks to take earth to heaven while the Kingdom seeks to bring heaven to earth through its citizens D) Religion makes preparation for mankind to leave earth while the Kingdom empowers mankind to dominate earth through the power of the Holy Spirit (the Kingdom Governor). "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you."
E) Religious mindsets focus on heaven as their home, however, a Kingdom mindset focuses on a new earth. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. F) Religion is reaching up to the Lord God, but the Kingdom is coming down to mankind.
The Lord Jesus' biggest and most challenging group of people, were those of a religious mindset. It is the same today, from the most traditional churches to mega churches. People really are seeking the Kingdom, but receiving entertainment and religious rituals in the place of the real thing---the Kingdom of God. I really believe this is why the King made this statement: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!" The very same thing goes on in churches and ministries today. The problem is actually much worse today because social media and the internet make it much easier to spread misinformation and untruths and disguise it as truth.
Keep in mind that Christianity as a religion is well-known, well-established, well-studied, well-researched, well-recorded, well-meaning and well-distributed throughout the world; but know very little of the Kingdom and its concept. I find that very strange, considering that it was the only message the Lord Jesus taught. For example: From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near"...Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness.
He even instructed us to make that a priority. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV Even His cousin John the Baptist was on the same page. Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” By the way, the good news is the Kingdom government.
Most who attend churches are never actually trained in Kingdom studies. Their priority is to propagate the Christian religion rather than the message and concept of the Kingdom. We hear "I love my church", "I love my pastor" more than we hear "I love Jesus" and we never hear "I love living in the Kingdom of God"! The perpetuation of the Christian religion and its rituals, customs and traditions has left a great vacuum in this world that can only be filled through understanding the concept of the Kingdom government Jesus taught.
As I close, I remind you that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God's Word.
John 14:15-18 Revelation 21:1 Matthew 23:13-15; 4:17, 23; 6:33 Mark 1:14-15
All NLT except where 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
E) Religious mindsets focus on heaven as their home, however, a Kingdom mindset focuses on a new earth. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. F) Religion is reaching up to the Lord God, but the Kingdom is coming down to mankind.
The Lord Jesus' biggest and most challenging group of people, were those of a religious mindset. It is the same today, from the most traditional churches to mega churches. People really are seeking the Kingdom, but receiving entertainment and religious rituals in the place of the real thing---the Kingdom of God. I really believe this is why the King made this statement: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!" The very same thing goes on in churches and ministries today. The problem is actually much worse today because social media and the internet make it much easier to spread misinformation and untruths and disguise it as truth.
Keep in mind that Christianity as a religion is well-known, well-established, well-studied, well-researched, well-recorded, well-meaning and well-distributed throughout the world; but know very little of the Kingdom and its concept. I find that very strange, considering that it was the only message the Lord Jesus taught. For example: From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near"...Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness.
He even instructed us to make that a priority. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV Even His cousin John the Baptist was on the same page. Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” By the way, the good news is the Kingdom government.
Most who attend churches are never actually trained in Kingdom studies. Their priority is to propagate the Christian religion rather than the message and concept of the Kingdom. We hear "I love my church", "I love my pastor" more than we hear "I love Jesus" and we never hear "I love living in the Kingdom of God"! The perpetuation of the Christian religion and its rituals, customs and traditions has left a great vacuum in this world that can only be filled through understanding the concept of the Kingdom government Jesus taught.
As I close, I remind you that your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God's Word.
John 14:15-18 Revelation 21:1 Matthew 23:13-15; 4:17, 23; 6:33 Mark 1:14-15
All NLT except where 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
