Religion Versus Kingdom
This is what I have learned. The power of religion lies in its ability to serve as a substitute for the kingdom and thus hinders mankind from pursuing the genuine answer to his dilemma. In my reading and studying of the nature of religion and how it impacts the process of man's search for the kingdom; I have a few thoughts to share with you:
- Religion preoccupies man until he finds the kingdom.
- Religion is what man does until he finds the kingdom.
- Religion prepares man to leave earth; the kingdom empowers man to dominate earth.
- Religion focuses on heaven; the Kingdom focuses on earth.
- Religion is reaching up to God; the kingdom is God coming down to man.
- Religion wants to escape earth; the kingdom impacts, influences and changes earth.
- Religion seeks to take earth to Heaven; the kingdom seeks to bring heaven to earth.
This is probably why Jesus addressed the religious leaders of His day so strongly when He said:
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 23:13-15
But woe to you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Proselyte: a person who has converted from one opinion, religion, or party to another, especially recently.
Transgress: infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior).
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 15:1-3
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?"
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 5:20
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
~~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
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 23:13-15
But woe to you scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Proselyte: a person who has converted from one opinion, religion, or party to another, especially recently.
Transgress: infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior).
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 15:1-3
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?"
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 5:20
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
~~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
