True Christian is not easy to find these days.
Most people don't even know what being a True Christian actually means.
In fact, most people have never really heard the Gospel that Jesus brought
to us during his life's ministry.
Have you?
Or have you just accepted without question the doctrine of the church you
were born into because it was the religion of your parents and grandparents?
If so, you might want to examine the beliefs of that organization objectively
for yourself, and determine if in fact their practices have a sound foundation
in Biblical teaching.
I tell you these things because I found myself in this exact quandary not
that long ago, when upon my own unbiased study of God's word, I was astonished
at how spiritually misguided I had been by the teachings I had been brought
up with.
I'll explain-
After
the death of Christ the early apostolic church became greatly persecuted
in Judea. Decreed heretics by the council of high priests in Jerusalem,
and as such subject to death under occupying Roman rule, these severely
oppressed first followers of Christ were forced to practice their religion
in constant fear and secrecy.
The Church of God in it's infancy was on the verge of extinction.
Then God raised up the apostle Paul who spread this same Gospel of Jesus
to the Gentiles throughout all of Asia Minor - then even to Rome, thus
revitalizing the near vanquished congregation in Judea.
However, by 53 A.D. (just a little over twenty years after Christ's death),
Paul cautioned his followers that this Gospel had begun to be changed -
corrupted by the traditions and pagan religious practices of these very
same nations he had preached the truth to.
"I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace
of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some
that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Gal 1:6-7)
By 325 A.D., Pagan Rome, conqueror of the known world of it's time, became
by a decree of the Emperor Constantine a "Christian Empire". Unfortunately,
the brand of Christianity being practiced in Rome at that time was, as
Paul had warned, not the same religion that he and the Apostles had been
taught by Christ himself.
How can that be you ask?
Remember, Rome was a world conquering Empire that instituted with might
it's government, it's laws, it's culture, and it's traditions upon the
territories it devoured - traditions that were in fact the same Paganistic
religious practices of the Greek, Persian, and Babylonian Civilizations
that had in like manner conquered the world centuries before.
Though their gods and festivals of worship might have been called by different
names, each of these ancient cultures in essence, worshiped the same deities
and practiced the same religious observances - which were then infused
from one conquering empire into the next - weaving like thread this apostate
theology into what has become the common fabric of religious belief that
has persisted all through history-
Today - the name it is known by is Christianity!
Yes, the Gospel that is preached by the accepted traditional churches of
today is not the one that Christ brought, but rather a counterfeit, now
merely appropriating His name.
"For
in vain do they worship [Him] teaching not the commandments of God but
the doctrines of men ... making the word of God of no effect through your
tradition." (Mark 7:7-13)
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does
not worship on Sunday.
does not believe in a Trinitydoctrine.
is aware
that Christmas
is not Christ's birthday.
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And Easter
is the ancient pagan fertility goddess. |
knows he
will not ascend to Heaven
upon his death |
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is positive that theBible
is the
only authoritative source of God's divine word.
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Most of all - he
believes with all his heart
that Christ will soon
return as
King of Kings
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to restore the truths
that time and the Devil (through his influence over the kings and religious
leaders of this earth) have robbed from the world.
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Sounds too fantastic
to be true you say? If you're a True Christian, you will make it
your business to prove for yourself if in fact these things are true.
If you're a True Christian,
it behooves you to know!
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