Part 2 – The Truth Within Us Is at Odds with Religion’s Tradition

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Religious Disunity Born of God’s Truth .

 

When the Truth of the Bible comes to light by its declaration by someone in the assembly or Bible Study, it often disrupts the status quo of religion by conflicting with long-standing ‘religious traditions and dogmas.’ Just consider Paul’s words of Colossians 2:16 (below) as he says their religious doings are meaningless and irrelevant.

16 Let no [religious] man therefore judge you in meat [what you eat], or in drink [what you drink], or in respect of an holyday [ no more special days at all], or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days [In Christ sabbath days are ‘irrelevant’]: Colossians 2:16 (KJV)

Paul’s words must have offended so many ‘religious folks of his day, just as the truth of the Lord offends many today when we speak it. But we have the truth of God in Paul’s words to us … for such a time as this day. Religion consists of what the Bible calls ‘dead works’ that yield no benefit. These “dead works” are the so-called "good works" (whether moral or ceremonial) which men did — and still do — to make themselves acceptable to God. They are “dead” because they are not the product of a believer’s regeneration or spiritual life, but the mere attempt on the part of men to justify themselves before God.

1 … not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1 (KJV)

But Paul says if you adhere to and or participate in the religious requirements of observing the external religious practices of the Law and Tradition (such as those listed in Colossians 2:16 above) … as The Basis of Your Faith, then;  

4 Christ Is Become of No Effect [No Benefit] Unto You, whosoever of you [thinks you] are justified by the law [regulations of your sect or denomination]; YE ARE FALLEN FROM [the] GRACE . Galatians 5:4 (KJV)

Consider this below as Adapted from Elmer E. Franke (1861-1946)

- Spiritual Insanity -

Man controlled Religion negates Christ as “THE Truth” and as “the Head: of the church that is properly titled as “The Body of Christ” on earththe real church.

“Christ is the Head of the church: and He is the Savior of the Body” (Ephesians 5:23).

He [Jesus Christ] is the Head of the Body, the church: [He] Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).

The church is “the Body” (cf. Col. 1:24; I Cor. 12:27), and Christ is “the Head” (Col. 1:18). The real church is controlled by the mind of Christ, just as the human body is controlled by the human mind. When a man loses his mind, he has become ‘insane,’ then he is incarcerated and others control him.

“Not holding the Head [Christ]” (Colossians 2:19).

By their selection of a human head shows that denominationalism is spiritual insanity. Every “church” which has a human as the head is in effect saying what the Jews of Jesus’ day said, rejecting Him: “We will not have this Man [Christ] to reign over us.”

The headship of man in man’s so-called ‘Christian’ religious sects is but a repudiation of the Headship of Jesus Christ.

The whole human system of human (hierarchical) church organization as a federation over local church organizations is derived from the Greeks, who patterned the church after their human governmental systems.

We today still have this old Greek system with us, in the multiplicity of sects and denominations, while at the same time the genuine “called out ones” have withdrawn from such human (religious) organizations.

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Which is the True Church?

The religious systems of men that we see is are organizations which are the natural enemy of the “the body of Christ,” which is organic. The religious organizations of men are able to stifle the spontaneous life of the members of “the body of Christ,” of which the resurrected Lord who is “the Head.” Christendom has, by and large, for the last 1700 years, been part of the world system and it has been structured like all the secular institutions of the earth. Yet, there have always been those in every age who would by God’s grace choose not conform to this tradition. We should stay out of the religious system, not help it, not feed it, nor encourage it. Donating our money to it is like pouring money down a rat-hole.

You cannot join the real church of this Gentile age of “the grace of God,” the church that is called “the body of Christ” of which He is “The Head.”

In order to be a member of “His body” you must have been immersed into “His body” by faith in His Cross wherein He died for you and your ‘Old Man [soul-self]’ died with Him.

Note that below the dry baptism mentioned does not refer to water as the element into which one is immersed or baptized.

  • First, we by faith were baptized (dry) into Christ’s “death” dying with him, dying to our Old Man, Our Old self and its Sin-nature.
  •  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Romans 6:3 (KJV)
  • Simultaneously, we were baptized ‘dry’ … into “His body” called “the body of Christ” and into “His death.”

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized [whelmed immersed] into One Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into [set into] his death? Romans 6:3 (KJV)

22 And [God] hath put all things under his [Christ’s] feet, and gave him to be ‘The Head’ over all things to The Church, 23 Which Is ‘His Body,’ the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23 (KJV)

We must realize that whatever is ‘True’ is ‘Real’ and what is ‘Real’ is ‘Eternal.’ All else is temporal and will pass away.

Christ alone is “the way the Truth and the Life” who is now in His resurrected Spirit form. He as “the Spirit of life” is the ‘One’ who dwells within every genuine believer’s “spirit of man.”

6 Jesus saith unto him, I Am The Way, The Truth, And The Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 (KJV)

17 … He That Is Joined Unto The Lord Is One Spirit [His Spirit in our spirit]. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)

So, with regard to the genuine church which is His body, there are no sanctified buildings, or sanctifying prayers or sanctifying rituals at all in God’s new economy of “the grace of God.” The proper focus for us today is FAITH in Christ Crucified and Resurrected to indwell every believer as their absolute ALL.

Thus, “All” means, Christ’ is ALL and in ALL genuine believers totally apart for manmade laws and rituals;

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision [Jew] nor uncircumcision [Gentile], Barbarian, Scythian, bond [slave] nor free: but CHRIST IS ALL, and IN [YOU] ALL. Colossians 3:11 (KJV)

Many Christians have seen one level or another of the truth of the grace of God in Christ, but perhaps not yet seeing Christ as the ALL sufficient ALL in ALL. They’ve seen enough Truth that when they present it to the religious hierarchy, they are rejected and even shunned by their religious organization. Many then think they are called to form another organization. But only adherence Christ alone is sufficient to keep any fellowship truthful (genuine) without forming an organization or association. If “the love of the truth” will not hold believers together, then nothing will. If you possess “the unity of the spirit(Ephesians 4:3), you do not need an outward organization. If you do not have the true unity of the faith, then an organization is worse than useless. It is positively harmful because it fosters the sectarian spirit.

I know many can’t even imagine a Christian life apart from participating in a man-controlled organization. Rather than form another sect, it is better for us to cultivate the pilgrim attitude; realizing we are not of this world, but passing through; for “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20-21). It is possible for us to just press on in our relationship with Him as our ALL. We continue with fellowship, and sharing the love and truth of the grace of God whenever and wherever we can with sincere believers and with those who we perceive as ‘seekers.’