Calvinism, Catholicism, Religion is the Result of Unbelief

[Robert Pate]

There was no religion in the early church. Paul never attempted to establish a religion. If anything Paul opposed trying to put a label on the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 1:12-17.

The only religion in the New Testament was Pharisaism. The Jews took the ordinances and the law and created the Torah, which was their book of religion. They lived by the Torah. They refered to the Torah as being the way, the truth and the life. John took what they said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.

RELIGION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.

Religion is basically faith in religion and not in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. What do Calvinist talk about? They talk about Calvinism. What do Catholics talk about? They talk about the Catholic church. They have faith, but their faith is in their religion and not in Christ and his Gospel.

The early church was born on the day of Pentecost. It was born by the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. God had revealed to the apostles and the world what he had accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. God had reconcilled a whole world of lost sinners unto himself by Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. Those that heard Peter's Gospel and believed it were saved by the thousands, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4.

It was the Gospel that gave birth to the church, not religion. The lowly apostles were transformed into mighty preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-20. As the results of the Gospel Jerusalem was turned upside down. Nothing had ever effected that part of the world more than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHERE DID RELIGION COME FROM?

Religion is the result of man's inability to believe the Gospel and live by faith in Christ and his Gospel. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live by Faith" Romans 1:17 and not in rules, laws and religion. Where there is a vacuum, man will fill it with something, his religion. The only thing that God honors in the New Testament is faith. Faith in his Son Jesus Christ, not faith in a religion.

 

[PureX]

I do not agree that religion is the result of "unbelief".

Religion us how humans respond to the fundamental mysteries of existence, and to the fear we feel in the face of these unknowns. We fear the unknown because knowledge is how we control and manipulate the circumstances of our lives, to protect and favor ourselves. (To survive and thrive.)

We humans need to act on faith when our knowledge comes up short in determining the outcomes of our actions. And that happens often. So faith becomes the fundamental goal of religion as we use it to face the unknown, and to face our fear of the unknown, so that we can act as needed in the face of it.

Religion isn't that difficult to understand if we approach it logically and practically.

 

[patrick jane]

There was no religion in the early church. Paul never attempted to establish a religion. If anything Paul opposed trying to put a label on the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 1:12-17.

The only religion in the New Testament was Pharisaism. The Jews took the ordinances and the law and created the Torah, which was their book of religion. They lived by the Torah. They refered to the Torah as being the way, the truth and the life. John took what they said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.

RELIGION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.

Religion is basically faith in religion and not in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. What do Calvinist talk about? They talk about Calvinism. What do Catholics talk about? They talk about the Catholic church. They have faith, but their faith is in their religion and not in Christ and his Gospel.

The early church was born on the day of Pentecost. It was born by the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. God had revealed to the apostles and the world what he had accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. God had reconcilled a whole world of lost sinners unto himself by Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. Those that heard Peter's Gospel and believed it were saved by the thousands, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4.

It was the Gospel that gave birth to the church, not religion. The lowly apostles were transformed into mighty preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-20. As the results of the Gospel Jerusalem was turned upside down. Nothing had ever effected that part of the world more than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHERE DID RELIGION COME FROM?

Religion is the result of man's inability to believe the Gospel and live by faith in Christ and his Gospel. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live by Faith" Romans 1:17 and not in rules, laws and religion. Where there is a vacuum, man will fill it with something, his religion. The only thing that God honors in the New Testament is faith. Faith in his Son Jesus Christ, not faith in a religion.

Good post/thread

 

[Robert Pate]

I do not agree that religion is the result of "unbelief".

Religion us how humans respond to the fundamental mysteries of existence, and to the fear we feel in the face of these unknowns. We fear the unknown because knowledge is how we control and manipulate the circumstances of our lives, to protect and favor ourselves. (To survive and thrive.)

We humans need to act on faith when our knowledge comes up short in determining the outcomes of our actions. And that happens often. So faith becomes the fundamental goal of religion as we use it to face the unknown, and to face our fear of the unknown, so that we can act as needed in the face of it.

Religion isn't that difficult to understand if we approach it logically and practically.

Religion is very hard to understand and is very confusing.

While the Gospel is a very simple message.

Religion does not build faith, if anything it undermines it. Religion is about man who is a sinner. The Gospel is about Jesus Christ who is without sin.

Paul wrote, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" which is the Gospel, Romans 10:17.

 

[PureX]

Religion is very hard to understand and is very confusing.

While the Gospel is a very simple message.

Religion does not build faith, if anything it undermines it. Religion is about man who is a sinner. The Gospel is about Jesus Christ who is without sin.

Paul wrote, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" which is the Gospel, Romans 10:17.

I agree with you on several counts, here. But I wanted to respond, first, in relation to 'religion' as a human endeavor. I understand why so many people engage in it, as an endeavor, and this is as stated above. And it applies to pretty much all manifestations of religious activity throughout human history.

You are posting with a focus more on the religion of Christianity, relative to the spiritual understanding embodied by the concept of 'Christ'. And I agree that these are different phenomena. I also agree that they are to some degree antithetical to each other. In that religions seek to explain the unexplainable, so that we no longer feel fear of the unknown and can live more effectively. Whereas 'Christ' is not about the unknown. It's about an ideal that is REAL for us, and that we can experience and test for ourselves if we are willing. In this way, it is quite different from the human endeavor that we normally call 'religion'.

Unfortunately, I predict that you will soon launch into an exposition of religiosity quite similar to all the others, based on the label of "Christ", but not on the reality of the Christ ideal. Because this is what you have done on so many preceding threads.

But you might surprise me, … who knows.

 

[beloved57]

pate

Calvinism, Catholicism, Religion is the Result of Unbelief

And pateism !

 

[Robert Pate]

I agree with you on several counts, here. But I wanted to respond, first, in relation to 'religion' as a human endeavor. I understand why so many people engage in it, as an endeavor, and this is as stated above. And it applies to pretty much all manifestations of religious activity throughout human history.

You are posting with a focus more on the religion of Christianity, relative to the spiritual understanding embodied by the concept of 'Christ'. And I agree that these are different phenomena. I also agree that they are to some degree antithetical to each other. In that religions seek to explain the unexplainable, so that we no longer feel fear of the unknown and can live more effectively. Whereas 'Christ' is not about the unknown. It's about an ideal that is REAL for us, and that we can experience and test for ourselves if we are willing. In this way, it is quite different from the human endeavor that we normally call 'religion'.

Unfortunately, I predict that you will soon launch into an exposition of religiosity quite similar to all the others, based on the label of "Christ", but not on the reality of the Christ ideal. Because this is what you have done on so many preceding threads.

But you might surprise me, … who knows.

Religion is a human endeavor alright. It is basically man's attempt to please God by what he is or by what he has become.

While the Christian is totally dependent upon who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.

Big, big difference.

 

[beloved57]

Religion is a human endeavor alright. It is basically man's attempt to please God by what he is or by what he has become.

While the Christian is totally dependent upon who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.

Big, big difference.

Thats what pateism teaches, Salvation is the result of what man has done !

 

[jamie]

Religion is a human endeavor alright. It is basically man's attempt to please God by what he is or by what he has become.

Religion is the codification of what we believe concerning what we say and do. It forms the paradigm for who we are.

Abel practiced his religion and exhibited righteousness.

 

[Bright Raven]

Thats what pateism teaches, Salvation is the result of what man has done !

And you teach what man hasn't done, accept jesus as Lord.

 

[Robert Pate]

Religion is the codification of what we believe concerning what we say and do. It forms the paradigm for who we are.

Abel practiced his religion and exhibited righteousness.

What it comes down to is why are you doing what you do?

Are you doing good works out of gratitude and thanksgiving for what Christ has done for you.

Or are you trying to earn your way into heaven?

Abel's offering was given out of gratitude.