The minute that one becomes religious is the minute that one becomes a hypocrite.
What is God's standard for the church? God's standard for the church is perfection. Jesus said, "Be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" Matthew 5:48. Are you meeting the standard for the church? Anything less than perfection is sin.
Jesus said of the Pharisees, "They say, but they do not do" Matthew 23:3. Jesus refered to the Pharisees as hypocrites 8 times in the 23rd chapter of Matthew. What made the Pharisees hypocrites? A hypocrite is one that thinks that he can please God by what he has become, what he is, or by what he does. The Pharisees thought that they were okay. They did not see themselves as sinners in need of a savior. They thought that the law was their savior, but it was the law that made them hypocrites.
The law demands perfection and anything short of perfection is sin, this is why Paul said, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10. There is none righteous because there is none that can please God by what they are, or by what they have become, or by what they do. They cannot do or keep God's Holy Law.
To say that you can is to make Paul a liar and yourself a hypocrite.
Religion tries to do in the flesh what God has already done in Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "That he might present to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:27.
Do you see anything like that today? I don't. All that I see is hypocrisy. Not in just the Catholic religion, but in all religions. "They say, but they don't do". Jesus said, "Outwardly you appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" Matthew 23:28.
Where is this church that is..."Holy and without blame?" Ephesians 1:4. It isn't here on this earth, but it does exist. It is the invisible church. There is no building, nor is there a paid staff. Its members consist of blood bought children of God, that profess they are unworthy sinners that have been redeemed through the suffering of Jesus, 1 Peter 4:1. They are the ones that have been justified, sanctified, redeemed and made righteous by the doing and the dying of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:30.
What is God's standard for the church? God's standard for the church is perfection. Jesus said, "Be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" Matthew 5:48. Are you meeting the standard for the church? Anything less than perfection is sin.
Jesus said of the Pharisees, "They say, but they do not do" Matthew 23:3. Jesus refered to the Pharisees as hypocrites 8 times in the 23rd chapter of Matthew. What made the Pharisees hypocrites? A hypocrite is one that thinks that he can please God by what he has become, what he is, or by what he does. The Pharisees thought that they were okay. They did not see themselves as sinners in need of a savior. They thought that the law was their savior, but it was the law that made them hypocrites.
The law demands perfection and anything short of perfection is sin, this is why Paul said, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10. There is none righteous because there is none that can please God by what they are, or by what they have become, or by what they do. They cannot do or keep God's Holy Law.
To say that you can is to make Paul a liar and yourself a hypocrite.
Religion tries to do in the flesh what God has already done in Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "That he might present to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:27.
Do you see anything like that today? I don't. All that I see is hypocrisy. Not in just the Catholic religion, but in all religions. "They say, but they don't do". Jesus said, "Outwardly you appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" Matthew 23:28.
Where is this church that is..."Holy and without blame?" Ephesians 1:4. It isn't here on this earth, but it does exist. It is the invisible church. There is no building, nor is there a paid staff. Its members consist of blood bought children of God, that profess they are unworthy sinners that have been redeemed through the suffering of Jesus, 1 Peter 4:1. They are the ones that have been justified, sanctified, redeemed and made righteous by the doing and the dying of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:30.
