{"id":98,"date":"2019-11-03T12:41:48","date_gmt":"2019-11-03T19:41:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/randomchristianity.com\/?p=98"},"modified":"2019-11-03T12:41:48","modified_gmt":"2019-11-03T19:41:48","slug":"members-welcome-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reclaiming-sunday.com\/index.php\/2019\/11\/03\/members-welcome-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Members Welcome -part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The modern American church exists in many various forms of purpose, service, ideals, mission, and theological levels that seek to satiate the appetite of an even larger variety of theological seekers. To the untrained eye and eager-to-please patron, corporate religion appears to serve as Biblical scripture\u2019s appointed doppelg\u00e4nger. Prior to my previously mentioned spiritual pivot, I had never sensed a need to differentiate the two. After all, the church is supposed to reflect Christ. She is called the Bride of Christ- aren\u2019t these exact words expressed (or at least alluded to) in scripture? In this sense, Christ and the Church shall be regarded as one. Where the context becomes cloudy rests in how you define \u201cChurch;\u201d a collected people of religious likeness, or, a genre of people committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ\u2026 and therefore God\u2019s own heart, plan, and purpose for those who choose to render their life in service to Him. Believe it or not, while some crossover may exist, they become separated at the crux of where each hangs their moral regard. Without a public backhand from my childhood church community (see Eternally Provoked<\/a>), I may have never considered differentiating the importance of this critical point of separation until I focused my awareness to recognize and grasp the distinction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of what is taught in corporate religious settings can\nbe found, and is often derived from Holy Scripture. \u201cDo unto others as you\nwould have them do unto you\u201d Luke 6:31; \u201cJudge not, that you be not judged\u201d\nMatthew 7:1;  \u201c\u2026.first remove the\nbeam  from your own eye: and then you can\nsee clearly to remove the speck from your brother\u2019s eye\u201d Matthew 7:5;\npractically any verifiable scripture will fit here. A major difference that\nseparates religion from faith resides in how and to what extent these\ndirectives are applied in personal and social contexts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Problem with Organized Religion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Prescribed deeds practiced to achieve an end goal. In the book of Matthew, Jesus purports, \u201cThe teachers of religious law\u2026 are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don\u2019t follow their example. For they don\u2019t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.\u201d vv.2-4NLT \u201c\u2026.and they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues (buildings for religious worship and instruction). They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called \u2018Rabbi\u2019 (teacher, pastor).\u201d vv.6-7 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law. Hypocrites! ….<\/p>\n\n\n\n