Wow! How am I even supposed to answer all the posts that were directed to
me without writing a novel? I could take the time to answer each one of your
posts but the truth is your pretty much set on the point of view that organized
religion is where its at. And unless you receive any revelation from Christ to
the contrary, all your views of scripture and Jesus are skewed through the lens
of organized religion. It wouldn't matter how well I articulated an answer, when
your view of Jesus and the scriptures is through the lens of religion all
scriptures are stretched and contorted so that they support that point of view.
I speak from experience, because I used to be a STRONG defender of organized
religion.
I don't believe most people who hold to organized religion are bad. I
don't even think God feels that way about them. I just don't think organized
religion is God's best. Just as Paul said that we served the shapes and shadows
of things to come until the real thing came. We have the real thing, Jesus
Christ. I don't believe all the programs, systems, and services of organized
religion come close to the authentic life of Christ being expressed out in the
real world in our daily lives. I also believe that organized religion tries to
manufacture being the family of God rather than living in the reality of that.
Organized religion to me is like a club. (Like the Boy Scouts or Girl
Scouts.) They're nice organizations. I have no problem with them. If you want to
belong to one, great! There are some neat things that go on within these clubs.
But just as being a Boy Scout doesn't make a boy more of a boy, neither does
organized religion make a Christian more of a Christian or the church (all who
follow Christ) more the church. In fact, organized religion hijacked the work
"church" and applied it to mean a formal meeting or a building or an
organization rather than it being something that we are.
So, getting on track with the original topic of this thread, I just don't
think Jesus had organized religion on His list of priorities. I believe that He
had YOU and I way up on the top of His list of priorities. I think the most
important thing to Jesus is not what church you do or do not attend, but rather
that He has a relationship with you. I don't think Jesus' heart is that we be
conformed to the doctrinal views of a certain Christian group, but rather that
we be conformed to His image. I don't think Jesus' goal is to pack out a Sunday
morning service, but that people see Him and know Him for who He is. I don't
think your church attendance really means a "hill of beans" to the Son of God,
but I believe that He cares a great deal about our hearts being connected with
His. Just as the break down of the natural family breaks our hearts and God's
too, I believe the break down in His spiritual family that has been brought
about by the clergy/laity division breaks His heart. And I think He doesn't want
us hiding our light under a bushel. Sadly, often times organized religion is a
pretty big bushel.
