Introduction – Part 2
Needless to say, this is all somewhat more than a bit confusing to more than few folks (many of them Christians) … And so, seeing as how the church seems to be contradicting some of the more important sayings of Jesus Christ, I decided to back in 2004 to begin extensively studying the Bible myself. How happy I quickly became when I read that the Bible itself teaches us that human beings are not to listen to, much less blindly follow, any man-made teachings (including traditional church dogma) that contradict the all-loving Way lived by Jesus Christ!
“Whoever disobeys even one of the least of these Commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:19)
“Beware false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will Know them by their Fruits”~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:15-16)
“Something greater than the Temple is here … For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:7-8)
“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let [your religious leaders] alone; they are blind guides for the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into the pit.”~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 15:13-14)
“Do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 23:2-3)
“But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have but one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have only one Father – the One in Heaven.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 23:8-9)
“Woe to you [leaders of the church], for you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplace. Woe to you, for you are like unmarked graves, with others walking over them without realizing it.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 11:43-44)
“And God, who knows the human Heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit … and in cleansing their Hearts by Faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Why, then, are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of others a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?” ~ Acts 15:8-10
“The God who made the world and everything in it … does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything” ~ Acts 17:24-25
“As God is for us, who is against us? … It is God who sets us Free. Who then is to condemn?” ~ Romans 8:31-33
“So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours” ~ 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
“Even Satan disguises himself as an Angel of Light. So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their ends will match their deeds.” ~ 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
“But the Word of God is not chained.” ~ 2 Timothy 2:9
“For the time is coming when they will not put up with sound doctrine, but … will accumulate teachers for themselves who suit their own desires. They will turn away from The Truth and wander away into myths”~ 2 Timothy 4:3-4
“Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God … And yet whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” ~ 2 John 1:9
And as I continued to re-read the New Testament — hoping to find the answers that my family, my friends, the church and my community had all failed to provide, a bigger picture of a “Bigger God” began to take shape. For the more I read the Scriptures, the more evident this all-Loving Force became — a God who does not want us to be subservient to Him at all, but rather desires for us to go boldly forth and Walk the Way of selfless Caring for others using our own unique & self-inspired methods.
“And whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:38 – see also Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34 and Luke 9:23)
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in Heart, and you will find rest for your Souls.”~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:29)
“But as for what was sown on good soil, these are the ones who hear the Word and understand It, who then indeed bear fruit”~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:23 – see also Mark 4:20 and Luke 8:15)
“Whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:18)
“And because of the increase in lawlessness, the Love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures [in Love] to the end will be Saved.”~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:12-13)
“The measure you Give will be the measure you Receive, and still more will be Given you.” ~ Jesus Christ (Mark 4:24)
“A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you Give will be the measure you get back.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 6:38)
“I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words and Acts on them.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 6:47)
“Bless rather are those who hear the Word of God and adhere to It.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 11:28)
“My food is to do the Will of Him who sent Me and to complete His Work.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 4:34)
“If you continue in [i.e. actualize] my Word, you are truly my disciples; [only then] will you Know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you Free.”~ Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32)
“We must Do the Works of Him who sent me while it is day, for the night is coming when we cannot work.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 9:4)
“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 10:17-18)
“The Works that I do in my Father’s name testify to Me …” ~ Jesus Christ (John 10:25)
“If you understand these things, blessed are you while you Do them … The one who believes in me will also Do the Works that I Do …” ~ Jesus Christ (John 13:17+14:12)
“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your Spiritual worship.” ~ Romans 12:1
“Be Doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves …” ~ James 1:22
“It is God’s Will that by Doing Right you shall silence the ignorance of the foolish.” ~ 1 Peter 2:15
“Make every effort to support your Faith with Goodness, and … self-discipline, and … endurance, and … mutual affection, and … Love. For if these things are yours, they will keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ … Be all the more eager to confirm your Calling, for if you do this, you will never stumble. In this way entry into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord will be richly provided for you.” ~ 2 Peter 1:5-11
“Whoever says ‘I abide in him’ must live as he lived.” ~ 1 John 2:6
“Everyone who Does Right has been born of Him.” ~ 1 John 2:29
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