America’s Imaginary Religion
The most amazing thing is happening in religious America today. People think they are following the Lord of the universe and may not be. Somehow over the years since His death and resurrection and in spite of the documentation made by His disciples, what the Lord said to do has been changed and forgotten. People have been led astray to the point they do just the opposite of the commandments and still believe they are doing the right thing. Amazing.
Consider His commandment about how to manage money. He said, Matthew 6:19 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." When we read this commandment today we must think He is just giving us friendly advice. We forget this is God speaking. Matthew 7:26 "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:" He is giving us a commandment here and we will be judged one day by how well we have kept it. People today break this commandment so much they judge others for not breaking it as well.
Are we really keeping His commandments? Where is the measure we should observe today and how close should we try to keep His law? He said it doesn't matter what we say we believe, if it doesn't match up with what His Father in heaven said it will not be accepted. Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
We think we are following the Bible today, but if you read most of the writings of His people and closely examine His words it doesn't appear we are even in the ball park. We are simply presenting the Bible to our imaginations. New conduct has taken the place of the old and observance is no longer understood. God's standards have been replaced by no standard at all. Yet everyone expects Him to extend grace and salvation to them on the day of Judgement, while He never said He would do that. Amazingly, people go to church every week and leave with no clear understanding of the rules they are expected to follow. Such a thing would never be tolerated in any business, government or school in America today and people would want their money back.
What happened to the religion of the disciples? Apparently, over time it all but disappeared like that of the Hebrews in charge of the Temple. Eventhough they had departed from the spirit of God's law, they were still keeping most of the letter. While today, we have never even accepted the rules and so the spirit just floats around visiting now and then. The spirit might stay longer and maybe even produce fruit if we had some idea of the rules to follow. The Lord explains what we should think of the rules in a short statement, Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." The Greek word used here for destroy is mistranslated. katalusw, Ka-ta-Iu-o only means destroy when associated with a physical object. When referring to a government or an ideal it means 'to deprive of force, to abrogate, annul or discard.' Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Mt. v. 17 p 334. What Yeshua said is, I have not come to deprive the law or the prophets of force. The word used for fulfil, plhrow, play-ro-o, means "universally and absolutely, to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfillment; Mt. v. 17." Thayer's Greek lexicon p 518.
The next thing we need to observe is what the Lord said to the woman at the well, St John 4:22, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews." Notice He said "we" and "is" not "was". Then a short time later when He was in Heaven speaking to John on the Isle of Patmos He said, Rev 2:9, "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." Now that we understand who gets to go to heaven, Do we have any part in that? Yes, maybe. Paul describes the boundaries of the new covenant in Romans 2:28, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." So, all believers are really Jews.
Let's try and put it all together now. 1. The Lord said the rules are still in place. 2. He said only Jews will be saved. 3. Paul explains we can be Jews if we are willing.
Even though we cannot keep the law which the Lord confirms Matthew 19:26, "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.", we are still commanded to try. Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." If God thought the best way to teach us how to live was using the law as a guide, it probably is still the best way.
So why did the religion of the disciples disappear and Why was it important to cover the importance of being Jewish? Apparently, if believers understood they are Jews they would no doubt soon understand how they should be trying to live and come nearer following God's commandments. So in the end there would be far more in the category of Revelation 12:17," And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Yeshua."