To My Facebook Brothers and Sisters in Christ….
Paul wrote to the Galatians, “Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” (NLT) Paul preached Christ to the Galatians, the Galatians received the gospel and were converted to our Lord Jesus, and then…. and then…. they turned from Christ to religion. How sad.
Veering from Christ to religion was not unusual in Paul’s day, nor is it an unusual happening in our time. Most reading these words are seriously steeped in religion. Please understand that it is impossible to be devoted to a religion and to Christ simultaneously.
The Galatians lost so much when they lost intimacy with “that great shepherd of the sheep”. They lost, to varying degrees, protection, peace, power, joy, eternal rewards and every good thing. Religion does that. Like really. Religion is doing that to you in your here-and-now. Religion has eaten away at your devotion to Christ Jesus, and still is.
Paul’s question to the Galatians is my question to my precious Facebook friends, “Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” I spend much time and energy and resources exposing religion as the christian’s chief competitor to Christ. I steadfastly proclaim “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” to believers – let’s make that half-believers – steeped in religious conformity.
Evangelicals have much in common with other religions. All are trapped by religionists who have been entrapped by religionists. Religionist?…. what’s that? I have an unusual definition: A religionist is one who cannot/will not solemnly sign the Bible in the presence of the Triune God as a solemn declaration of obedience to the Bible (as he/she understands it). Most reading these words cannot/will not make such a declaration before the Father, His Son and His Holy Spirit. This is the nasty fruit of the religion that has ensnared you. This is what religion has cost you.
It was Jesus Himself who taught us the devastating effects of religion: “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.” Evangelical traditions have made the Bible “of no effect” to evangelicals. Question: What about evangelicals who refuse to bow to evangelical traditions? Answer: Such is not an evangelical; attending an evangelical church does not make you an evangelical; bowing to its traditions does.
You may conclude, “This letter is not very encouraging!” Please understand, it is not meant to be encouraging. It is meant to warn, to awaken, and, yes, to sting. Jesus did not encourage the pharisees. Encouragement is for those devoted to Christ alone. Paul wrote sharply to the Galatians: “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?” He was not being mean; he was being faithful; he was being responsible. I parrot our precious brother-in-Christ: “O foolish evangelicals! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth [the Bible]?”