Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
Godly discipline. Such self-righteous attitudes are based on the teachings of men that appeal to gullible people who like to have their itching ears tickled with smooth talk that never hints at the need for discipline. If any religious organization did teach about Godly discipline that might be directed to adherents of the religion, that religion would soon die for lack of followers. That is why discipline is never taught except in the most general way that exhorts people to stop sinning. The truth is that, from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is full of stories of Godly discipline of the children he loves — including the Messiah. We tend to interpret these stories more as history than instruction, but they are there for us to learn when and how God disciplines/corrects his people. When reading Bible stories we should always observe that Godly discipline has a good outcome for those who receive it but a bad outcome for those who do not receive it. This is fully consistent with what the Bible says about how God uses discipline to produce righteousness, wisdom, knowledge and understanding in his people. What we should learn from these scriptures about discipline is that… (Search hits: 42 in body, 1 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 631275.62)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…He considers failure to listen to his voice rebellion which is sin. Rebellion angers God just like any father is angered when his children refuse to listen and obey when he gives them instruction. And just like any father will discipline a rebellious child whom he loves, God is compelled our of love to discipline his children for their rebelliousness. But God, in his wisdom, does not take his misbehaving (i.e. sinful) kids out behind the woodshed for a licking, send them to the naughty corner for a time out, or deprive them of some physical thing that they cherish. He does not discipline as human parents discipline. His chosen form of discipline is to let his children have the desires of their heart for a time but then bring judgement later on for pursuing the desires of their heart. If they want to listen to false prophets, whom he considers to be other gods, he lets them have their way with confidence that, sooner or later, they will see things his way and repent for going their own way and for listening to false prophets. In the meantime, if they want the kind of meat that religion offers instead… (Search hits: 11 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 31563.78)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…of the fact that life as a follower of Jesus is hard. They should also consider what the Bible tells us to expect regarding persecution, suffering and insult. These are the norm — not the exception — of God’s people. If their life does not line up with the lives of Jesus, Paul and the prophets regarding persecution, discipline and death they should begin to wonder if they are as righteous as they think they are. If they are not suffering and dying as Jesus did, and if they do not experience religion as the enemy and the source of injustice and oppression, they are not true followers. Then we must consider the rigid discipline of keeping religious laws. Jews only need to look at the list of 613 mitzvah to be reminded that keeping the written law is a constant challenge that wears people down physically and emotionally. Christians do not follow the same list of rules, but each denomination has its own package of religious laws that keep people very busy with religious activity (e.g. going to church, praying, volunteering, reading the Bible, etc.) God symbolically calls all religious activity flesh and symbolically equates all this activity with… (Search hits: 8 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 22955.48)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…the little they do know is enough. They are content with the little that religion teaches them and have no interest in what God will teach New Covenant disciples. STUDY TIP: See Feeding the Five Thousand for a parable of being content with the little that religion teaches. This casual, lazy attitude barely satisfies God’s command to love him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. To learn as much about God as is humanly possible demands the drive and discipline of a disciple — a learner. A casual, only-on-Sunday approach will yield nothing about God’s true nature and his ways. So what does this review of discipline and study have to do with the law? It is just this: The law is not easy to comprehend; Understanding the law as God sees it is very challenging. That is why God warns us that the law is a stumbling block. But while understanding the law is challenging, so is the reward for disciplining ourselves to study. True, spiritual life is only available to people who can hear God’s spoken voice. EXAMPLES OF HARD TO UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURES Even though the entire Bible challenges us intellectually, everyone would agree that Leviticus,… (Search hits: 6 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 17216.61)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…It is about religious beliefs. We have well-meaning people on both sides of the political divide who sincerely believe that their politics and their religions are morally correct. Some attribute morals to God, others do not. But, even those who are not overtly religious exercise a kind of religious attitude about their beliefs, and they are no less zealous about the rightness of their beliefs than the people who justify their politics and actions on the literal, written words of the bible. It can be rightly said, therefore, that the conflict we see played out in politics and in the attack on Congress is nothing more or less than a religious conflict. We see this truth in Bible stories where God uses several religious nations (e.g. Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Canaan, etc.) to discipline Israel for its unfaithfulness. From this history we have no trouble believing that God continues to discipline any and all religious nations through conflict, even bloody warfare, with other religious nations. The reason God disciplines religious nations is that they are all in competition with him for the hearts and minds of his people. Instead of directly asserting his own power and authority to punish, however, God… (Search hits: 5 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 14347.17)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…(Pastors, Priests, Rabbis, Apostles, Bishops, Elders, Deacons, Overseers, Rabbis, Popes, Missionaries and Evangelists) receive pay for preaching and teaching religious laws, for administering religious services (e.g. communion, baptism, weddings, funerals, etc.) and for governing religious institutions (e.g. churches, denominations, seminaries, synagogues, ministries, etc.) Written codes of religious laws that are conceived and implemented by religious leaders/authorities to ensure consistency of behavior, belief and religious practice for adherents within the religious denomination or sect that writes and enforces them. Old/First Covenant religion includes public religion and the open practice of self-righteousness behaviors in ways that allow others to see them. Old/First Covenant religions depend on financial tithes and offerings to stay in business. Old/First Covenant religions conduct their business in religious buildings with altars. Old/First Covenant religion is commonly associated with religious music, singing and sometimes dancing. Old/First Covenant religious people routinely travel to religious buildings to worship. Religious leaders are continually writing, preaching and teaching adherents to remind them about the laws and encourage them to obey them. Old/First Covenant laws are always subject to interpretation and change by religious leaders and followers. When necessary, religious leaders will discipline adherents who have violated the laws of the religious institution. When… (Search hits: 4 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 11477.74)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…because they are discerned only through the Spirit. COMMENTARY: The things that come from the spirit are God’s words. New Covenant disciples are able to discern the things that come from the spirit of God. The spirit of God is the messenger through which God speaks. Old/First Covenant religionists have hard hearts that prevent them from hearing God’s voice. They do not have discern between God’s voice and the voices of false prophets. Proverbs 3:11-23 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. 13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, COMMENTARY: Wisdom is one of many symbolic terms used to describe God’s spoken word. Wisdom (i.e. God’s spoken word) is what God uses to discipline those he loves. Wisdom and love both describe God’s spoken word. STUDY TIP: See Love and this link for understanding of love. God’s love, discipline, rebuke and wisdom are tied together because they all refer to God’s spoken word 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than… (Search hits: 4 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 11477.74)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…spirit). He does this by looking at the heart to prove what is in the heart of people (i.e. are they Old/First Covenant religionists or New Covenant disciples). We know this because “heart” is a Biblical code word that points to the New Covenant. It is also the place where God puts his name. STUDY TIP: See Place Where God Will Place His Name for more about the heart. This testing/proving of the heart will always be difficult in the short run, but will be good for God’s people in the long run and even leads to faith and salvation which also are code words that point to the New Covenant. God calls his kind of testing discipline. Children of God do not escape his discipline if they want to be righteous. Testing of the heart is an inside activity that only God and those he tests knows is happening because only God knows what is in the heart. This contrasts with religion which anyone can see. God looks at our hearts to see which laws we love and obey. If we love religious laws, we will obey those laws. If we love God’s spiritual laws, those are the laws… (Search hits: 3 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 8608.3)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…commercial, institutional model designed by man is self-destructing a little bit every time someone leaves religion. While this conclusion is bad news for those who are heavily invested in the commercial, religious system and all its associated traditions, it is good for God and it is good for people who are enslaved by religion and free to worship God in spirit and truth. HISTORY OF DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE It is helpful at this point to remember that the destruction of the temple in 70 AD was not the first time that the temple had been destroyed. It was prophesied in Ezekiel 21, and reported in 2-Chronicles 36:11-23 , 2-Kings 25:1-21 and Isaiah 1. From these scriptures we learn that Israel’s leaders had a history of rebellion that deserved God’s discipline. Part of that discipline was the destruction of the temple. It is clear from this history that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not learn from the experience of earlier leaders. It is no surprise, therefore, that Jesus would do what He did in the temple and that the temple would later be destroyed. So what are we to learn from this history? First, God does not have… (Search hits: 3 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 8608.3)
Religion Detox Network ...Posted on by Paul Borene
…written law (e.g. sacrifices, tithes, offerings, feasts, temple worship, etc.). People who know God actively listen to hear his voice and obey (i.e. apply) what they hear. People will not need to teach or be taught about God because the law is written on their hearts. The ability to know God will be available to everyone — not just those who have status as spiritual leaders because of their education or titles (i.e. priests). Regarding rigid literal interpretations of scripture, here are a few key points to keep in mind: It severely limits what God wants to reveal to anyone. It discourages individual disciples from doing their own spiritual digging to discover meanings different from those that religious leaders have already taught. It contradicts what the Bible says about mystery and parables and other deep sayings about symbolism. It grossly simplifies God’s character and his ways. It underestimates God’s willingness to discipline those whom he loves. It reinforces the position and control of spiritual leaders in an Old/First Covenant religious system, and It effectively constrains individual disciples from maturing into New Covenant disciples. Hebrews 12:2-12 tells us that we struggle against sin and that God disciplines those he loves. The… (Search hits: 2 in body, 0 in title, %category% in categories, 0 in tags, %taxonomy% in other taxonomies, 0 in comments. Score: 5738.87)