Religion

Religion - Rules and rituals aimed at creating an experience which will produce and support a certain moral standard which is believed to win the approval of a higher being. (my definition)
It has long been my view that the one thing that set Christianity apart from other religions, apart from Christ, was the fact that every religion in practice today aims at persuading it's followers to follow a set of rules which will maintain civil peace and keep the status quo, while Christianity was focused on reconciling us with God and enabling us to live in relationships with God.

If the Church changes its focus towards a simple aim of moral living, then we have become no different from other religions. Then anyone who thinks that Christians are simply intolerant towards other religions will be 100% correct. If you view Christianity as Kingdom build on Christ with a different aim, namely establishing Christ’s Spiritual Rule in each person and through each person, the goal is no
longer the same as every other religion and the argument changes.

Many will tell you that there are many roads that lead to spiritual enlightenment and they will name moral pillars such as Gandhi. But the point of following Christ isn’t moral living but restoring the rule of God through people on earth. Adam was appointed ruler on earth by God, lost his authority through sin, which wasn’t so much a matter of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge as it was a matter of
disobeying God. Christ came to restore this authority and reconcile us with God.

Yes many roads lead to moral living, but only one way leads to Christ’s (Spiritual) Kingdom, being established on earth. Christ is the Truth the Way and the Live.

Christianity

I decided on taking an overview of a few different Christian views that I’ve come across in my 21 years as a Christian. I know some of these have very official sounding theological names but I’m just going to stick to a i, ii, and iii type naming convention.

i)
• Christ is the Son of the living God
• Christ died on the cross
• Christ went to hell (though many members believe that His time on earth was hell enough)
• Christ was resurrected after 3 days by God
• Christ chooses some of us for His Kingdom but we don’t know who we are therefore we better play it safe and live good lives. Who knows, just maybe we make it?
• The law won’t save you, only being chosen and living a good life can save you
• The point of being saved is going to Heaven (or perhaps rather to avoiding hell many instances).

ii)
• Christ is the Son of the living God
• Christ died on the cross
• Christ went to hell
• Christ was resurrected by his own faith
• Christ has already chosen you and therefore gave his life. Now it’s up to you to believe this
• Salvation belongs to all who believe and therefore turn from there evil ways
• The point of being saved is going to Heaven (or perhaps rather to avoiding hell many instances)
• You can loose your salvation if you fail to live the good life
• God sends His Holy Spirit as a helper
• The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. (Interpreted as praying in tongues)

iii)
• Christ is the Son of the living God
• Christ died on the cross
• Christ went to hell
• Christ was resurrected by his own faith
• Christ has already chosen you and therefore gave his life. Now it’s up to you to believe this
• Sin is not believing this (not as in when you sin you don’t believe this, but if you don’t you are a sinner irrespective of what you do) { John 16 5"But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, "Where are You going?' 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. }
• There is no accuser before God, but the accusers has been cast from Heaven and in his place Christ constantly reminds the Father of His death on behalf off all man
• No one can take you out of God’s hand
• God will complete the good work that He has started in you
• The purpose of salvation is not to avoid hell, but to become children and later (once God has completed the work in you) to become sons of God of which Christ was the first born. Once you become a son you will rule on earth (in the spiritual realm) with God. Hence the signs that Christ did we will also do. The Glory of God will fill the whole earth
• God sends His Holy Spirit as a helper
• The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. (Interpreted as praying in tongues)

the way and the truth and the life

Jesus clearly stated that he is the truth the way and the life and that no one will go to the Father except by him. It's not about the moral life you live or don't live, in fact those who are in Christ are free from the law of sin and death. Sin isn't to live immorally, but rather not believing in the Son. Righteousness isn't achieved by doing the right things but rather by believing in the Son.

John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:18 (NIV)
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"

John 8:24 (NIV)
"I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”

John 16: 7 - 11 (NIV)
7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

This is what I believe

City Walls

From time to time one's sense of freedom together with other factors becomes a little too much to handle and in such moments we often do things that cause us to feel guilty. This is quite a peculiar state of affairs for someone that is in Christ, since we don’t have an accuser that is standing before the Father bringing accusations against us. No, instead we have an advocate that is constantly reminding God of our right standing with Him due to the price Christ has paid. All this is great to know, but if you are feeling guilty and not worthy of being called a Christian that knowledge is often not enough to help you snap out of your guilt trip.

It’s in times like this that I like to apply a simple principle of parenting since God is our Father and we are his children though we aim to become sons. A child that has to much freedom is an insecure child, they constantly push the boundaries and try and find that point where a parent finally provides the guidance that they need. A feeling of guilt has its source somewhere, whether it is justified or not. Most often it’s when we feel that we have failed to here God’s guiding voice and we feel that we have stepped outside of his will. So what I do is I revert back to the basic guide of the law, together with Paul’s writings. These provide great guidelines for life.

The purpose is not to live under the law in order to please God, but simply to revert back to the familiar grounds. A place of safety.