CHRISTIANITY: MORE THAN A DRESS CODE?
¶t is so sad that many have reduced Christianity to simply a DRESS CODE. And to add salt to injury, made the term, "born again" to mean almost the same thing with what the Bible itself describes as hypocrisy.
Excuse me, am I sounding too hard here?
Well, remember I said it was a burden.
Jesus in His days had similar burden, and He spoke out against the religious folks of that time who championed a religious system that was directly opposite to God's. They obviously looked pious outwardly "but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness".
[Matt. 23:27]
Before I go any further, I'll like to address the issue of what Christianity is all about or, what it means to be "born again".
Please note, it is I, ENDURANCE, writing and not any theological seminarian. And the information as contained herein are purely void of extractions from anybody's thesis or bias standpoint. My authority is the Bible.
WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?
A Christian is one who not only believes in Jesus, but also, who has all of His attributes. To mention a few: His love, compassion, righteousness, power, knowledge and wisdom.
John 14:12 has something remarkable:
"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father".
You see, what makes you a Christian is your belief/faith in Christ. And whatever is capable of making you a Christian is also capable of making you a born again child of God. These two are one and the same thing. You don't become born again after years of receiving salvation.
1 John 5:1 says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Messiah (the anointed One) is born of God..."
We are not born again because we behave strangely in the society or wear certain style of clothes or observe particular rituals. But instead, we are born again because the Word of God (which gave birth to us), abides in us. You may want to ask how the Word gave birth to us. Well, listen!
You call yourself a Christian today because the Gospel was preached to you. The Bible says "faith comes only by hearing and hearing by the Word of God".
[Rom. 10:17]
That was the faith that enabled you to believe Jesus to be the Messiah. In addition, see what this Scripture says:
" Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
[1Pet. 1:23]
Jesus emphatically stated that, "Except a man be born [again]...of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."
[John 3:5]
Do you know what, the Word of God is that 'water' and that 'Spirit'.
Water is used for cleansing so also is the WORD.
Jesus Himself said at one place, "Ye are cleansed through the WORD which I have spoken unto you".
And at another place, He said, "The WORD which I speak, they are SPIRIT and they are life".
Does this fascinate you?
Don't misinterpret me, if the Word of God abides in you richly (that is, rules you) you will lead a decent and holy life. And not in the reverse.
Let's stop behaving and talking the Scripture out of place. Self-righteousness is the chief cause of all this confusion in the fold. And we must go back to the Bible to redefine our route.
Finally Beloved...
Don't preach or argue from your head. Talk the Word!
Don't follow a mob of blind men, they can only make you blind as well. From such, flee!
If you've got good clothes wear them with decency in mind. For sure, you'll be envied.
For Christianity is more than ... A DRESS CODE!
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