When Christianity became a state religion in Rome, a great change began to happen in the world because of the power that resided in Rome: the power of an empire over people.
As Rome forced Rome's religious doctrine in the lives of people, Christianity became a religion that was filled with elements of paganism from ancient Rome, ancient Babylon, and ancient Egypt as Rome began to swallow independent churches and to terminate independent pastors, teachers, and writers. That great change is still in the world today, but with more power and more influence than it had when Rome began this great change three hundred years after the Day of Pentecost.
Jesus issued a warning that events such as these would come to pass:
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. (John 16: 1-4)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (John 16: 7-8)
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16: 13-14)
Therefore, without the revelation of truth from the Holy Spirit of God in heaven, people will not believe that the Bible is the Word of the Lord from heaven; and without believing that the Bible is the Word of the Lord from heaven, it is also true that people will not believe the stories contained in the Bible, even the story of Jesus. For if people know only about Christ from men, they will only believe the stories of men: and these stories will be believed because of the faith people have in people, and not because of faith people have in God.
Consequently, if the stories of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ are from the mouths of men, these stories are not alive in the hearts of people because they are not revealed truth by the Holy Spirit of God; which means that these stories will lodge in the minds of people, and, in their minds these stories will remain. For if they truly believe that Christ is resurrected from death, where is Christ now, and what has Christ been doing for more than two thousand years?
In a religious mind, Christ has been doing nothing for twenty centuries because the mouths of men have never told people that Christ arose from death to do anything else! Which means that "resurrection" is just a word in a string of words that mouths of men have taught people to repeat. And if people of do not believe in their hearts that Christ is resurrected from death, then it is impossible for them to believe in the second coming of Christ to the earth!
Obviously, common sense should tell us that in religious Christianity, Christ is no more than a Storybook Jesus: a character in a book of characters at Christmas, as well as a character in a book of characters at Easter. Which means that Jesus fits perfectly with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!
For if people truly believe that Christ is alive, they would certainly believe that the Lord is more than a ceramic Jesus at Christmas, and more than a piece of chocolate formed in the face of a man at Easter.
If Christ is no more than a Storybook Jesus in the minds of religious Christians, then Christ is not alive in their hearts: and the resurrection of Christ to them never happened, for the resurrection is just part of the story from the mouths of men that they repeat from time to time---then close the book, turn out the lights, and go to sleep.
People can have the name of Christ in their heads, and the Holy Spirit will enable them to open the elevator to allow Christ to enter their hearts; but people must be willing to push the button.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10: 13-15, 17)
The Holy Bible is the one and only true storybook of Christ the Lord!
As Rome forced Rome's religious doctrine in the lives of people, Christianity became a religion that was filled with elements of paganism from ancient Rome, ancient Babylon, and ancient Egypt as Rome began to swallow independent churches and to terminate independent pastors, teachers, and writers. That great change is still in the world today, but with more power and more influence than it had when Rome began this great change three hundred years after the Day of Pentecost.
Jesus issued a warning that events such as these would come to pass:
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. (John 16: 1-4)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (John 16: 7-8)
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16: 13-14)
Therefore, without the revelation of truth from the Holy Spirit of God in heaven, people will not believe that the Bible is the Word of the Lord from heaven; and without believing that the Bible is the Word of the Lord from heaven, it is also true that people will not believe the stories contained in the Bible, even the story of Jesus. For if people know only about Christ from men, they will only believe the stories of men: and these stories will be believed because of the faith people have in people, and not because of faith people have in God.
Consequently, if the stories of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ are from the mouths of men, these stories are not alive in the hearts of people because they are not revealed truth by the Holy Spirit of God; which means that these stories will lodge in the minds of people, and, in their minds these stories will remain. For if they truly believe that Christ is resurrected from death, where is Christ now, and what has Christ been doing for more than two thousand years?
In a religious mind, Christ has been doing nothing for twenty centuries because the mouths of men have never told people that Christ arose from death to do anything else! Which means that "resurrection" is just a word in a string of words that mouths of men have taught people to repeat. And if people of do not believe in their hearts that Christ is resurrected from death, then it is impossible for them to believe in the second coming of Christ to the earth!
Obviously, common sense should tell us that in religious Christianity, Christ is no more than a Storybook Jesus: a character in a book of characters at Christmas, as well as a character in a book of characters at Easter. Which means that Jesus fits perfectly with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!
For if people truly believe that Christ is alive, they would certainly believe that the Lord is more than a ceramic Jesus at Christmas, and more than a piece of chocolate formed in the face of a man at Easter.
If Christ is no more than a Storybook Jesus in the minds of religious Christians, then Christ is not alive in their hearts: and the resurrection of Christ to them never happened, for the resurrection is just part of the story from the mouths of men that they repeat from time to time---then close the book, turn out the lights, and go to sleep.
People can have the name of Christ in their heads, and the Holy Spirit will enable them to open the elevator to allow Christ to enter their hearts; but people must be willing to push the button.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10: 13-15, 17)
The Holy Bible is the one and only true storybook of Christ the Lord!
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