If people are unable to separate God from religion and religion from God, this is because they are still dwelling in religion, which is a spiritual world without windows and doors.
As such, they are dwellers of darkness because the Light of Christ has not shined upon them, and there they remain: still believing in those things they have believed since early childhood, and still believing that it is their religion that will save them from their sins and not Christ the Lord.
After all, this is what people have told them. Their parents told them this is true, and they have believed in their parents. Their ministers and priests told them this is true, and they have believed in their ministers and priests. Since they believe these men of the cloth are not liars, why should they not believe them? Therefore, they have a strong case not to believe in Christ, nor to believe in the Bible. And this belief is deeply embedded in their own minds.
In some Christian churches or Christian religions, moreover, people have been told that the story of Adam and Eve is only a myth, yet these same institutions will offer an Old Testament reading as well as a New Testament reading during their worship services.
Why do they do this, however?
If they have been told the story of Adam and Eve is a myth, why should they not believe that the whole Bible is a myth? Such a belief borders on hypocrisy, for how do they separate that which is real and true from that which is a myth? Do they leave the answer is the hands of their ministers and priests, whom they have been told not to question, or are they simply unwilling to face the truth of the Word of the Lord? For if the Bible is good enough for worship services, as well as for baptisms and weddings, why would it not be just as good for their everyday believing?
In institutions such as these, members do not bring their Bibles to church with them, nor do they have or participate in Bible study classes.
Knowing that all of these things are true, why should they have faith in the Bible? Obviously, they do not.
Again, it is their religion that has dictated those things they believe, and, for them, that is all they know, and, to them, that is all they need to know. Therefore, end the subject and turn the page, for they have no interest in the Word of the Lord.
But!---these same people are infatuated with the seasons of Christmas and Easter!
While they participate in repeating those parts of Christ that pertain to the Lord's life, death, and resurrection, do they truly believe that Christ is alive and living now in heaven? Or are these words no more than words that they have repeated a thousand times as part of their religious rituals? After all, these are the words they have been taught to repeat and they can repeat them now without a parent or minister feeding them the words.
Dwellers of darkness dwell in religion. While they will gladly talk about their religion, they will never speak a word on behalf of Christ, just as they will never speak a positive word about the Bible. It is obviously clear that both Christ and the Bible are not really important to them: for it is their religion they cling to, and not Christ or the Bible.
To dwellers of darkness, their religion is their ace card in the deck and this is the card they play all the days of their lives---unless, of course, they come out, and come out to Christ, who will save them from their sins.
As Jesus said,
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3: 3)
As such, they are dwellers of darkness because the Light of Christ has not shined upon them, and there they remain: still believing in those things they have believed since early childhood, and still believing that it is their religion that will save them from their sins and not Christ the Lord.
After all, this is what people have told them. Their parents told them this is true, and they have believed in their parents. Their ministers and priests told them this is true, and they have believed in their ministers and priests. Since they believe these men of the cloth are not liars, why should they not believe them? Therefore, they have a strong case not to believe in Christ, nor to believe in the Bible. And this belief is deeply embedded in their own minds.
In some Christian churches or Christian religions, moreover, people have been told that the story of Adam and Eve is only a myth, yet these same institutions will offer an Old Testament reading as well as a New Testament reading during their worship services.
Why do they do this, however?
If they have been told the story of Adam and Eve is a myth, why should they not believe that the whole Bible is a myth? Such a belief borders on hypocrisy, for how do they separate that which is real and true from that which is a myth? Do they leave the answer is the hands of their ministers and priests, whom they have been told not to question, or are they simply unwilling to face the truth of the Word of the Lord? For if the Bible is good enough for worship services, as well as for baptisms and weddings, why would it not be just as good for their everyday believing?
In institutions such as these, members do not bring their Bibles to church with them, nor do they have or participate in Bible study classes.
Knowing that all of these things are true, why should they have faith in the Bible? Obviously, they do not.
Again, it is their religion that has dictated those things they believe, and, for them, that is all they know, and, to them, that is all they need to know. Therefore, end the subject and turn the page, for they have no interest in the Word of the Lord.
But!---these same people are infatuated with the seasons of Christmas and Easter!
While they participate in repeating those parts of Christ that pertain to the Lord's life, death, and resurrection, do they truly believe that Christ is alive and living now in heaven? Or are these words no more than words that they have repeated a thousand times as part of their religious rituals? After all, these are the words they have been taught to repeat and they can repeat them now without a parent or minister feeding them the words.
Dwellers of darkness dwell in religion. While they will gladly talk about their religion, they will never speak a word on behalf of Christ, just as they will never speak a positive word about the Bible. It is obviously clear that both Christ and the Bible are not really important to them: for it is their religion they cling to, and not Christ or the Bible.
To dwellers of darkness, their religion is their ace card in the deck and this is the card they play all the days of their lives---unless, of course, they come out, and come out to Christ, who will save them from their sins.
As Jesus said,
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3: 3)
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