I am the Way, and the Truth, and the life....
How many today really take Jesus at his word when he made this following statement?
6Jesus answered, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me."
{John 14:6 NIV}
Where do the majority of the inhabitants of our earth today go to receive their Religious Instruction? Is it not true that there are a variety of Religious Institutions, where individuals will flock to, to receive their Religious training? Whether it be of the Catholic faith, Protestant, Anglican, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons; the faith of Islam, Universalist, the Watchtower Society, and a host of others, to numereous to mention. Would this World ever know true Peace and happiness as long as these divided Religions exist on this Earth? Are not all of these ones, the ones responsible for all of the Wars that have ever taken place on this earth?
Now many of these Religions profess to be followers of the Prince of peace; yet in times of War they will set their Bibles aside, and head for the Battle-Fields under the Command of Worldly Politicians; to fight and kill their own Brothers and Sisters; of other lands, filling the trenches with their dead bodies. In our Century alone, they have put over 100 Million in their graves; not too mention evaporating two Japanese Cities with their Atom Bombs. Where untold thousands were killed in those two blasts. Literally evaporated. Yet they will piously fold their hands over thier breasts and claim to be Christian's. They are, of course followers of the Prince of Peace, they would have you believe!
Obviously World War 1&2 showed they were not followers of the Prince of Peace at all; but what characteristic, or quality did they lack, that had they of possessed it, would have kept them from involving themselves in those two Blood-Baths?
34
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
{John 13:34,35 NIV}
We see, they were under Command to love one another; it was to be their identifying characteristic. Did all men know the Christian's of this World were the desciples of Jesus by the love they displayed for each other and for all others? As they all slaughtered one another?
How exactly was this Love to be displayed? John will tell us that, and remember, the Christian's of this World will be the first to tell you they love God; but let us see if they really do:
2"This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and
carrying out his commands.3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,"
{1 John 5:2,3 NIV}
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the LORD {JEHOVAH} your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind
38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.
{Matthew 22:37-39 NIV}
Was the Christian's of this World to be following this command to love thier neighbor as their-selves; World War 1&2 would not have occurred. It is because they were not, that they did occur. They showed no love for God! They showed no love of neighbor. They went forward and slaughtered their Neighbors like so many hap-less Chickens, and totally ignored the Prince of peace they claimed to be followers of, and the Father who had sent him. What about the true followers of Jesus? Would they have involved themselves in the Conflicts of this World?
34"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?" 35"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36 Jesus said,
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."
{John 18:34-36 NIV}
Why wouldn't the true servants of the Christ fight to prevent his arrest?
14 "I have given
them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world."
{John 17:14 NIV} None of the True Christian's would have involved themselves in Religious Christendom's Blood-Baths; because like their Master, they were 'no part of this World,' and refrained from taking part in any of its conflicts. At that time, or even now, today. Nothing has changed with the True Followers of the Christ. Because, and as we might expect, Jesus Kingdom is still no part of this World; as his True Followers are not, right up until today. That is the difference between the True Christian and the False. Religious Christendom will involve themselves in the Conflicts of this World, while the True Followers of Jesus definitely will not. So, there's a clear line of demarcation between the two. Not too difficult to tell them apart.
How was this line of demarcation drawn in the first Century? How would it be drawn today? Jesus himself will inform us all of that, in his following words:
28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." {Matthew 11:28-30 NIV}
Could Religious Christendom, make the claim that they had come to him, that they had learned from him? Were they gentle and humble in heart while perpetrating those slaughters of World War 1&2? When those Atom Bombs exploded over Hiroshima and Nagasaki was that the actions of Christian's gentle and humble in heart like the Prince of Peace was? Could you say, they were walking and conducting themselves in the same way the Christ walked and conducted himself? Were they all, as John directed abiding in him? Paying their personal debt to him, by displaying the same gentle humble attitude he displayed? While taking part in those mass slaughters? Could they say as did the Apostle Paul: "Become imitators of me, even as I am of Christ?" Could they, after perpetrating those two Blood-Baths say as did Paul: "Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved Children, and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved you and delivered himself up for you as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling odor?" {Ephesians 5:1,2} {1 Corinthians 11:1}
6 "Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself." {1 John 2:6 AB}
What kind of odor assails Jehovah's Nostrils from the conduct of irreverent Religious Christendom?
1 "The Lord says, "I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but
no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name2 All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes. 3 All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens.They burn incense on pagan altars. 4 At night they go out among the graves,worshiping the dead.They eat the flesh of pigs and make stews with other forbidden foods.5 Yet they say to each other, ‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!’These people are a stench in my nostrils,an acrid smell that never goes away."
{Isaih 65:1-5 NLT}
Just how would we apply these words to Christendom's Religious Leaders? Who convey to thier flocks, that they are something Holy, by taking on Titles that exalt themselves above their flocks? Calling themselves, Father, Holy Father, even Jehovah's own Title they take to themselves; Most Holy Father. {John 17:11} The Pope making claim that he is Almighty God on earth; the Judge of heaven and earth. Taking to himself a position belonging to Jehovah alone; who is himself the 'Judge of all the earth.' Who himself has committed all the Judging to his Son, and his true anointed Brothers. {Genesis 18:25} {John 5:22} {Revelation 20:4} All of the followers of these self exalted ones bow and scrape before these Heaven High self exalted ones as though they were something so pure and Holy, when in actuality they are all a foul disgusting stench in the nostrils of Jehovah; an acrid smell that never goes away: take heart though, they will all very soon be going away. Their Acrid smell along with them. {Revelation 17:4;18:7,8,19,20} So! Their followers are no better than their leaders. All are tarred with the same brush.
There has to come a moment in time, when all the followers of this gigantic Religious system will be forced out into the open to display their true colors. That will be when these following words of the Apostle John are fulfilled, and at that time, there will be no doubt, where the true loyalties of Religious Christendom are really given to. Note the words of the Apostle John on this exposure:
19"Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth
and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh."
{Revelation 19:19-21 NIV}
Now! Just who is it that involves themselves in the Politics of this World, voting for and supporting the Political Governments of this World? In so doing receiving the mark of this Beast here in question? Who has always made up a major part of the Armies of this World? Why the so-called Christian's of this World, is that not correct? Just who was it that involved themselves in the War in Iraq? Or the conflict that's now going on in Afghanistan? Why the Christian's of this World; who else? Were they all not part of the Armies that fought World War 1&2? Of course they were! But now look at who they are all lined up against! They are all found to be doing Battle with the Prince of Peace; the very one they all claimed to be followers of; but look at the sad ending for them, this time. They have bitten off more than than they can chew this time, and all end up Bird Food; as a result of that, all end up dung on the ground. Jeremiah will describe this final Battle much better than I. Look at what he has to tell us:
30 "Therefore prophesy against them all these words and say to them: The Lord shall roar from on high and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He shall roar mightily against His fold and pasture. He shall give a shout like those who tread grapes [in the winepress, but His shout will be]
against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31A noise will come even to the ends of the earth, for the Lord has a controversy and an indictment against the nations; He will enter into judgment with all mankind; as for the wicked, He will give them to the sword, says the Lord. 32Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, evil will go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirling tempest will rise from the uttermost parts of the earth. 33And those slain by the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented or gathered or buried; their [dead bodies] shall be dung upon the ground. 34Wail, you shepherds, and cry; and roll in ashes, you principal ones of the flock. For the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions have fully come, and you shall fall and be dashed into pieces like a choice vessel. 35And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal ones of the flock any means of escape. 36A voice! The cry of the shepherds and the wailing of the principal ones of the flock!
For the Lord is laying waste and destroying their pasture. 37And the peaceable folds are devastated and brought to silence because of the fierce anger of the Lord." {Jeremiah 25:30-37 AB} Exekiel as well as Isaiah have much to say about this final Battle and the outcome of it. {Ezekiel 38- Isaiah 24 With, as Isaiah tells us, only a few survivors. A Sad ending for Religious Christendom; but the time of this Worlds greatest Joy for those who have been allowed to approach the Father, through his Son, the way of the truth.
