Human reasoning finds false religion very appealing. There are hundreds of millions who devote themselves faithfully to the practice of false religions. The loyalty of God's poeple is constantly being tested by the attraction of false religions which allows religious people to worship and to be like the world. Hosea refers to Beth-Awen (house of nothing) in 10:5. This was a location of an idolatrous temple where a bull was worshipped. Beth-Awen is in great contrast to Bethel (house of God). Those who seek to obey God in true worship follow the doctrines of Christ which seem foolish and undersirable to the world.
False worships offers guaranteed results. Some prefer the name it, claim it gospel where the desires of the people are automatically promised if they have sufficient faith. Some actually believe they can put God in their debt by their works of worship. They believe God is obligated to bless them according to their desires. The name it, claim it gospel is far removed from biblical teachings. God's people should pray as Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but thine be done." Human reasoning prefers guaranteed results to being dependent one the will of God.
False worship promotes materialism (the inordinate desire to accumulate money and possessions). 1 Tim. 6:19; Matt. 6:24. The health and wealth gospel is a way of life that lives by the premise that the more you give, the more you will be blessed. If one is religious enough, he may become welathy. The health and wealth gospel is a way of life in stark contradiction to the poverty Jesus suffered. Jesus was very religious. He did not own a home, his own bed and had to borrow another man's tomb. How did Jesus miss the health and wealth gospel? Human reasoning prefers the health and wealth gospel to submission to the will of God.
False worship is a convenient religion. Deut. 13:2 reveals false worship was conducted "upon the mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree." People may worship anywhere, on any day, at any time, at any place and by any method they choose. False worship made it unnecessary for the Jews to make the trip to Jerusalem to the house of God. God's house is the divinely designated place where a New Testament church, the "pillar and ground of the truth," 1 Tim 3:15, gathers for worship. Human reasoning prefers a convenient religion.
False worship is an ecumenical religion. It makes sense for everyone to worship together, doesn't it? It makes sense for all religions to get together, doesn't it? It makes sense for the doctrines of truth not to get in the way of ecumenical progress, doesn't it? To men, yes - but to God, NO! In both the OT and the NT God plainly teaches His people to separate themselves from false worship 2 Cor. 6:14-17. Jesus instituted and organized one true way of worship during hIs personal ministry on earth. He said, "I will build my church," Matt 16:18. He did and He is continually building up true local churches. All others are built by men. Human reasoning prefers an ecumenical religion that brings all people together regardless of Bible truth.
False worship is a humanistic religion. False religion pleases the desires of the flesh. Those who are artistic may worship statutes, images and paintings they have devised. Some believe in the philosophy, "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." Satisfaction in false worship is found in emotional euphoria, heavy drinking and erotic fulfillment (sexual preferences accpeted that fulfill anyone's desires). Human reasoning prefers to please the desires of the flesh rather than pleasing the God who made us.
While the appeals of false religion are many, God still demands His people worship Him "in spirit and in truth," John 4:24.
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Brothers I enjoyed reading this post. I do thank God for the "Dinosaurs" that still exist today.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you calling Bro. Richard??????
ReplyDeleteAccording to Psalm 1,
He's a Tree!
Just calling him the same thing he called himself in a later post.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I offended you Bro. Richard.
ReplyDeleteNo way. I said it first. Anyway, theres a lot of kidding on blogs.
ReplyDeleteBro. Archbishop I say amen and amen. Preach on Brother. I just pray that many people of God would understand the truth of what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteTo Bro. Younglankmarker I would put one of my pics in the followers box if I could figure out how to replace the present one that is a not a pic. By the way did you get my e-mail. Thanks.
To Bro. Younglankmarker I finally figured out how to add my actually picture. I am such a novice at this!!! By the way did you get my e-mail. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I did, Bro. Looney.
ReplyDeleteI will send the e-mail again, thanks for your reply.
ReplyDeleteenjoyed:-)
ReplyDeletebtw there are also alot false religions that aren't very popular and aren't ecumenical and aren't appealing to the flesh...like all the little fundamentalist sects in all of the world's religions that have very few numbers....how come no one ever talks about those ones?
seriously.
They aren't perceived by most as a major threat. If a false religion had 4 members and gained 1 every 50 years, would you spend most of your time trying to convert them? Perhaps we should, but I am just pointing out the view of most who speak out only against the larger false religions.
ReplyDeleteBrother Merritt, this is in NO way a reference to you or your post, but rather only in response to the comment. I know you feel the same about small cults as well as large false religions.
During his day, the Dinosaur diligently tended to the duties delegated to him by God. But then one day, his time ended. Although his days among the living have long ago passed, his previous existence on this earth has forever left its influence. Every modern society has benefited from the previous presence of his existence. I can only hope that my existence on this earth will leave such a perpetual influence. Bro. Richard, Thanks for being a Dinosaur.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad for Brother Merritt, but his time hasn't ended. He is still impacting the world for the better. He has even helped me to see some things this school year.
ReplyDeleteBro. Charles, you make a good point but the sects of these major religions that are not appealing to the flesh, not popular and not ecumenical may be small but their are millions of them worldwide. Many of these sects of these false religions even say the same thing about the more ecumenical groups in their own religion (that they appeal to the flesh) and condemn them for it. ie. Muslims and Sharia Law. Many of these false religions are unappealing, unpopular and backward but yet millions upon millions still belong to them. But we don't talk about those. Why not...it can't be that they are small in number because they aren't. There's got to be a different reason but I'm not sure what the appeal is and what makes it so popular to just point out some of the groups of false religions and not others. Maybe its like the guys who are getting rich off of writing books against Rick Warren. Warren is so popular that they are actually getting a piece of the pie by being Anti-Warren. Some of them are more heretical than Warren but are getting rich by writing books and having radio programs wholly designed to bash them. These guys know that there is a market that is equally as big against Warren as is for him...but no one ever wants to expose those guys. Its an interesting religious phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteI don't guess I know what you are referring to then. I know many who (not writing books, but in every day conversation) speak out against the large ecumenical groups and the smaller sects. I suppose the reason they post more about more about the larger groups because their churches are losing more numbers to the more popular religions. That's just my guess, I don't know. Maybe I'm not understanding your question right.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to put myself in the shoes of those talking out against large popular appealing false religions, it'd be because I felt it was a danger to my people. If a religion is unpopular or unappealing, I wouldn't feel as much a danger to my friends, family or church.
All in all, I suppose I'll stick with the saying of a wise old preacher. I will never know all there is to know about false religions, but as long as I know the truth, I can spot the lies.
I find that most of the church members that leave our church or get out of church don't go anywhere....they just get out of church totally....that's my experience.
ReplyDeleteDo you really think that a person who knows the truth inside and out is not vulnerable to deception? It seems that those who know the truth and know it well would actually be more easily deceived by false religions that aren't appealing to the flesh and aren't popular as opposed to the other.... what do you think?
I dunno, most church members I've seen leave have gone to the large Southern Baptist churches which have more for the flesh. But I've only had a just a short time on this earth, so I dunno. It could be different elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm not saying all SBC churches are bad. I'm just saying the ones knew of where church members left an ABA church went to the SBC church that wasn't standing on doctrinal truths (I talked with the pastor and many members b/c I lived on the same block as it, that's how I know their teachings.)
ReplyDelete