Religion Or A New Birth?
by Olawale Ogunsola

"Do not praise Me, you have a mouth odour."
These are the words of the Lord to a man of God with many years experience when he declared his intention to praise Him. He was a God chosen vessel.

This simply means that it is not every service or worship is loved or acceptable to Him, the Creator. Although praising the Lord is acceptable to Him and He loves it. Still, He wants it from a clean heart and lip.
This is a truth about every religious leader and their followers must know this.
Let me define religion as man's attempt to seek and please his Maker by a set of rules and regulations that become their traditions which are handed over to other generations after them. These are even perfected by subsequent generations.
What is sad (enough) is the room created by certain religions to worship creatures rather than the Creator; religion goes farther than that.

Almost all religious leaders (founders) gave their doctrines a certain name by which the religion is known. Not only that, to every religion is attached some form of righteousness which not acceptable to the Lord! Isaiah 64:6 states, '
' But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousness are
Like filthy rags,... '(a&b) NKJV.

That is man and his religious activities before God, his Maker.

In the Garden of Eden was the first human righteousness rubbished. Adam and his wife lost their smooth relationship with the Creator and started to run away from Him. Their next step was to raise their own form of righteousness by sowing fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Do you know what? It was not the form He wanted and which was better and lasting for human use and benefits. He slew an animal and clothed them with its skin. Read details in Genesis chapter three.

As it was, so it is!

It is impossible for the flesh to please the Creator of Heaven and earth. What then is His own best and satisfactory provision? John 3:16 states,
'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
evalastiing life'.

This is the safest haven for everyone, including the religious and their leaders. A religious leader had an encounter with the Lord thousands of years ago and he had a change of life. He was well versed in the law of their religion but sad enough, he could not understand what a new birth in Christ could mean when Jesus told him the insufficient power of his religion, He said,
'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot
see the Kingdom of God' John 3:3.
When he could not understand what this meant, Jesus made it known that he must be baptised in water and receive a new spirit. He had been Born by flesh but needed spiritual rebirth.
This comes about by
1. Recognizing yourself to be full of evil thoughts, words and deeds,
2. Accepting the truth that by your flesh or strength you cannot prevail over the spirit that impose wrongdoing on you.
3. Agree and accept the truth that the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for your wrongdoings.
4. Admit Him to become the Lord and savior of your soul forever.
5. Obtain a copy of His Holy manual (The Holy Bible) to know how to maintain your position in and before Him always.
6. Obey all His commandments in His written form and as directed by His Holy Spirit.
7. Become a member of a believers group who gather regularly to share the Scriptures and live to please only the Lord.
Note very well that this is not about religion. It is all about a change of heart, soul and spirit. It is all about Christ's followership. It is about discipleship. It is about newness of life. It is becoming like Christ.
How did the word 'Christian' come about? It was those who saw the way of life of disciples who could see Jesus in them call them 'small Christs'.
'... And the disciples were first called christians in Antioch' Acts 11:26c.
Become one of them today to be sure of eternal life.
Stay blessed and rapturable because the Lord is coming soon.
Note
All Scriptures quoted are from New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

The Author is the set man of CTFM(WORLD OUTREACH)and Presiding Pastor of Christ Restland Gospel Church.He is a Poet and author of many books. Visit his blogsites www.4thlink.wordpress.com and www.peacelink.wordpress.com for more quality contents.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com







Thanks!

Thank you for sharing this information with the author, it is greatly appreciated so that they are able to follow their work.

Close this window & Print