How to teach religion.

[OzSpen]

Religion is any system of works religiously adhered to.

Bill,

Earlier this year I preached a sermon on 'The cure for worthless religion (James 1:26-27 NLT)'. These verses actually support religion, the Christian religion:

6 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.​

So Scripture states that there is a place for 'pure and genuine religion' in Christianity and it involves:

• controlling the language that comes out of the mouth (if this is not done, religion is worthless);
• Pure & genuine Christian religion involves ministries of social responsibility (caring for orphans & widows who are distressed) and refusing to be contaminated by the world's way of thinking that corrupts.

I concluded my message with this summary:

In the first century and today, we have healthy and sick religion – worthy and worthless religion.

Remember what John wrote in 1 John 4:1-3:

‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world’ (NIV).​

Worthy religion is the kind which demonstrates its faith by ministry to the needy and under-privileged. Social ministry is not what determines your salvation. Worthy religion testifies to the faith in Christ you already have.

One example of worthless religion is demonstrated by not bridling your tongue. How we say it and what we say are critical demonstrations of Christian faith. They shall know us by what comes out of our mouths.

Beware of false prophets in wolves clothes.

In the 21st century we are in extreme danger of being contaminated by the world’s way of thinking. It will pollute our Christianity if we fall for it. How are you becoming a sucker to the world’s way of thinking?

As I concluded preparation of this message, I came across this very brief article in Time magazine, with the heading:

‘Monogamy Is Not Natural But It’s Nice’.

‘We should keep it for our kids’ sake’.

By David Baras, Time magazine Sept. 10, 2015 (available at: http://time.com/4028151/david-barash-is-monogamy-over/)​

Worthy religion keeps oneself ‘unstained from the world’ and this worldly way of thinking. What hands-on work are we doing in this community to demonstrate we are Christians in our ministry to the needs of others - and so demonstrate 'pure and genuine religion'.

James 1:26-27 does not support the view that you are espousing that 'Religion is any system of works religiously adhered to'.

Factually, pure and genuine religion is that which demonstrates faith by action towards those in need.

Oz

 

[th1b.taylor]

6 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Good Oz but we are dealing here, with a Lost People and what they know as religion. And brother, there is no such thing as a Liberal Christian, the term, itself, is an Oxymoron. And before a man can be elevated we must meet him/her on their level.

And as I oft quote the Barna Survey and the argument ids easily applied that it applies, only, to the American Christian Church, it is the best beginning point I have for instant use. Having been to SE Asia and to Europe, I know that, on a worldwide scale the problem is much worse and that a little less than 2% of the Christian Church would be a monumental improvement among Believers.

And the Primary difference I have identified is the status of one's personal relationship with the Triune Godhead. And if one has the good sense to expect God to, in His own good time, answer, Corporate Worship is One Awesome event but the other 98 to 99% of the Church has no idea what people like you and I speak of and measure our lives against.

 

[OzSpen]

Good Oz but we are dealing here, with a Lost People and what they know as religion. And brother, there is no such thing as a Liberal Christian, the term, itself, is an Oxymoron. And before a man can be elevated we must meet him/her on their level.

And as I oft quote the Barna Survey and the argument ids easily applied that it applies, only, to the American Christian Church, it is the best beginning point I have for instant use. Having been to SE Asia and to Europe, I know that, on a worldwide scale the problem is much worse and that a little less than 2% of the Christian Church would be a monumental improvement among Believers.

And the Primary difference I have identified is the status of one's personal relationship with the Triune Godhead. And if one has the good sense to expect God to, in His own good time, answer, Corporate Worship is One Awesome event but the other 98 to 99% of the Church has no idea what people like you and I speak of and measure our lives against.

Bill,

Why did you ignore the content of what I wrote at #121? You know what that makes your reply, don't you?

I happen to live in a country with droves of lost people. What they consider as religion is that Christianity, whether liberal, evangelical or Pentecostal, is still religion in action.

You might think that 'liberal Christians' are an oxymoron, but there are many people on the scale from evangelical to liberal. Some are moving from evangelical to liberal, so one can't be as dogmatic as you are: 'there is no such thing as a Liberal Christian, the term, itself, is an Oxymoron'. I suggest you come to live in a really secular country where vital Christianity is being challenged at many turns and people waiver in their faith. 'Liberal Christianity' is not a misnomer.

I agree with you and what you said about the absolute importance of our relationship with God. It was A W Tozer who wrote:

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.

For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God” (A.W. Tozer 1961. The Knowledge of the Holy. New York: HarperCollins, p. 1, emphasis added).​

Oz