The Science of a Message

I've been reading the last few days about the history of what is today called Christianity / Churchianity.  Seems to be that over the centuries, the message became a knowledge.  That knowledge then mutated into an ever increasing doctrine.  Eventually, the doctrines became dogmas.  Dogmas then began to outshine the message, as if a copy was better than the original.  Division over perceptions of belief in doctrines and dogmas began to strain the pride of men who believed more the dogmas rather than the message.  Arguments over matters of faith turned into bitter disputes.  Pretty soon, the text of what became New Testament Scriptures was being worshiped instead of believed and guessed as to what it really said instead of followed.  After this, the actual message was hidden away and various doctrines and dogmas man had put together taught as gospel, making man's opinions greater than the message.  Images of people and items believed to hold mysterious powers were worshiped and venerated instead of the One who had brought Light to the world.  Worship further devolved into ritual, with religious men being followed instead of imitating the Perfect example of faith lived out in humility and submission before the eyes of God.  The calling to be a servant of all men became a vocation of authority to command all men.  Contentment with very little became an aspiration to swallow up very much.  The spiritual aspects of the message had become confused with the physical world and commingled with the pitfalls of the hearts of men.  The outward examples of love and service of mankind turned into a struggle for power and to who had 'it' right.  From what I can tell, those who were found doing what was 'right' were ostracized, hunted and killed for putting their faith into action.

The falling away from the Way was predicted, so reading all of this isn't so shocking.

Some folks approach things of faith as if it were a science.  What I mean is that the reader looks into words and looks into their specific definition while sometimes overlooking the comprehension of what the message is saying.  Instead of capturing what the message is, they hold onto certain words and go on a journey of the mind instead of the heart.  And when one word is translated as another in a different language in forwarding the message, all war breaks loose among those who should be bonded in unity.  It is this fanaticism which divides many adherents of the major religions of the world; Islam, Christianity and Judaism.  It was this fanaticism and blindness to the message which divided believers and continued to divide them over the centuries.  Yet somewhere, there is a message of being at peace with one another and not letting words divide you:

They are conceited and understand nothing.  They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

- 1 Timothy 6:4-5

Keep reminding God’s people of these things.  Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

- 2 Timothy 2:14-15

What is meant further is this example:  I can say "I love you" in a matter of ways, yet what I am 'saying' using other terms is much the same.  I can use the term "you are the apple of my eye" as well as "I hold you in highest regard."  I can also use "you are most valuable to me" and "I care for none other as I do you" and so on.  I am sure you could come up with plenty of more phrases which would message the same sentiment of "I love you."  Just because one of two people doesn't agree with the other regarding specifics doesn't mean they have to be at odds, or be divided, or that one person is 'evil' or 'wrong' per say.  No one person sees nor understands everything as does another person.  What was quite remarkable was that people were divided ( and still are today ) because of concepts later derived after the fact of the message.

This is the message God has sent into the world via His Christ Yeshua; that God loves you and has proved it so all people can believe that some One surely does exist and has your best interest at heart.  To those who view the world via sacrifice, hardship and the pain of losing something very dear to them, the Christ was allowed to suffer and eventually sacrificed although being most highly regarded.  To those who see family as most important and hold their children in higher regard than anything else, God honored the Christ with an eternal kingship over all things.  To those who didn't know about Judaism or about the Jews and their legacy with God, the message of life after death was a starting point into the message of Yeshua and what Yeshua signifies for the world.

The idea and concept of life after death had found its way into practically every religion and culture up to that point, and this I see was by God's hand and not by chance.  God hasn't been working in a vacuum where His presence was only felt by the Jews while being absent in all other peoples and cultures. 

This also is the message; the hope for life after death.  The mystery became the reality for those who walked with Christ when they saw Him alive after they saw Him die.  His word was proven to them and this reality was undeniable to them!  Those who witnessed Him alive again went faithfully to their deaths proclaiming what they saw, forever changed and openly accepting whatever the world dealt them.  Many of them also put their experiences down on parchment to forward the message of this reality to others.  These are the particulars of the message we have today.

We also have heard a complicated message and see it played out in today's rituals, religions and repetitiveness.  Why should one complicate something already simple and beautiful by going further than the basics?  Some have lost their faith and have fallen into doubt from reading what other doubters have written.  Some say they went searching for proof of the matter, yet what more proof can one muster aside from the fact that many men and women went gladly to their death over the message of Yeshua?  Did insanity compel these early faithful?  Did ignorance propel them to die in vain or for some ridiculous idea?  Did they collectively see something false?  Perhaps there is more to the story than what is written and perhaps not all of those early believers had the opportunity to write in detail their dreams and private revelations.  Perhaps they were commanded not to write in further detail their personal experiences.  There is a place where Paul the apostle said he heard things that no one is permitted to tell [ 2 Corinthians 12:4 ].  Was it only Paul who was restrained from sharing some fantastic things?  

What we do have is message enough to spark your faith and start you on that journey of a lifetime, whose lifestyle is by faith and not by following a religious prescription!  The early disciples, those we see authored some writings as well as what is called the gospels, didn't include more rules than what was evident to them.  We can read for ourselves what was promoted and what was frowned upon.  We can see the very message of Christ and His instructions on how to treat others and how to 'be.'  Why folks would need or desire to follow anything outside of what is already proven is beyond me, but most likely is evidence to how the pride of some men can capture the attention of others... and blind so many.

Death is something every human can surely relate to, for anyone who has lived long enough eventually comes to an understanding of the limited time they have on earth and realizes that life in this world doesn't last forever.  Plants, animals, people and even things men have made come to an end.  The mystery of the unknown after death was revealed in Yeshua.  Yeshua brought hope to the reality of death like no one has been able to in all of history.  The impact on societies, cultures and what men would later write in sharing their insights and experiences from what Yeshua started is quite a tsunami of influence that has swept over the world.  Who else has had such an influence over what the people of the world have Today?  

The attempt to 'better' what was already a completed work became a dispute which still exists today.  The pitfall was in using more words instead of actions; using words to describe what was already perfectly messaged by Yeshua.  Here is where we depart when we'd rather read the words of others in place of what has already been mentioned.  The formation of doctrines and dogmas to explain what is easily understood and believed by the simple-hearted / simple-minded seems to have backfired for those who are puffed up.  But God wasn't without grace in days long past as He isn't short with His grace Today.  Think of the many authors who have their books on bookshelves yet keep hidden away the full message that Christ proclaimed.  They further the idea of secular success is a sign of God's blessing, but this isn't what the message reveals.  They believe that the more one accumulates the wealth of the world is a sure sign that God is happy with your efforts.  They must have forgotten that Yeshua said He didn't have a rock to lay His head on, and the early disciples would sell their property to help feed those in need.

Although men full of pride and arrogance have brought war onto others in the name of their religion... although men have mismanaged the message and instead taught division, hatred and indifference... although men have brought doubt onto the Life that Christ has fulfilled ( by overcoming death ), God has surely triumphed!  I say this because Christ is preached every week the world over before millions upon millions of people.  He is preached on street corners the world over.  He is preached in secret behind closed doors the world over.  He is preached in the most subtle of ways which have yet to be revealed to the masses.  We don't have a count as to the multitude who pray to Him in secret, pray to Him in their hearts, who are daily continuing on His path or are for the first time searching for Him.  And we will never have a count of the righteous who have lived and are living Today as long as we live on this earth.  These are matters yet to be revealed.

The kingdom of God, which was proclaimed to never come to an end and which would last forever, is very much intact, very much alive and very much being forwarded, even Today, despite man's shortsightedness and shortcomings.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

- Daniel 7:13-14

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Yeshua.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.”

- Luke 1:30-33

The eyes of the world cannot perceive nor even acknowledge that such a kingdom exists because the kingdom of God is within you; the kingdom of God is among you; the kingdom of God is in your midst.

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Yeshua replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

- Luke 17:20-21

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