There seems to be a great misunderstanding in the Church today, many erroneously call “religious” righteous and there is a big difference. The difference is: a person walking in righteousness is willing to be corrected by the Word of Yahveh no matter who brings it forth. The religious have their religious traditions already set and defy anyone to come against them.
Let’s discuss the religious first. Many times their priorities are terribly misplaced. Often their focus is camouflaged and their motives unclear. The motivation many times is not to get you in the Kingdom but their focus is to get you in their Church; promoting denominational doctrines of their church. The truth is The Father cares not what denominational nametag you have on you. However, He does care about your faith, your actions and your spiritual attitude.
There are too many religious that teach if you don’t belong to their church you’re going to go to hell. Many teach that they are the only true church. The religious attitude is to build the Church bigger by promoting their church. The amount of people you get in the church and church activities you attend determine your righteousness. Their behavior is predicated by what promotes the Church’s growth.
This attitude was displayed by the chief priest in John 12:9-11 “Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Yahshua’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Yahshua.”
Now I want to draw your attention to and encourage you to look a little deeper perhaps than maybe you have before. The chief priest plotted with the religious leaders and intended to commit murder. This didn’t bother them; neither did it set off any spiritual alarms. Why? Because they weren’t focused on the Kingdom but on the members they were losing. The thought of this act should have been appalling to them. They ignored the Torah of Almighty Yahveh and plotted to shed innocent blood. Religion is not subject to the laws of Almighty Yahveh; the religious crowd makes their rules, as it is convenient for their doctrine.
A prime example of this is man’s tradition of First Day worship. The religious groups are not interested enough to check Sunday Worship with the Scriptures. Were they motivated enough to search the Scriptures and the History of the practice of 1st day worship they would find it in error. Instead, they let the religious leaders of this time tell them what to believe and how they should worship. Never mind, that we were told in the Scriptures to work out our own salvation. Phil 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is Yah who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”. Father Yahveh did not leave your salvation to chance. The Father told you that your salvation was your own responsibility. We are to believe too obedience and receive or doubt to disobedience and do without.
My precious friend; Noah believed The Father and because he believed The Father he spent over a hundred years working out his own salvation. He believed the Word of The Almighty and obeyed. You must consider the fact that there was a multitude around him that didn’t think “obedience” was a serious matter. As a matter of fact they ignored the Word of Almighty Yahveh altogether much like the church does today concerning His Sabbath Day.
Religion can justify in its own mind any behavior. There is always an excuse or a reason for their actions or the lack of it.
On the other hand “relationship” (righteousness) requires you to submit yourself to the Commandments of Almighty Yahveh. Not only are you required to obey the commandments but also you attain by the Ruach HaKodesh a desireto be obedient to your Heavenly Father. To seek His good pleasure in all you do and because you have this relationship with Him doing the Commandments are not grievous to you. We must seek to know how to please Him. Let me encourage you do not take my word concerning your salvation or anyone else’s word concerning the matter but Seek the answers out for yourself.
There is a difference between religion and relationship. Religion ignores the commandments and relationship seeks, submits and obeys. Are you seeking and obeying or are you ignoring?
The Trumpet