The world is filled with religion. Everyone has a belief system that defines their thoughts and ideas, customs and traditions, and basically their way of life. Webster's defines religion as 1. Service and worship of God 2. Set or system of religious beliefs.
Could we be any more vague? We take an abstract word and define it with an abstract idea. Typical Western, Gentile mentality! Okay, let's take the service and worship of God. First, we know that people around the world believe in a god, but not necessarily the Creator God. This has been the case since the dawn of time. Ancient Israel encountered mass idol worship and the worship of Ba'al amongst the nations occupying the promised land when they arrived and, sadly, adopted many of their ways despite the instructions of Yehovah to separate themselves from such.
Let's focus on the two religions that do worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the Bible, Christianity and Judaism. Today in America, there is no shortage of churches and synagogues, as well as a multitude of various beliefs and ideologies within each. Believers in America are divided into so many pieces, we rarely find any two to agree on anything. Many in the Christian denominations shun those of others, each thinking theirs is the only "true church". Christianity shuns Judaism and vice versa. Catholic is against Protestant, most are against Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon. If one watches Sunday morning religious programming, they hear the gospel message through the eyes of the presenter, who is teaching his or her own brand of religion, adding to the confusion. No wonder so many today avoid any form of religion, never attend church or read the Bible. Remember the story of the tower of Babel? Babel means confusion.
Speaking of an end-time Babylon, Yeshua's message to believers in Rev. 18:4 is to come out of her that we not partake of her sins nor receive of her plagues. That begs the question, are believers in Messiah presently in Babylon? If we are in this world, then yes we are! This entire world is in chaos, confusion and deception through the god of this world, Satan.
How do we come out of her? By dying? No, by living! Living by the instructions of our Creator and abandoning the ways of this world. John 17:17 tells us God's word is truth. King David tells us throughout the Psalms that God's word is His Torah and His Torah is truth. Yeshua tells us in John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Yehovah has given us instructions in his written word, as well as through the Word, made flesh, Yeshua our Messiah. Truth can only be found in Him. Man-made religions often reject the direct teachings of the Bible and, therefore, cannot lead us to truth, no matter how sincere they may be. Many priests and pastors leading the main-stream denominations today, teach that God's Torah (instructions) are no longer valid or not for believers today, that His commandments have been done away with, that we no longer have to follow His festivals or His dietary laws, that we are a "New Testament" church. Is that what we read in our Bible, if we dare open the book at all?
Isa 8:20 To the law (Torah) and to the testimony (witness): if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.
Isa 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err (lead them astray); and they that are led of them are destroyed.
Isa 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws (Torot), changed the ordinance (law), broken the everlasting covenant.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord (Yehovah) said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept (command) of men:
Isa 30:8-10 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be (a witness) for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law (Torah) of the LORD (Yehovah): Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Isa 43:27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers (interpreters) have transgressed against me.
Jer 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD (Yehovah)? and they that handle the law (Torah) knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets (shepherds) prophesied by Baal, and walked after things (matters) that do not profit.
Jer 5:13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
Jer 6:17, 19 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet (shophar). But they said, We will not hearken. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened (listened) unto my words, nor to my law (Torah), but rejected it.
Jer 10:21 For the pastors (shepherds) are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD (Yehovah) : therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jer 12:10 Many pastors (shepherds) have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
Jer 14:14 Then the LORD (Yehovah) said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies (falsehood) in my Name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors (shepherds) that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD (Yehovah).
Jer 23:16 Thus saith the LORD (Yehovah) of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD (Yehovah).
Jer 23:22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my Words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
Jer 23:32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD (Yehovah), and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness (reckless boasting); yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD (Yehovah).
Is all this too "Old Testament" for you? Let's look at the New Testament.
Mt 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
1John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Re 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
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