The only people group in the world who take offense at spending time with lost sinners are pharisaical "religious people". There continues to be so many parallels between the "religious people" of Jesus day and the "religious people" of our day. Religious people are so caught up in religion that they forget the reason that Jesus came to earth and the purpose of God revealing Himself in scripture.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost! His purpose was to win anyone and everyone to faith in Him. From His perspective every sinner was on a equal playing field…lost and without hope. People's religion actually hurt their ability to respond to Jesus rather than helping it. The purpose of all religion is to build our relationship with God and to strengthen our love for people.
If you are pursuing a religious experience that is causing you to become less loving and more critical of others, it is a "false teaching". One of satan's greatest tools over time has been religion. God wants a relationship with you, rooted in biblical community which continually challenges you to love the lost and the least.
Join a church that calls you to "welcome and eat with lost sinners". That is what Jesus did. Leave any church that is not reaching the lost and welcoming sinners continuously. "Holy clubs of the religious" were repulsive to Jesus 2000 years ago and still are today.
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Troy Nesbitt, Lead Pastor
515.232.5488 | troynesbitt@gmail.com
Cornerstone Church of Ames | www.cornerstonelife.com
helping people know and obey Jesus
56829 U.S. Highway 30 | Ames, IA 50010
No comments:
Post a Comment