Why do we have organized religions? Jesus roamed the earth with no religion, just healing the sick and preaching His gospel.
Luke 4:38 - 41
NKJV - 38 Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. 39 So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.
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Asked May 27 2023
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jonathan diaz
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
Why do we have organizations, period? Why single out religious affiliations? We tend to want to do things in groups. Almost everything we do we want to do with others. Why should worship be different?
In a few weeks Times Square will have thousands of people gathered to celebrate the coming in of 2024. And that same celebration will be worldwide. Then a few weeks after that, people will again gather in smaller groups for the Superbowl. A football game will cause people to come together to eat drink and be merry. People like to gather and celebrate.
But when it comes to coming together in remembrance and reverence for God, the question is 'why do we have to meet to pray? Can we not pray at home?'
Organization is fine for football and hockey; the Mercedes Benz Dome here in Atlanta cost 1.6 billion to build. It does more than host various ballgames. Faye and I went there to get our Corona Virus vaccines. It was very "organized."
There ain't a thing wrong with people building and using organizations.
Without church organizations this would be a much tougher place to try to live.
So what's the problem? Why is the church always being attacked for being what it was designed to be? (I don't mean that Jesus designed the church to be an organization; I mean the administrators of the early church (men) did.
The answer is: for some reason people think the church should be populated by something other than common everyday people. As if we are no longer just people...
Mark Vestal
Gathering isn't the issue. It's the works-based message that keeps hidden the truth of Jesus Christ and HIS COMPLETED WORK on our behalf that's the problem.
Doctrines and ordinances of men, rites, rituals, traditions, etc...does nothing but focus on what man thinks he is doing for God and undermines or completely ignores what God did for man through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I have no issue to be in attendance with other believers who will share the TRUTH of the gospel and give thanks to God for what He completed for us, and who will recognize the fact that Christ nailed all the man-centered acts that accompany 'religion' to His cross.
Col 2:13-15
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
Col 2:20-23
"Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."
Danny Hickman
Mark, I totally understand what you're continuing to say about the message that a lot of ministries convey; teaching that soul salvation depends on more than what was accomplished by Jesus at the Cross.
That message is never going away!
Paul makes the statement, "the foolishness of the gospel" for a good reason. It leapfrogs basic logic to believe that ONE MAN caused us to sink into sin, and it catapults our sensibilities to think that ONE MAN can die for the redemption of those who believe in his power to redeem.
Almost everybody thinks they are sinners because they sin. (we sin because we were born in sin) Almost everybody believes we must get our sinful behavior under control in order to please God, and thereby get saved. If that was the way, heaven's parking lot would be as empty as the local pool in January.
Mark Vestal
Yes sir! ...and the fact that it is never going away is why I continue...if even only 1 person will come to the truth. It is indeed our purpose now.
1 Cor 1:18-21
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."