I DON'T BELIEVE IN RELIGION, BUT I BELIEVE IN CHRIST.

Believe in the message
not the messenger

Christendom is counterfeit "Christianity", as Timothy foretold, Jehovah and Jesus have nothing to do with it;
"I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom, 2 preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season, reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all long-suffering and [art of] teaching. 3 For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. 5 You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do [the] work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry." 2Ti4:1

Be prepared for other believers to tell that you're doing it all wrong.

I'm right with you, OP :)

STOP BEING A SLAVE.

Who, in this case, is the "messenger" you mentioned?

peace

All of the bible before Christ is really just a test case of what happens when people follow religion. It is there to show us why we need Jesus. When people become religious they miss the whole point of the big story. The old testament is there to show us what not to do if we want to know God

Religion is enslavement;
"These are fountains without water, and mists driven by a violent storm, and for them the blackness of darkness has been reserved. 18 For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh and by loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error. 19 While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption. For whoever is overcome by another is enslaved by this one." 2Pe2:17
However, scriptural truth is freedom;
"All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." 2Ti3:16

The purpose of life is not to get to heaven and avoid hell. It is to grow spiritually. Spirituality is not what you do, but it's who you are. Love one another, as illustrated by the one whom you believe:

"Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit."

– Yeshua ben Yosef

I believe in strawberries. I'd rather eat one.

Good expression, here's a little more;
"Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, 5 does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. 6 It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are [gifts of] prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; 10 but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with. 11 When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the [traits] of a babe. 12 For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known. 13 Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.' 1Cr13:4

What constitutes religion to you?

Denominational congregations that gather together and try to enforce rules and regulations while taking their money, telling them that God commands it.

I could go on and on and on but that's just a good start...

Love Jesus and Know WHO HE IS?


Don't need no religion,
Don't need any human being to guide you,

All you need is a sincere heart and Complete Trust For God, if you would Be HIS and Abide In/With HIM while you live your life....


When I gave my life to God, even after being raised & educated roman catholic, I had to admit to The Father that I Knew Christ was HIS SON, my Redemer & Saviour; but I didn't really Know how HE fit into HIS Plan. I told Father God I was giving control of my life To HIM; YahWeh, Elohim, Jehovah, my Heavenly Father.


When I was done making my surrender, about 10 minutes, I KNEW I had Been IN Father's Presence and HE Had Accepted me! My life was changed!



If you Love Christ Jesus and Trust God Fully you too can Abide With HIM. All it takes is your surrender and commitment of your heart Unto Father-God.

If you truly Love Christ Jesus and Know WHO HE IS, it is because Father Put that Knowledge Upon your heart and has Called you Unto HIM.

Can you answer HIS Call?

I'm sure Christ would be horrified to think a 'religion' was formed in his name.

Believe in God and the good word, let your conscience be your God guide. Allow the Paraclete to fill your life being.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the christians eat them all.

'BURP'

I like you Christ, I do not like your christians, your christians are so unlike your Christ.

Mahatma Ghandi.

If you are kind to one human or animal that is something positive, surely. This world lack positives at the moment.

Be the change you want to see/feel.

They have the guns, we have the numbers.

"“Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits YOU will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; 18 a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits YOU will recognize those [men].
21 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness." Mt7:15

While the debate on what religion is can go on and on, I tend to grasp the definition of religion based on the word roots that make up the word.

re - back again
lig - to bind
-ion - state, quality, act

Which put into the context of a person's way of life looks more like what it is that a person does everyday.

In its blandest context everyone then has a religion. Even if a person does not do anything consistently everyday then they could be deemed religiously irreligious.

A problem arises in the context of major religious models such as Christianity and the like when people forget that they, by considering themselves one religion or another are actually committing themselves to a way of life which is produced by real action on a daily basis. This is more than just a philosophy that is distinct from others' philosophies.

he did not sacrifice himself for this world, the world murdered him and created an incredible amount of hell in his name.

Religion was a result of the early church and peoples belief, it has little to do with what he was trying to teach us. We have added to it, to our demise, just look at the nature of the world.

A bad human will produce bad fruit, unless the fruit recognises the bad human. A rare gift indeed.

When I becomes i then we may get somewhere.

Right;
"But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 6 For from these arise those men who slyly work their way into households and lead as their captives weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, 7 always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth." 2Ti3:1

Okay...thanks.

I'm not for sure if you've had a look around this place lately or have been keeping track...but, um, I don't know if its possible to have more lower vibrational behavior in one area as we currently do...at least, at this very second.

doesn't the whole christain religion revolve around jesus tho?

Religion(Latin)=?

Here's from the Bible:

Here's religion:

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

And here's Christianity:

Matthew 25:32
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Luke 6:22
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Luke 12:50-52

King James Version (KJV)

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.


Christ comes to divide, not to consolidate.

Do not consolidate with the World; rather, separate from the World.

I have no religion as well, but I do follow God.

He is the savior of all who learn to obey him but.....
"for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short." Mt24;21