Be not carried about with divers and
strange doctrines. For it is a good thing
that the heart be established, with grace;
not with meats, which have not profited
them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right
to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the
bodies of those beasts, whose blood is
brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin, are burned without the camp.
Wherefore Jesus also, that He might
sanctify the people with His own blood,
suffered without the gate. Let us go forth
therefore unto Him without the camp,
bearing His reproach.
Hebrews 13:9-13
Eternal destiny, your coming to believe in eternal destiny, is to live now that has been revealed through Scripture. This then means that you must be studying Scripture, and yet, incredible as it might seem, many people claiming to be Christian do not read their Bible, oh, maybe on Sunday at Church. This is true even of Authentic Christians at times when this world begins to encroach upon their belief in Jesus Christ. You cannot maintain your belief and your exercise of belief if you do not daily read your Bible. It is plain in the New Testament that this life will wear out and death is the end result here on this earth. While we are on earth, as Authentic Christians we must spend time in communication with God and this is possible by prayer, and importantly reading His inspired word. The world and its culture is always chipping away at our faith and we lose sight that we will come before the judgment seat of God and give an answer about our life. We lose the fact of divine judgment. It is easy to get absorbed as to the trials, the needs of this life and strive for survival and this comes at a cost.
We are warned about false teachings, false doctrines and to be carried away looking for an easy self-aggrandizement, that is to feel pious, to feel godly and this due to hearing and accepting the "meat" (The Greek word used here means those things unacceptable to God's law), those things that Authentic Christians, in fact no one, should eat. Emotional worship, not just emotion, but over emotional exercise that is not of God but of one's self, to feel emotional and this not due to a person' remembering what Authentic Christians should be doing in our worship. This means to not be looking for some experiential worship, some doing, but to be seeking the truth found in God's word. Authentic Christians will discount this over zealous emotional outbursts and reactionary experiential Christianity and hold fast to the fact that we worship God, and we do so with respect, with solemnity, not as some monk, rather to give to God true heart-felt worship.
This world and its culture has its own standards of goodness. If, and it does, define its own morality and then applies that to itself, then society can justify its serious breaches of character and will lower standards that is injurious and detrimental. This redefining standards is what is seen in cultural and liberal Christianity and their justification as to their character, their way of worship that is not pleasing to God if one looks into the Bible for the answer. Cultural and liberal Christianity is man-centered, not God-centered. Cultural and liberal Christianity has no right to be called "Christian." They are not to be allowed to bring into the Church their false doctrines. This redefining of what God requires, no matter how good they exercise their beliefs, is not the Gospel, it the product of faulty thinking and a lack of understanding as to what the Bible teaches.
Do you want to be an Authentic Christian? If so, then, run from false teaching, return to the Gospel as it was given by those men inspired of God to record His will for His children. Scripture is the witness of God and it is infallible, God's authentic word, a record for us to have God reveal Himself. This revelation, this witness of God, this will of God for His children can only be as good as one reads His word, pray for guidance as you read His word. In a large sense we are learning now what we will be when we are in this new world, with a new body, living eternally. We may not, and will not do this training perfectly, how can it be when we are still fallen in our nature, but we can grow in grace, grow in sanctification. Is Jesus Christ real to you, or only a story about a man who lived really good? Is Jesus God? Is Jesus the Savior? Do you believe that He is coming again for His bride? Are you one of His bride? If you answered yes to those questions and have repented of your sins, accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, then you are an Authentic Christian growing in authenticity, changing from the inside/out, and are becoming the person you will be for eternity. The bottom line: is this true of you?
But the LORD shall endure forever:
He hath prepared His throne for judgment.
And He shall judge the world in righteousness,
He shall minister judgment to the people
in uprightness.
Psalm 9:7-8
The food to eat: God's word
Richard L. Crumb
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