Why Christianity?

Why Christianity has not been an attempt to recruit people into a particular church, or religious movement, but to call them into a one-on-one personal relationship with God by believing the same story of faith that Abraham embraced. In no way is it intended to discredit or diminish the sincere efforts of any professed Christians who have dedicated their lives to telling a lost world about God’s salvational love for them. The Lord knows who they are, and will reward accordingly. The faith of Abraham is about becoming personally and morally responsible, and not just being religious as pointed out by H.L. Mencken: “We obey rules of churches even though they may not be in the Bible. All organizations have rules, and if we want to belong to that organization, we follow the rules. Catholic, Baptist, all have them. Let’s not confuse the rules with what the Bible says. Jesus said they teach for commandments the tradition of men. Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.” The only true God is the Hebrew God, also known as the God of Israel. People who believe in Him may not have their names enrolled in an earthly church, but they do “cross-over” from their earthly lives and become children of His spiritual kingdom. They heed the call to leave the Traditional Religions of Babylon, and in the face of ridicule, ostracization, and persecution embrace whatever the Lord has in store for them. As a result, they personally come to realize that there is: One Lord … the Hebrew God of Israel One Faith.... the Hebrew faith of Abraham One Baptism… the Hebrew experience of “crossing over” into a new life with Christ (Yeshua) [Ephesians 4:5] As we become spiritual Hebrews, children of the living God who rules over the universe, we discover that the Christian Church fathers are not our fathers. Instead, like our Hebrew brethren, our patriarchal fathers are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As Christians living in these last days our assignment is not reconstructing or reforming the Greco-Roman tradition that came from early century church leaders. Rather, it is to help re-establish the ancient route of Hebrew faith given in the Bible, first by the prophets of the Old Testament, and then passed on to us through the apostles of the New. “So now the Lord says, ‘Stop right where you are! Look for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.’” [Jeremiah 6:16] Only after we find the right road will we realize just how far we have strayed. We will experience the shock of realizing that worldwide Christianity itself diverged from the true path of the gospel nearly 2,000 years ago! Richard Halverson provides a fitting assessment of the digression western Christianity has made. “In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centering on the living Christ. Then, the church moved to Greece where it became a philosophy. Then, it moved to Rome where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe where it became a culture. And, finally, it moved to America where it became an enterprise.” Today, Christianity is not only the largest religion in the world, it is the biggest business in the world. Can we not honestly see and admit that the money changers have returned and set up shop within the courts of present-day Christianity?