The Romanite religion

[Wayne222]

21 hours ago, Gary Lee said:

Wayne, if I have made incorrect assumptions, then I apologize. You said; "Other faiths might have a different type of love not of the lord".  I agree with you, as that was my point also. But is a person walking in love, helping others, giving of their time and money, even dying for a friend, is that the final test of proof of belief in Jesus Christ for their savior? Or is the visible lifestyle of good works an effort to gain that approval of what they were taught to believe is necessary to insure their salvation? Not for me to judge. But if my spirit quickens me to a genuine concern when I'm listening to their beliefs, then I will share my testimony,and my reasons for leaving the RCC. You said; " No greater love then a man lay his life down for his friends". A scripture verse I would hope to honor. But if I would believe I might be willing to  give my life for a friend, could I not be willing to expose myself to humiliation to simply share the gospel with a stranger? Would that be considered walking in Godly love? And exposing the false teachings of their church? Do you consider that walking in love. Or should I live and let die? When I was a catholic adult, a total stranger, a baptist pastor, shared with me the gospel of Jesus our Christ. I will be eternally thankful for his conviction to tell me the TRUTH!

 

The saddest statistic of our day is that 95 percent of all church members have never led anyone to Christ.     Dr D James Kennedy  1930-2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Gary yes I agree too. John said love was the test. I cannot judge others hearts if there sincere. I dont judge I trust God's work in others. I believe people condemn the Catholic Church unfairly. But yes not everyone who is Catholic is saved. If they think being baptize and doing the ritual things are the means of salvation then they are mistaken.  But I feel if they truly love Jesus and believe in his death and resurrection they will be saved in spite of that. Yes I would not became a catholic I think because of my difference in a lot of areas. But in many other church's in this day there are also many things wrong. I am glad you found Christ. You have a good spirit I can tell by your posts. God bless. 

[Fidei Defensor]

On ‎9‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 2:53 PM, OneLight said:

God requires a relationship, not a "religion".  I will let God decide and leave it at that. 

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27) 

Religion has gotten a bad name, but it use to mean: 

"1150-1200; Middle English religioun (< Old French religion) < Latin religiōn- (stem of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equivalent to relig(āre) to tie, fasten ( re- re- + ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament." (Dictionary.com) There are examples of this binding in Scripture, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace," (Ephesians 4:3), "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony," (Colossians 3:14), "a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth," (Numbers 30:2), and "Act as free men, and ^[a]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God." (1 Peter 2:16), and "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God." (Colossians 4:12). 

Religion has so many meanings now: 

"1 a :the state of a religious

• a nun in her 20th year of religion

b (1) :the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) :commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2 :a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic :scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness  

4 :a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" (Merriam Webster Dictionary)

 

"Religion, noun

1.

a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2.

a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:

the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

3.

the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices:

a world council of religions.

4.

the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.:

to enter religion.

5.

the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

6.

something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:

to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

7.

religions, Archaic. religious rites:

painted priests performing religions deep into the night.

8.

Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion:

a religion to one's vow.

Idioms

9.

get religion, Informal.

1. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.
2. to resolve to mend one's errant ways:
   The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products." (Dictionary.com). 

"thréskeia: religion
Original Word: θρησκεία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: thréskeia
Phonetic Spelling: (thrace-ki'-ah)
Short Definition: ritual worship, religion
Definition: (underlying sense: reverence or worship of the gods), worship as expressed in ritual acts, religion.

STRONGS NT 2356: θρησκεία
θρησκεία Tdf. θρησκια (see Iota) (a later word; Ionic θρησκιη in Herodotus (2, 18. 37)), θρησκείας, ἡ (from θρησκεύω, and this from θρησκός, which see; hence, apparently primarily fear of the gods); religious worship, especially external, that which consists in ceremonies: hence, in plural θρησκιας ἐπιτελεῖν μυριάς, Herodotus 2, 37; καθιστας ἁγνείας τέ καί θρησκείας καί καθαρμους, Dionysius Halicarnassus 2, 63; universally, religious worship, James 1:26f; with the genitive of the object (Winer's Grammar, 187 (176)) τῶν ἀγγέλων, Colossians 2:18 (τῶν εἰδώλων, Wis. 14:27; τῶν δαιμον´ων, Eusebius, h. e. 6, 41, 2; τῶν θεῶν, ibid. 9, 9, 14; τοῦ Θεοῦ, Herodian, 4, 8, 17 (7 edition, Bekker); often in Josephus (cf. Krebs, Observations, etc., p. 339f); Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 45, 7 [ET]); religious discipline, religion: ἡμετέρα θρησκεία, of Judaism, Acts 26:5 (τήν ἐμήν θρησκειαν καταλιπών, put into the mouth of God by Josephus, Antiquities 8, 11, 1; with the genitive of the subjunctive τῶν Ἰουδαίων, 4 Macc. 5:6, 13 (12); Josephus, Antiquities 12, 5, 4; θρησκεία κοσμικη, i. e. worthy to be embraced by all nations, a world religion, b. j. 4, 5, 2; piety, περί τόν Θεόν, Antiquities 1, 13, 1; κατά τήν ἔμφυτον θρησκειαν τῶν βαρβάρων πρός τό βασιλικόν ὄνομα, Chariton 7, 6, p. 165, 18 edition, Reiske; of the reverence of Antiochus the Pious for the Jewish religion, Josephus, Antiquities 13, 8, 2). Cf. Grimm on 4 Macc. 5:6; (especially Trench, § xlviii.)." (Strong's Greek). 

 

While agree we should know Jesus in personal Relationship (Ginosko), "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3), and "²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[a]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." (Matthew 7:21-23, NASB). 

 

What I am wanting to point out is that the word religion has so many meanings, and so when we use it, it can be confusing. Most Evangelicals and Neo-Charismatics use word religion to describe institutionalized ritual and practices or world religions; but that was not always what the word meant. It use to mean prescribed beliefs and piety. 

 

Edited October 4, 2017 by Fidei Defensor