THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN BORN AGAIN AND RELIGIOUS PERSON

The enlightening instruction of the LORD JESUS has given us grateful knowledge of discernment to wisely know the contrasting difference of born again, or born of God (1Pet. 1:23) and religiousness (James 1:26). Described herewith are Biblical informative characteristics of born again adherents of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

To accurately understand the reality of born again existence of a spiritual man, we must learn more from the enlightening explanation of the LORD JESUS Himself (John 3:3-7) and by the testimony of Apostle Peter in his first epistle (1Pet. 1:23).

The LORD JESUS explained to Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” JESUS answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Moreover, He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again”(John 3:3,5-7). K.J.V. The LORD JESUS made it clear for our enlightenment that there is a reality of two distinct birth for anyone who irrevocably departed from sin and willingly, faithfully, and sincerely devoted his /her all in life to follow Him (Matt.16:24); birth in the flesh from the mother’s womb; and the spiritual birth by the unwavering will to follow the LORD JESUS.

“Then JESUS said to His disciples “ If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me”(Matt. 16:24).

When we diligently follow the instructive words of the LORD JESUS, we become spiritual persons because He said; “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh propiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).K.J.V.

The Apostle Peter explained well what he has learned from the LORD JESUS, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and enduring word of God”(1Pet. 1:23).

When anyone has been remarkably transformed by actively following the teachings of the LORD JESUS, that individual person become sanctified for Him alone as His adopted son/daughter (2Cor. 6:14-18). Consequently, that person by that process of learning from the LORD JESUS, has received Him in His fullness (John 1:12,16); and arrived at the blessed reality by the given right as son, and daughter of the LORD JESUS, which has been transformed from sinfulness to holiness (2Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1; 1Pet.1:15-16). “ But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God even to those who believed in His name” (John 1:12). “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.”N.A.S.B.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”(Rom. 8:1).

In enthusiastic adherence to the LORD JESUS, a born again, by the mandatory command of the LORD departed from sectarian religious organization established by man (2Cor. 6:17-18). All true born again knew by their knowledge of discernment that all sect established by man, have spurious doctrines from deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons against the pure and infallible doctrines of the LORD JESUS (1Tim. 4:1).

But the Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron”(1Tim.4:1-2).

All sectarian churches established by man have spurious doctrines conceptualized by human principles and erroneous understanding of the Holy Scriptures (2Pet. 3:15-16).

“And regard the patience of our LORD as Salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, and also in all his letters, speaking to them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures to their own destruction” (2 Pet. 3:15-16).

All true born again are in the spiritual exclusively one body of the LORD JESUS (1Cor.12:12) not members of any religious sect organization in the world. They renounce all works of wickedness, such as works of fleshly desires motivated by immorality (Rom.1:29-32; Gal.5:19-21).

As they had been transformed, by having renewed mind, they don’t conform to worldly aspiration, but have decided to do things that are pleasing to the LORD JESUS (1Cor. 10:31; Col.3:23-24; 2 Tim.2:4).

All true born again are not comparatively the same with those who are peddlers of the word of God, preaching the word on market place, on street, in a traveling bus, within few minutes time, with much expectation to gather money from commuters, and from the crowd, (2Cor.2:17). The Apostle Paul wrote these words against them, “For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.” (2Cor.2:17) N.A.S.B. They are the identified sect of the “Fourth Watchers” at these present generation, they justified their deeds by distorting the precise interpretation of the Holy Scriptures (2Pet. 3:15-16).

All true born again adherents of the LORD JESUS have decisive will; to resist conformity to any world system, organized religion, which is diametrically against the will, doctrine, statutes, and principles of the LORD JESUS CHRIST (Rom. 1:1-2; 16:17-18).

With regards to all true born again, these written words from the epistle of Apostle Peter, had given peculiar identification for them exclusively for the glory of the LORD JESUS; “But you are a CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, (not the priest of the Roman Catholic church) A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pet. 2:9).

THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

In the written original Greek text of the New Testament, religious is “threskos” it denote ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative) i.e. pious:-religious.

James, the Apostle of the LORD JESUS wrote about the distinction of a religious person and the pure religion in the sight of God. According to him, “anyone who thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and Father is to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world”(James 1:26-27).

It must be understood that a religious person who does not speak for the truth, deceives himself, and without will to restrain his tongue in telling lies. The Apostle James did edifying explanation that “the tongue is a restless evil and full of deadly poison, and no one can tame the tongue”(James 3:8).  Many among religious people are proponent of false gospel, they command people to adore, to exalt, and to be devoted to Mary, to the saints and false gods, instead of teaching people to be totally, absolutely, and exclusively all for JESUS as willed of God the Father that He gave all to His Son (Jn.3:35; 6:37). The reason why the Apostle James wrote admonition not to let many become teachers, because the accountability when a teacher speak against the truth will incur judgment for himself (James 3:1)."For we can do nothing against the truth but only for the truth (2 Cor.13:8)NASB

We know that in many nations, emergence of sectarian churches had multiplied exceedingly, and their heresy against the infallible teaching of the LORD JESUS. They spread out to many nations, to those without longing to scrutinize the false doctrines that they incessantly endorse. Consequently, ignorant people were victims of deception of religious people that established false churchces. Therefore, almost all of them are religious in showing, and piously expressing, their devotion to false gods and they enthusiastically follow false teachers.

The Apostle Paul admonished the people of Athens and said “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, to “AN UNKNOWN GOD” Therefore what you worship in ignorance this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23).

Atheist and agnostics dont' believe in God, and they are not religious people, and they are the enemies of God (Ps.14:1).

In these latter days, the prophesied disclosure of the LORD JESUS that “many false prophets will arise and will mislead many” happen everywhere (Matt.24:11). They are extremely religious; by observing the system, erroneous doctrines, and false belief that their leaders inculcated in their gullible mind. The Apostle Paul himself was a former member of the sect of the religious Pharisees (Acts 26:4-5); he was a terrible persecutor of the faithful followers of the LORD JESUS before he was converted as His devoted adherent (Acts 9:1-2; 26:9-11). The LORD JESUS marvelously appeared to him at Damascus by a brilliant light that blinded his eyes, and when he recognized the LORD JESUS, that was the time he became a true follower of the LORD, after JESUS restored his sight (Acts 9:15-19). Formerly he was a religious fanatic, a destroyer of the LORD’S adherents.

In this present generation, multitude of people in the sect of Roman Catholic church, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Islam, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, United Pentecostal, Dating Daan, Seventh Day Adventist, Fourth Watchers, Baptist, etc.. are religious in their church principles, but not the same with born again, which in their commitment are totally, absolutely, and exclusively ALL FOR JESUS, as willed of God the Father (John 3:35) given of the Father to His Son. They are detached from sectarian religious organization, and remain in the LORD JESUS (2Cor. 6:14-18).

Religious people devote their adherence to their church traditions, and leaders, almost all of them disregard the great importance of the written word of God, the Bible. Their reasoning to refuse the great importance of the gospel are premised on their absurd opinion, when born again evangelist bring them to JESUS.

In the Roman Catholic church, their members extremely love the pope, instead of obeying the first commandment, “To love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength,” only second is to love fellow human kind (Mark 12:29-31). They must consider what had been written by Apostle Paul, “If. any man love not the LORD JESUS CHRIST, let him be Anathema “accursed” Maranatha LORD come (1Cor.16:22) K.J.V

All true born again will never take anything in this world in exchange for the paramount glory, excellence, majesty, and fullness of incomparable magnificent characteristics of the LORD JESUS CHRIST as the “ALMIGHTY GOD (El Shadai in Hebrew); (Gen.17:1; 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8); AND THE MOST HIGH (El Elyon in Hebrew)” (Gen.14:20; Ps.91:1-2); and above all (John 3:31).

Now, these laid down distinction between born again children of God, and religious person, can be quite comprehended by anyone who possessed Biblical insight by the directive guidance of the “Helper” from the LORD JESUS which is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:7).

“No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children  of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” (1John 3:9).

All born of God will have eternal life extension when the LORD JESUS’ first stage of His second coming happen, there will be splendid resurrection of all who remain faithful to the LORD JESUS until death (1Cor. 15:51-54; 1Thess. 4:14-18).

But all religious people that remain against the LORD JESUS, all who did not sincerely repent, will be “in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

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LABELS: Born of God, Religious, Distinction

Posted by Eugene Fernandez, servant of the LORD JESUS
For His MAJESTIC GLORY

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