Where You Go, Jesus Goes

The Spirit gives life…2 Corinthians 3:6

Religion: most people seem to be against it. In fact, many people blame all death on earth on religion. Unless communism is a religion, this is not true. Nevertheless, it is repeated as though it was fact. Even people of faith reject religion. “Relationship, not religion,” they say. 

This controversy assails the church. Paul dealt with it in second Corinthians, chapter 3. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life, Verses 4-6.

As ministers of the new covenant, we preach Christ. We teach salvation is by grace through faith, and not by the law. No one is saved by religiously keeping rules. This was the gospel of the kingdom preached by Jesus and His apostles. After His death, burial, and resurrection it became to gospel of salvation. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (resurrection.) Romans 5:10.

The most preached message is about man-made rules and regulations; rule-keeping, self-improvement, be good and avoid hell. This message is not confined to Christianity. It is the message of most world religions and cults. For whatever reason this type of preaching draws huge crowds into mega churches. This was the way Jesus’ apostles had to overcome.