Why is religion important? Why not faith? Why can't we just believe in God and Jesus?

I believe that religion is unnecessary and is in fact harmful. Faith is the only thing that matters. It is through faith that we are saved. It is by faith that we walk with God. Religion, in my opinion, is a result of our human nature trying to rationalize grace. We can't accept that grace is free, that salvation is free. We say we believe it, but then we say, well, now that I'm saved, I need to earn God's favor. I'll do such and such ritual in remembrance of God's love and show Him how much I care. As the generations move on, the original intent gets lost and the rules and rituals take the center stage instead of a relationship with God. Then people get into fights about religion, because they were taught a certain way and others weren't. Then some decide to use religion as an excuse for some horrible things. If all you have is your relationship with God and your fellowship with other believers, then you're far better off than having religion. Or at least that's what I think.

Of course. Jehovah is the Almighty, the Most High, the only true God. (Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; John 17:3) At John 14:28, Jesus said: "The Father is greater than I am." At 1 Cor. 11:3, it says that "the head of Christ is God." At John 4:23, Jesus said that God was a spirit that should be worshiped with spirit and truth. I am not saying that we should not believe in Jesus, but doesn't that tell you that Jehovah is more important than Jesus? BTW, who do we pray to? Jesus or his Father? See Matt. 6:9

Part of the definition of a religion is a belief in a supernatural being/s. Faith is implied in such a belief system: '... now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

The different religious groups either do not believe that Christ is God or take on unbiblical traditions which become a stmbling block to seeing the truth.

Thats a good question , and as you can see you already have tons of different opinions on the matter.

There is no doubt that faith is not enough when it comes to our relationship with our heavenly father or what religion we are in.

Remember one of the reasons that Jesus came to earth was to show that the way of the religious systems back then were not in harmony with Gods requirements.

He opposed them and rejected their so called wise leaders.

The apostles were told to go declaring the good news of the kingdom and help others to come to know the truth about God , and his son Jesus.

So can we be sure that this is the case , because so many people today say that all religions lead to God.?

The Bible says in Matthew 7:22,23--

¨Many will say to me in that day .'Lord Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?' ... And yet I will say to them 'Get away from me , you workers of lawlessness.¨

There is no doubt then that many religions that claim to be serving God are simply not acceptable to him.

Even if they do many good things ,their worship and prayers are rejected because they are not in harmony with Gods will.

Matthew 23:28 also says --¨In that way you also , outwardly indeed, appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.¨

So even people and churches that seem to be good on the outside , are full of lies and bad things according to Gods standards.

Yes , it is a real challenge to find what religion is acceptable to God.

Religions that practice unChristain beliefs such as the 'trinity' , 'the immortal soul' and 'hellfire' are obviously not backed by the true God Jehovah., and so these cannot be pleasing to him at all.

For more information please feel free to email me.

I don't follow any religion. I don't go to church. I believe only in God and Jesus and I keep my mind open to ideas. I cannot and will not subject myself to religion knowing that each religion out there thinks they are better than the next religion.

To answer your question, some people believe that the only way to get to Heaven is through a religion. Through the belief that God and Heaven is a certain way. There's no human imagination behind it. If a human were to think freely of a religion like I do and imagine Heaven as not what religions do, then I am regarded as an outcast. People of religion feel they have to belong in a group, sing, pray, go door to door to make it.

Religion is not all that important. If you look down over the centuries you'll find out that people in religions have a tendency to display violence towards others for not following their faith. Attacks on the Native Americans and Jews are great examples.

I don't want to be any part of this. I cannot imagine being proud of being part of a religion that helped to nearly annihilate entire cultures.

The most important thing is Faith in God and Jesus.

Religion in itself is not what is important. Religion is a group of people who believe the same way you do, wether it be Catholic, Christian. Jewish. etc.. The reason that it can be important is because it can act as a support group for people who need it. Your family is usually their when you need them. The same is suppose to be true for people of faith. You can fellowship with them and ask advice because you and they believe the same way. And the Bible tells us to fellowship one with another. Jesus talks about the importance of fellowship in the Bible.

The purpose of our existence is to know, love, and serve God ... in this world ... and in the next.

Nobody instinctively knows how to do that.

That's the reason Jesus founded ONE authoratative and powerful church ... the Catholic church ... and left it behind on the earth to guide all to salvation in him.

The Church - instituted by Christ Jesus

763 It was the Son's task to accomplish the Father's plan of salvation in the fullness of time. Its accomplishment was the reason for his being sent.160 "The Lord Jesus inaugurated his Church by preaching the Good News, that is, the coming of the Reign of God, promised over the ages in the scriptures."161 To fulfill the Father's will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church "is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery."162

764 "This Kingdom shines out before men in the word, in the works and in the presence of Christ."163 To welcome Jesus' word is to welcome "the Kingdom itself."164 The seed and beginning of the Kingdom are the "little flock" of those whom Jesus came to gather around him, the flock whose shepherd he is.165 They form Jesus' true family.166 To those whom he thus gathered around him, he taught a new "way of acting" and a prayer of their own.167

765 The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until the Kingdom is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head.168 Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they are the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem.169 The Twelve and the other disciples share in Christ's mission and his power, but also in his lot.170 By all his actions, Christ prepares and builds his Church.

766 The Church is born primarily of Christ's total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the institution of the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross. "The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus."171 "For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the 'wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.'"172 As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross.173

Without the church, there would be no authentic knowledge of God, no authentic doctrines, no bible, and no way to tell false gods from the real God.

It's tough enough, as it is.

Well it all started back after Christ was crusified and all the apostles killed and John banished. Men started thinking for themselves and then at this place called Nice man decided all about God, and Jesus and religion in general, thus the catholic church, later men like john wesley, john calvin and other questioned the validity of catholicism, breaking off forming other religious sects of christianity, also don't forget Henry VIII and starting the church of england just because he wanted a divorce. Remember the pilgrims that started the tract to america and claimed religious freedom, and other europeans who came to america claiming religious freedom then craming it down the natives here and forcing them to change and live a white way which "was better than their heathen ways" even still today churches are springing up everywhere claiming they have the truth. So yes what is the truth. In James in the Bible it says "If any of you lack wisdom ask of God and he will anser you and abradeth not." My answer to you is if you want to live the way God wants you to then first live a Christ like life. Emulate the life of Christ and then ask God in prayer "Which Church will get me back to you?" Funny thing is what if he said none of them. because they draw near to me with theit tongues but far from me with their hearts. If you see a real christian then you will know him by his fruits! And the Fruit of the spirit is love, service and godliness. Meaning that you do all things in the name of God and only to fulfill his righteousness. God's only work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. That if why we must emulate the Christ and follow in his paths. Do not listen to man but to God and his spirit the comforter he promised. And you will be led to the right church and find the way to everlasting joy in the kingdom of your father.

One can know who God and Jesus are and what they expect of us by studying God's word the Bible. Different groups interpret scripture differently. This gives rise to denominationalism as you mentioned above. Everybody can't be entirely right can they? Not even you and me!

"Christianity...[has become] the most perverted system that ever shone on man....Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus." --- Thomas Jefferson

“The son-ship of Jesus Christ is the greatest fiction of human history.” (Lord Bishop of Canterbury Commission, the Spiritual Head of England, 1910.)

“The son-ship of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, the blood sacrifice of the lamb of God, atonement are not the teachings of Jesus. These are all inventions of Saint Paul who never really met Jesus.” (Hastings Rashdall, The Theory of Good and Evil)

"Initially there were 34 gospels that were compiled by word of mouth. Four were chosen for unclear reasons and 30 were left behind [burned]. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

“There is strong reason to believe that St. Paul fabricated the belief system of Christianity from Zoroastrian mythology. In order to hide Paul’s plaigerism… Christians burned the library of Alexandria in 390 A.D. Books in that library kept Mithra’s original story of what Pauline Doctrine is an almost exact copy. (George Sarton , Introduction to History of Sciences) ,

Although Nontrinitarian beliefs continued to multiply, and among some people (such as the Lombards in the West) it was dominant for hundreds of years afterward, the Trinitarians gained the immense power of the Roman Empire. Nontrinitarians typically argue that the primitive beliefs of the Christianity were systematically suppressed (often to the point of death), and that the historical record, perhaps also including the Scriptures of the New Testament, was altered as a consequence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nontrinitarianism

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