WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY

AS A FORMER MEMBER of the Watchtower organization I can assure you that Jehovah’s Witnesses tenaciously cling to their “religion.” They among many other religious groups throughout the world live and breath their own “special kind” of religion. I say special kind because it means different things to different groups. Among the various interpretations of the word, “religion,” Webster’s Third New International Dictionary has a plethora of examples. Page 1918 (3a) says: “one of the systems of faith and worship.” Interestingly under 7a it reads: “a cause, principle, system of tenets held with ardor, devotion, conscientiousness, and faith, a value held to be of supreme importance and by practicing as well as preaching its doctrines.” Do these “system of tenets” described by Webster’s incapsulate God’s intended message? In other words did Jesus Christ come to Earth to form a “religion” described by Webster’s?

RELIGION

Religious organizations throughout the world possess various aspects of moral codes, rituals, and social structures. Islam for example has their own “special kind” of morality and practice. They differ from Christian morality nevertheless do hold to a “special kind” of religion or religionism (exaggerated religious zealotry). Other examples of religion ideologies are Christian cults. Their “special kind” of religion indoctrinates / brainwashes its members for purposes of control. The Catholic Church, too, although not a Christian cult do posses their own “special kind” of belief system which must be followed. Without question the Catholic church system much like cultic systems is used to control and manipulate. Religion therefore as defined by Webster’s, “one of the systems of faith and worship,” is not limited to one methodology. All faith “systems” therefore fall under the umbrella of “religion.” That being the case, what “system” of faith if any did Jesus Christ institute?

THE LOVE RELATIONSHIP

Jesus Christ came to remind us, ” And He said to him, YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the great and foremost commandment, The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'” (Matthew 22:37-39) Love was the proverbial system of Christ. Two qualifying prerequisites for believers: Love the Lord with your heart, soul, and mind; love your neighbor as yourself. Love was the only commandment. Love was the message of Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12: 46-47)

Christianity is a love based “religion.” It is not a system to be followed by man made rules and regulations. It is relational. Our Lord wants us to love Him as He loves us. In other words, He wants to build a love relationship with us. Jesus Christ came to Earth because He wanted to save mankind from their sin. Christianity is not the Webster’s definition of religion but rather a personal love relationship between God and man. Knowing the identify of Jesus Christ is key. Christ said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24) In other words, our sins will not be forgiven unless we believe that Jesus Christ is God.

FINAL THOUGHTS

AS A FORMER MEMBER of the Watchtower organization disobedience to the Organization hierarchy was viewed as being unfaithful to God Himself. This is why all Jehovah’s Witnesses obey this man-made organization. As demonstrated Jesus Christ only commanded two things and obedience to any man-made organization was not one of them. Believing that Jesus Christ is God is paramount to forgiveness of sins.