Our paragraph topic is: (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 2.
They wanted to control everything the people did, every aspect of their lives, so they could collect taxes and tithes. So they conceived of different ways they could create rules to control the people. They stressed the nonessential parts of religion as being important in the lives of the people. The more a person adhered to the nonessentials the more a person was made to believe they were special to God. And yet this was not what God wanted from the people.
Where was their faith? Where was their belief in the God who created them and gave them life? Where was their trust in the one God who provided for them on a daily basis? Why were they not grateful for the many graces that were given to them on a daily? Instead it was: "Because you pay tithes on mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law."
What is important to us today? Are we taught to observe just the nonessentials of our religion, go to church on Sunday and holidays, give tithes if we can, send our children to Bible study? Are these the essentials for us today? Or is there more that we should do? Do we really believe in what we hear in church? Do we know that we have a God in heaven that loves us and provides for us? What happens when we have a love one who is taken away and we have to suffer the pain of loss? Do we blame God for our loss, our pain, our suffering?
Our knowledge and belief is more than just words that we hear repeated in church. It has to become a part of who we are, an understanding of the knowledge of our God and his love for us. Our belief has to become us, who we are inside and out no matter what happens, life or death. We are more than just flesh and blood. We are more than just body. We are soul, spirit, created in the image and likeness of our Father. Our life is eternal if we choose to accept who we are. And the life here on earth is only a spec in the cosmic time of eternity. That is our belief. That is our knowledge. That is our truth, our faith in the trust given us from the promise of Christ Jesus. He came to give us new life and now that new life is yours.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
They wanted to control everything the people did, every aspect of their lives, so they could collect taxes and tithes. So they conceived of different ways they could create rules to control the people. They stressed the nonessential parts of religion as being important in the lives of the people. The more a person adhered to the nonessentials the more a person was made to believe they were special to God. And yet this was not what God wanted from the people.
Where was their faith? Where was their belief in the God who created them and gave them life? Where was their trust in the one God who provided for them on a daily basis? Why were they not grateful for the many graces that were given to them on a daily? Instead it was: "Because you pay tithes on mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law."
What is important to us today? Are we taught to observe just the nonessentials of our religion, go to church on Sunday and holidays, give tithes if we can, send our children to Bible study? Are these the essentials for us today? Or is there more that we should do? Do we really believe in what we hear in church? Do we know that we have a God in heaven that loves us and provides for us? What happens when we have a love one who is taken away and we have to suffer the pain of loss? Do we blame God for our loss, our pain, our suffering?
Our knowledge and belief is more than just words that we hear repeated in church. It has to become a part of who we are, an understanding of the knowledge of our God and his love for us. Our belief has to become us, who we are inside and out no matter what happens, life or death. We are more than just flesh and blood. We are more than just body. We are soul, spirit, created in the image and likeness of our Father. Our life is eternal if we choose to accept who we are. And the life here on earth is only a spec in the cosmic time of eternity. That is our belief. That is our knowledge. That is our truth, our faith in the trust given us from the promise of Christ Jesus. He came to give us new life and now that new life is yours.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
