© 16 Colin Melbourne
And Why Religion Doesn’t
Religion is man-made and complicated, God calls it dead works (Heb. 6:1 KJV): Whereas Bible Christianity is straight-forward: Divine Life.
Eternal Life Has Come
Let’s enjoy the purity of Christ’s teaching in Jn. 10:27 KJV;
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Hear, Know, Follow
The key words…
- Hear
- Know
- Follow
Believers are frequently asked to explain what it’s like to hear Christ’s voice; sinners are curious because they don’t hear Him.
As a baby Christian, I used to try to explain. But quickly realised I was talking to the spiritually dead about life, as though trying to describe the glory of Creation and Salvation, to a corpse.
Sinners are indeed dead towards God, they abide in spiritual death. (Eph. 2:1, Col. 2:13.)
I’ve since learned to respond as Jesus did; sinners are still flummoxed, but it saves a lot of wasted breath.
Here’s The Messiah teaching how Christianity and Salvation function…
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Why yes, of course, that’s exactly how it is!
The curious strain to hear a voice in their head, or worse, an audible voice, and are easily duped by demons, and their own muddled imaginings.
The crux of the problem is; they can’t hear Jesus because they don’t believe in Him, and so they remain unsaved in spiritual death.
The Good Shepherd explained the way it is;
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
He spoke this; in The Flesh to unbelieving Jews, in the written word to everyone willing to read and hear, and He whispers it in every born again believer’s heart by His Spirit.
Halleluia! And all the saints cry, Glory to God for His mercy endures forever!
- Hearing
- Knowing
- Following
Hearing
Bible hearing is more than listening to, or reading, His words, it includes embracing them wholeheartedly, and doing them. Jas. 1:22 KJV;
…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Knowing
Similarly, Christ knowing His sheep, means more than knowing of, or about, them; it means spiritual unity, harmony, close fellowship.
He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him.
Following
Following Him, is far beyond mental assent to His doctrine, even the religious have that, it’s more than shouting Amen to encourage the preacher, it’s doing what God’s Word and Spirit direct.
Hearers, believers, and followers: Keep His word.
Keeping Means Doing
That is why Christ said Lk. 11:28 KJV;
…blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
How Does Christianity Work?
Simple: We hear the Shepherd, and do as we are told;
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Then we know His Love by experience.
And He has yet more of it: Just one of the Spoils of His Victory.
England’s greatest preacher operated all the Gifts of the Spirit as he preached and ministered. Few Christians have approached the level of anointing Smith attained. He knew his business, and His business was God’s Business. Let him unfold to you the working of the Gifts of the Spirit. Smith Wigglesworth On Spiritual Gifts.
© 16 Colin Melbourne