The Way
The early followers of Jesus referred to their cause as The Way which we know from a legal argument Paul made in court: “These people cannot even prove their accusations to you. But I’ll admit to you that I’m a follower of the way {of Christ}, which they call a sect” (Acts 24:13-14 God’s Word). The Jewish leadership called it the “Nazarene sect”, certainly a pejorative term containing both ethnic and religious bigotry.
Today we use the term “Christianity” to refer to people who belong to that religion which has roots in Jesus Christ. It includes massive bureaucracy, volumes of organizational policies and bylaws and processes which are contrary to God’s Holy Words. Religious leaders realize the Apostles who walked with Jesus were naive and uneducated. Their rules (“The Holy Spirit and we have agreed not to place any additional burdens on you. Do only what is necessary by keeping away from food sacrificed to false gods, from eating bloody meat, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual sins. If you avoid these things, you will be doing what’s right” (Acts 15:28-29 God’s Word) are clearly not the right set to run an organization. This they decide while eating their steaks rare, talking about getting their tax deductions for giving to the church and making plans to rape children. Big improvement.
Corcovado Jesus (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
One of the Elders and Chiefs of Bkejwanong First Nation with whom I have had many conversations believes in Jesus, saturates himself with Scripture and prays. He follows Jesus, but he will not refer to himself as a Christian. In his experience that term is political. Under this title many people have done much harm to his people, and to him, everything from overt murder in the past, to the abuses perpetrated in residential schools run by churches (though not every teacher who worked at these schools acted maliciously, but that is a topic for another time).
I have come to accept the wisdom of his words. This is one on the long list of things that makes me live as a spiritual person, who belongs to The Way, and reject the formal religion which humans have organized and named “Christianity”. A person can belong to the religion without ever belonging to Jesus. Some (many?) congregations exist only to exist. Many times I’ve seen nominating committees glad to report they have bodies in all the positions, but spiritual maturity was not one of the criteria.
I use strong language because spiritual living, as opposed to religious living, means undiluted loyalty to Jesus, humble living with divine-like love and a single purpose to grow in faithful living and share that faith.
Live according to the spiritual code in the Bible under Paraclete in humble service, in which love is the highest element. Anything less than that is religious drivel. You choose.
November 25, 2012
nopew
viewoutsidethepew 
2 responses to “The Way”
nopew
November 27th, 2012 at 12:39
Thank you for those kind words; truth needs to be told but people have been known to shoot the messenger!
LikeLike
Joe Quatrone, Jr.
November 26th, 2012 at 19:40
Very true indeed! Well said, my brother.
LikeLike