Jesus Is A Package Deal, Or No Deal At All

Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!” This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. “We see nothing wrong with him,” they shouted. “Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him.” As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress. [Acts 23.6-10]

As much as both groups were intent on killing Paul, as soon as Paul mentioned the resurrection, their attention left Paul and became focused on defending their religious beliefs. But then, in the emotion of defending their respective religious beliefs, the commander saw that Paul was in danger of being killed as, in the religious leaders' rage, they took their anger against each other out on Paul.

All the while, not a soul except Paul was seeking to promote restored relationship between God and man.

Isn't this just like religious people? I could not help but think of the schism between people who believe in the miraculous today and those who instead believe miracles have passed away. There is a great divide between these two groups over this subject. And, in the midst of the argument, neither side can prove they are right. 

The no-miracle crowd can't prove they are right because they have to rely heavily upon abstract interpretations of the Scriptures to argue their point (because the Bible contextually teaches in support of miracles for all who believe). 

On the other hand, the miracle people can't prove they are right because they talk endlessly about miracles and produce little more than abstract occurrences that arguably would or could have happened anyway. 

All the while, the Gospel suffers and souls slip into hell. Guess who's going to be responsible for that!

Religious people today are no different than religious people in the early church days. Religious people certainly have religion, but it looks nothing like the fullness of what Jesus taught, demonstrated, and commanded.

Every believer should spend time every day repenting of religion and religious ways that are fixated upon biases that are not founded and grounded in the Word of God, but instead, in the interpretations of man. Every effort should be expended to reach people with the Good News AS JESUS SHOWED THE WAY. There should be no isolation of any particular event in Jesus' ministry, but instead, the full life of Christ should be our goal and example: from preaching the Gospel to healing the sick to willfully seeking our own cross! 

Jesus is a package deal, or no deal at all.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” [Matthew 7.21-27]

Father, help us stop being religious and start being followers of Jesus.