"He came unto his own and his own received him not" John 1:11.
The Jews were the first ones to reject Christ. Not all rejected him, but many did. Why did they reject him? They rejected him for many reasons, but the main reason was that he did not fit into their religion. Jesus was not religious. Many of the things that Jesus did was contrary to the Jewish Torah. Example. On the Sabbath day Jesus and the disciples went through a corn field plucking and eating corn, Matthew 12:1, 2. The Pharisees condemned Jesus for doing that because they thought that it violated Jewish law.
To the Jews the law was everything. They said that the law was the way, the truth and the life and was the light that lighted everyman. John took what the Jews said about the law and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6. The law was their religion and was their Jesus, they didn't need another Jesus. They were very happy with their law based religion.
All religions, especially organized religions are based upon law. The Calvinist must adhere to the Calvinist doctrine or religion. The Catholic religion is much the same. All religions have this in common, whether it be the Baptist religion or the Methodist religion you must adhere to their doctrines and their beliefs. This is what makes them a religion. Christianity is NOT a religion. Christianity is based upon faith, not religion. This is why Paul said, "The Just Shall Live By Faith" Romans 1:17. and not by rules, laws or religion.
The Gospel is 100% about Jesus Christ, all that we are required to do is believe it. Those that believe it and embrace it as their only means of salvation, plus nothing, are given the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13. The rest, like the Pharisees that have made their religion their Jesus are very happy with it and continue in it, unfortunately, they are without the real Jesus and are resting in their religion.
The Jews were the first ones to reject Christ. Not all rejected him, but many did. Why did they reject him? They rejected him for many reasons, but the main reason was that he did not fit into their religion. Jesus was not religious. Many of the things that Jesus did was contrary to the Jewish Torah. Example. On the Sabbath day Jesus and the disciples went through a corn field plucking and eating corn, Matthew 12:1, 2. The Pharisees condemned Jesus for doing that because they thought that it violated Jewish law.
To the Jews the law was everything. They said that the law was the way, the truth and the life and was the light that lighted everyman. John took what the Jews said about the law and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6. The law was their religion and was their Jesus, they didn't need another Jesus. They were very happy with their law based religion.
All religions, especially organized religions are based upon law. The Calvinist must adhere to the Calvinist doctrine or religion. The Catholic religion is much the same. All religions have this in common, whether it be the Baptist religion or the Methodist religion you must adhere to their doctrines and their beliefs. This is what makes them a religion. Christianity is NOT a religion. Christianity is based upon faith, not religion. This is why Paul said, "The Just Shall Live By Faith" Romans 1:17. and not by rules, laws or religion.
The Gospel is 100% about Jesus Christ, all that we are required to do is believe it. Those that believe it and embrace it as their only means of salvation, plus nothing, are given the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13. The rest, like the Pharisees that have made their religion their Jesus are very happy with it and continue in it, unfortunately, they are without the real Jesus and are resting in their religion.
