James 1:17 says that every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, in whom is no variableness (no changing) neither even any shadow of turning. When you feel the least bit of envy or any kind of strife within yourself toward anyone of a different denomination, or against anyone that does not attend church regularly, then you can be assured this is from satan and not from God, and this is what makes one a hypocrite.
satan is the first one to scream; That's of the devil! That's of the devil!: when it pertains to someone else, and also satan is the first to proclaim it to be of God when it applies to the self.
The ingrafted Word in you speaks of better things than this, for the shedding of His life speaks of better things than Abel, and this ingrafted Word in you does not come from any book. He is a "being".
This is not something you first read or hear and then you apply it to your life until it sinks into your heart, for He has always been there, and if it were not for the envy and strife within yourself you would not have lied against the truth, for He is truth. He is able to save your souls, and only Him. Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
If Jesus should return today as everyone hopes, I wonder what he would think of the fact that we have ignored his word in ourselves, and called his word a book. Of one thing I am certain. Not one of the religious denominations would accept or receive him, for he would not act the way they would think he should act, nor go where they would think he should go.
They would all be as the Samaritan village mentioned in Luke 9:51-56. When they thought he was coming to them, they were ready to gladly receive him, but when he made as if to pass them by, they were ready to stone him and his disciples. That they acted venomously is shown in that the disciples wanted to call fire down and destroy them.
In Romans 1:18,19; it says "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the Truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest (plain to see) in them; for God hath shewed it unto them". To put it in plainer American English, the word of the Lord within them is the Truth, and He is all that can be known of God. God has revealed Him, the Truth, which is the Word, to them, but they hold Him, or keep Him in unrighteousness.
In Romans 8:18 Paul tells of the glory which will be revealed in us in the last days. The Truth, or the word of the Lord, or the Word, or Christ Jesus, or whatever you want to call Him is in each one of us, and He is the express image and glory of God. But when they knew God, within themselves, they glorified Him not as God, but made the incorruptible God like unto corruptible man, and made the Truth of God into a lie.
Jesus/the Word, said; Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have eternal life (John 5:39,40).
In other words, there is no eternal life in ink on paper, even if you do think there is. The Scriptures testify of the Word, or the Word of the Lord, and if we turn from the Scriptures to what they are testifying of, or to where they are pointing, and come to Him, then, and only then will you have eternal life.
The only way one can pass from death to life is by loving others as Jesus loved us. When people start going to church and accept Jesus as their personal Savior, you dearly love every thing and everyone... for a short time. Then you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, and try to live for God with the flesh, and "poof" there goes their charity, and there goes your life. You notice the continuous joy and peace has faded, and you don't know why, some people just learn to accept it as normal.
What happened was Jesus gave you a kickstart, now you must pick up and follow Him, because you are slumped in this state until once again, you start loving others as God loves us. Then, and only then will you be like Him. This time it must be done by free will, by practice, deliberately, and then it will last. This is why we are told to ask, seek and knock.
The Final Step
The final step will be the hardest yet for anyone to take. It will not be easy to admit we never did understand, even though God told us we would hear, and not understand, and we would see, and not perceive. But whoever has believed God in anything?
Our heart has been made fat, and our ears heavy, and our eyes made blind to anything of the spirit, Just as Isaiah foretold in Isaiah 6:9-10, for fear that we might hear and see and understand and be healed. Why? Because without the same love and mercy for others that God has for us, no way could we fit into His kingdom.
In Matt. 18:19, Jesus said: Again I say unto you, (evidently He had said it before), That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. He next said we should forgive anyone seventy times seven. That is four hundred and ninety times. Do you think God would do less?
How much mercy does one have that will readily agree with someone else that many will burn in the hell in an eternal barbeque they have imagined, when they could have just as easily agreed that no one burn in that hell and all would be saved?
If any will consider it, I have shown that there is not one person on the earth that understands the ways of God, who does not have the same unconditional love and mercy and justice that God has. And this is exactly as God meant it to be, and said it would be.
The whole duty of man has always been, according to Micah 6:8, to do justly, and love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Does anyone think they can walk humbly with God without the same unconditional, unselfish, out flowing love that God has? And without the same mercy for all others that He has shown to us?
Also, in Ecclesiastes 12:13 we read; "... Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. And just what is His commandments? To love God and love others as He has loved us.
The entire chapter of 1st John 4 shows that the only way we know that we love God is when we love others. Now, it is up to each one of us. Just how much of an earthquake will it take for us to be willing to turn loose of our dogmas?
Make no mistake about it. We all will turn them loose, but what will it take? Remember, God is not in any earthquake, but all that can be shaken will be shaken, so that only that which cannot be shaken will remain. So be it.
Look within to the gift God gave;
The Christ who came to seek and save,
And raise us from our fleshly fall
To God the Father, All in All.
It does not help to fret and fuss;
Just wait, and He will come to us,
That where He is, there we may be
As one in God eternally.
It can't be done with fleshly power.
We cannot know the day or hour.
While buried neath this fleshly sod;
Be still, and know that "I Am", God.