There was no religion in the early church. Paul never attempted to establish a religion. If anything Paul opposed trying to put a label on the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 1:12-17.
The only religion in the New Testament was Pharisaism. The Jews took the ordinances and the law and created the Torah, which was their book of religion. They lived by the Torah. They refered to the Torah as being the way, the truth and the life. John took what they said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.
RELIGION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.
Religion is basically faith in religion and not in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. What do Calvinist talk about? They talk about Calvinism. What do Catholics talk about? They talk about the Catholic church. They have faith, but their faith is in their religion and not in Christ and his Gospel.
The early church was born on the day of Pentecost. It was born by the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. God had revealed to the apostles and the world what he had accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. God had reconcilled a whole world of lost sinners unto himself by Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. Those that heard Peter's Gospel and believed it were saved by the thousands, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4.
It was the Gospel that gave birth to the church, not religion. The lowly apostles were transformed into mighty preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-20. As the results of the Gospel Jerusalem was turned upside down. Nothing had ever effected that part of the world more than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
WHERE DID RELIGION COME FROM?
Religion is the result of man's inability to believe the Gospel and live by faith in Christ and his Gospel. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live by Faith" Romans 1:17 and not in rules, laws and religion. Where there is a vacuum, man will fill it with something, his religion. The only thing that God honors in the New Testament is faith. Faith in his Son Jesus Christ, not faith in a religion.
The only religion in the New Testament was Pharisaism. The Jews took the ordinances and the law and created the Torah, which was their book of religion. They lived by the Torah. They refered to the Torah as being the way, the truth and the life. John took what they said about the Torah and applied it to Jesus, John 14:6.
RELIGION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.
Religion is basically faith in religion and not in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. What do Calvinist talk about? They talk about Calvinism. What do Catholics talk about? They talk about the Catholic church. They have faith, but their faith is in their religion and not in Christ and his Gospel.
The early church was born on the day of Pentecost. It was born by the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. God had revealed to the apostles and the world what he had accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. God had reconcilled a whole world of lost sinners unto himself by Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. Those that heard Peter's Gospel and believed it were saved by the thousands, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4.
It was the Gospel that gave birth to the church, not religion. The lowly apostles were transformed into mighty preachers of the Gospel, Acts 4:18-20. As the results of the Gospel Jerusalem was turned upside down. Nothing had ever effected that part of the world more than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
WHERE DID RELIGION COME FROM?
Religion is the result of man's inability to believe the Gospel and live by faith in Christ and his Gospel. Paul said, "The Just Shall Live by Faith" Romans 1:17 and not in rules, laws and religion. Where there is a vacuum, man will fill it with something, his religion. The only thing that God honors in the New Testament is faith. Faith in his Son Jesus Christ, not faith in a religion.