Christians only please - Why do you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel?

Question

Jesus ripped the Pharisees & Sadducees for living by a bunch of non essential rules. Today many "Christians" are doing the same thing.

For example:
Water Baptism - Dunked vs Sprinkled. Don't you think God is looking at a person's heart behind the action?

Which Bible version should we read? Is God big enough to be able to convey to us by the Holy Spirit what he is trying to say through whatever version? Actually, the correct version is the one that you are reading. Is your relationship with the book or the Author?
These are a few obvious ones - there are many more.

The religious spirit (which by the way is a demon) attaches itself to those who choose to live by the letter of the law.

Love covers a multitude of sins.

Christians - be aware of the devises of the enemy of our soul. Our battle is not against people but it is to be directed against the kingdom of darkness through the power of prayer.

Did you read the end of the book? Who wins?

I am not saying water baptism is not necessary. Just the method by which it is done.

Answer 1

Living religiously is not what God wants He wants us free of all the the legalism and acts and works When we get up there I don't think God will Ask what denomination and were you Republican or Democrat?( just had to through that in the mix)

As you said it so well its with the relationship we have With the one who Spoke it into existence as in God spoke Light so there was light-God speaks and things happen. What we say more than likely has action behind it. " Power of Life and Death are in the tonuge"

After being baptized..God said to Jesus "well done my good and Faithful Servant"( i am hoping I said that right cause I don't have my Bible open and its late)Jesus did it so it must mean something of importance.

I live in a town that has a church on every corner YET Its like the town lives under a dark cloud.
What goes wrong??
Why do "splits" happen??
Maybe We get caught up in Pride, Jealously , Envy,offence and the rest of the sins that blind us from God.
God is a People person for all the right reasons we just screw it up with our Flesh that needs to be cast down through selfcontrol,prayer, seeking after God, obeidience and the Spirit Of God. His people know His voice.
"God is A Spirit Those that Worship Him must Worship in Spirit and Truth"
Yes it is a battle We are caught up in...if we do our part(with prayer , telling THE GOOD NEWS and what He has done in Our lives) we can Help God get this thing done its only a matter of time that we will stand before Him and be held accountable.

When people truly grasp and know the true Agape -Godly -Love then Life will be fun and not depressing and tormenting.
Yes, His Love covers ALL sins all we have to do is accept it,turn from our sins(why continue if it leads to death?) and Talk to Him All the time. I've been doing it for some time now and wouldn't trade it for the World.

And Markus I hope I stayed on subject cause I am tired and probably went on "rabbit trails".
Oh Yeah...I have read the end of the book a few times and I do Know Who wins.
God is Good- All the Time!

Answer 2

Attention of an inordinately obsessive nature to extremely fine points of law, and, at the same time, allowing themselves to let slide a very obvious problem. Hence the idea of straining the gnat out of anything eaten or drunk (not so obsessive in our time, but wildly wacko in JC's time) and swallowing a camel is like accepting a howler of a fable at face value, allowing some law, such as respect for one's parents, to be ignored through some minor technicality. JC is very severely criticizing the preaching and actions of the group he is confronting, claiming they will either pay overly close attention to a minor law, or find a way to ignore completely the sense of a major law, providing the answer they end up with is profitable to the priests. He's saying they are hypocrites of the worst sort.

Answer 3

I agree with you half-heartedly. But the 'religious spirit being a demon'? I believe satan has his demons in the kingdom of darkness that prey on humans' souls, but not that the 'religious' spirit is a demon. First time I've heard this. And what do you mean 'person's heart behind the action? I don't feel the method of baptism is all that important, and you say there is a wrong and right way? This is something people have chosen as their way to show God they believe; what difference is it how they are baptised as long as they have chosen to be baptised? And we all know God wins.

Answer 4

I agree. I guess it is human nature to need to make rules for our lives. Gives a feeling of greater control, maybe. I believe a relationship with God is the greatest thing we can have. The Holy Spirit (if we allow it) will direct our lives.

But, we have been told not to give up the practise of meeting with other believers, so I guess we have to make a choice there as to where we meet. God puts us where we need to be to do what He wants us to do for Him.

In the end, we win, if we truly believe in Jesus and what He did for us. For the moment, we are on a journey ...

Answer 5

Hmm? Good question. You made me wonder whether you might be Lutheran or not. A Lutheran might challenge a Baptist in a similar way. I really like your question, "Is your relationship with the book or the Author?" Lutherans believe that Scripture is authenticated by Christ who is the first & final authority. In other words we believe & hold the Bible as holy because we believe in Christ & His words, we do not believe in Christ because of the Bible's words.

But your question, "Don't you think God is looking at a person's heart behind the action?" betrays that you aren't Lutheran. Holy Baptism is indeed a work, but not a human work. Holy Baptism is God's work for us. So the argument would go more like, "baptize" does not exclusively mean "to dunk or submerge", it has variety of meanings, "to apply water by immersing OR washing OR pouring, etc." (We would concede that submersion is a beautiful picture of what is actually happening, but not necessary.) And if God does the work in Baptism, than who are we (humans) to say that He doesn't work the same gifts through sprinkling or immersing, either one?

However, it depends on what you mean by "strain a gnat, swallow a camel". Authentic Lutherans do insist on many things that may look to the outsider as Pharasaic, but in all reality are meant to protect God's pure Law & pure Gospel *for the sake of people*. So we do "strain gnats" when it comes to theology, because it's not just for our own sake but for the sake of all people (especially those who know they need refuge from the world.)

One example is the definition of Holy Baptism as stated above. Sadly, those who believe the falsity that Baptism is something human's do in obedience (rather than something God does for us) are being robbed of the pure Gospel which is Christ's death & resurrection imparted to them (individuals) through Baptism.

Another truth we insist on: Christ died for all sinners, not just the elect. The people who believe that Christ died only for the elect fall either into pride (are convinced that by their own works of "confession" "baptism" "good works", etc. they are saved--which leads to Pharisaic thinking) or into despair (are never convinced with certainty that they are good enough to receive election). This is tragic. If Christ's sacrifice wasn't sufficient for all humans past, present, future whether they rejected that salvation or not, it wasn't sufficient for me (or anyone for that matter.) Is this not why God the Father forgives us "for Christ's sake" (as opposed to "our merit")? This is why it is also a tragedy when someone dies without faith in Christ. He'd already won their salvation, but sadly they rejected it.

Moving on, what do you mean by "prayer"? Prayer in & of itself doesn't have any power and cannot do works. God alone has the power & chooses to work through prayer, but He works far more mightily through His Word (The Bible: Law & Gospel properly distinguished) & Sacraments (Holy Baptism & Holy Communion).

Answer 6

Your personal relationship with Jesus is the only thing that matter. To accept him and believe that he died for your sins. once u have done that, you have came from the dark and have enter the light. now learn of him and how do you do that, read his word. yes the bible and you will learn how to move mountain with just a little bit of faith.

Answer 7

Everyone wins. Everyone follows rules according to their own tenets without fear or favor. And no one "strains at a gnat and swallows a camel"; as I stated, each of us follows the "rules" according to our own individual beliefs.
As for the Bible, it must be taken in context with the knowledge that it is the work of many authors, has undergone many translations and interpretations (and subject to the opinion of the translator/interpretor) and has been re-written many times over centuries and is not verbatim what it was originally.

Answer 8

Jesus Wins

Answer 9

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised EVERYONE OF YOU... for the promise is unto you, and your children... - Acts 2:38-39.
It is very evident by Peter's words that baptism be universal.

Answer 10

Your right we have to pray to let God help us on our jounrey
here and help us to not judge but tell of the love God has
for man,and pray that the Holy Spirit will lead.