"Have we created “convenient Christianity” in this country the same way Jeroboam created a “convenient religion” in Israel? If so, then what are the results of such a perversion of God’s way?"
The convenient religion was started at the time of Constantine, and has been going ever since, just like King Jeroboam started his religion and it was not stopped till God destroyed Israel.
In 274 AD the pagan Roman Emperor Aurelian established a feast for the birth of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) to be kept on the 25th of December, near the Winter Solstice. A few years later Constantine, the next Roman Emperor, became a Christian in 336AD.
Constantine soon after this started the custom of celebrating the Birth of Christ on December 25th, apparently to keep it in line with the pagan ceremonies of the Roman Sun worshippers.
Not only that he kept Sunday not the Sabbath, and forced the church to keep it by outlawing keeping the Sabbath.
This Sunday and Xmass and Easter keeping religion is the convenient religion, none of these festivals are required by God. They are pagan to the core.
Constantine mixed his Sun worship religion with that of the Roman Christians and they accepted it and have kept doing so for the past 1,700 years. Just like King Jeroboam made up a convenient religion and every king after him accepted it, although it was clearly shown to them in scripture and in the example of the Kingdom of Judah, yet they ignored God and the prophets he sent them.
We are to be in the world but not of it.
I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray for You to take them out of the world, but for You to keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
(John 17:14-18)
We are to be in the world as a light to the world, not blend in with the world.
Wow! You knock this one out of the ballpark. This is a warning from God. Thank you for the message.
The last 3 or 4 paragraphs of your article are "right on"!!! Well said and sadly, so very true. An affluent culture brings this on!
You said
"Have we created “convenient Christianity” in this country the same way Jeroboam created a “convenient religion” in Israel? If so, then what are the results of such a perversion of God’s way?"
The convenient religion was started at the time of Constantine, and has been going ever since, just like King Jeroboam started his religion and it was not stopped till God destroyed Israel.
In 274 AD the pagan Roman Emperor Aurelian established a feast for the birth of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) to be kept on the 25th of December, near the Winter Solstice. A few years later Constantine, the next Roman Emperor, became a Christian in 336AD.
Constantine soon after this started the custom of celebrating the Birth of Christ on December 25th, apparently to keep it in line with the pagan ceremonies of the Roman Sun worshippers.
Not only that he kept Sunday not the Sabbath, and forced the church to keep it by outlawing keeping the Sabbath.
This Sunday and Xmass and Easter keeping religion is the convenient religion, none of these festivals are required by God. They are pagan to the core.
Constantine mixed his Sun worship religion with that of the Roman Christians and they accepted it and have kept doing so for the past 1,700 years. Just like King Jeroboam made up a convenient religion and every king after him accepted it, although it was clearly shown to them in scripture and in the example of the Kingdom of Judah, yet they ignored God and the prophets he sent them.
We are to be in the world but not of it.
I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray for You to take them out of the world, but for You to keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
(John 17:14-18)
We are to be in the world as a light to the world, not blend in with the world.
For more on this subject please see my post:
https://friendswithgod.substack.com/p/why-is-christs-birthday-celebrated