{"id":1169,"date":"2015-10-24T07:55:35","date_gmt":"2015-10-24T12:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=1169"},"modified":"2023-06-03T15:44:09","modified_gmt":"2023-06-03T20:44:09","slug":"study-tips","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/study-tips","title":{"rendered":"Study Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>WHY STUDY?<\/strong><br \/>\nWhy do we read the Bible? Here are a few possible reasons:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>For intellectual knowledge of the Bible with which we can impress others when we teach them what we know.<\/li>\n<li>For pride in the knowledge that we can quote scripture.<\/li>\n<li>So that we can memorize scripture thinking that if it is in our head it is in our heart.<\/li>\n<li>Because our pastor or rabbi said we should read.<\/li>\n<li>Because our friends do their Bible study devotions and we want to do what they do so that we will be accepted by them.<\/li>\n<li>Because it is one of the activities our religion prescribes for righteous people.<\/li>\n<li>Because we think that we show our love for God when we study.<\/li>\n<li>So that we can learn religious rules and doctrines so we can practice them religiously.<\/li>\n<li>So we can learn about God with our natural, intellectual minds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>All of these are common reasons why religionists read their Bibles, Torahs and Korans, but they are not what God wants and they are not what he says about how we will know him. For God, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">loving him is all about what is in our hearts<\/a> &#8212; not in our minds. Therefore, if we don&#8217;t study to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+4:23-30;+deuteronomy+4:39;+deuteronomy+5:29;+deuteronomy+6:1-6;+deuteronomy+8:1-2;+deuteronomy+11:18;+deuteronomy+10:12;+deuteronomy+11:13;+deuteronomy+26:16;+deuteronomy+29:1-4;+psalm+37:31;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:40;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\"> know him in our hearts<\/a>, we study\/read for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible actually says that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+7:1-5;+exodus+14;+exodus+29:43-46;+ezekiel+6:1-10;+ezekiel+14:1-11;+ezekiel+16:1-62;+ezekiel+20:42;+ezekiel+22:16;+ezekiel+25;+ezekiel+26:1-6;+ezekiel+28:20-27;+ezekiel+29;+ezekiel+33:23-29;+ezekiel+30;+ezekiel+34:25-30;+ezekiel+39;+jeremiah+16:14-21;+joel+2:18-27;+joel+3\">knowing God is what happens when he brings judgement on religion, delivers people from bondage to religion and makes a New Covenant with them<\/a>. This process is symbolically represented in the Bible as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+6:1-8;+jeremiah+16;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+24:1-7;+ezekiel+6;+ezekiel+7;+ezekiel+12;+ezekiel+20:1-44;+ezekiel+25:11-17;+ezekiel+26;+ezekiel+28:20-26;+ezekiel+29;+ezekiel+30:1-8;+ezekiel+32:1-15;+ezekiel+33:29-33;+ezekiel+35;+ezekiel+36:38;+ezekiel+38;+ezekiel+34:20-31;+ezekiel+39:22-28;+joel+2:18-27;+joel+3;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">judgment and destruction of religious nations (e.g. Egypt, Babylon, Moab, etc.), return of exiles, and restoration of Judah. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>In simple terms, this process describes how individuals are transformed from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#oldcovenant\">Old\/First Covenant<\/a> religionists who follow <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a> to New Covenant disciples who have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">God&#8217;s spiritual laws<\/a> written on their hearts. It is also called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:14-21;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+32:38-39;+ezekiel+18:31;+ezekiel+36:24-27;+psalm+51:10;+ezekiel+11:19;+john+3:3;+john+3:5;+2-corinthians+5:17\">creation and born again with a new heart<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We only come to know God for who he really and know our own hearts after we have been delivered from religion where we have been taught a wrong view of God. This explains why, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">in the New Covenant, the spirit of God &#8212; not other humans, not physical signs and wonders &#8212; teaches us about God.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This personal transformation is not easily interpreted from literal interpretations of the Bible. When reading accounts of deliverance from enemies, there is a tendency to interpret them as historical events for large populations who experience God&#8217;s judgement and deliverance all at once, at a unique time, in a unique place (e.g. Israel coming out of Egypt, Israel going into exile, etc.). If we are to learn from them, we must accept that they are parables of events that will affect us as individuals &#8212; not as groups. If these stories do do not have personal meaning for us today, and if we do not apply what we read to our own lives today, then what God says about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">all scripture being useful for training in righteousness <\/a>is not true.<\/p>\n<p>This way of thinking is a radical contrast with religious <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eschatology\">eschatology<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_eschatology\">Christianity<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_eschatology\">Judaism<\/a> which always wrongly interprets the fulfillment of prophecy in terms of physical, observable events that will happen to large groups of people at unique times. These theories are based on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:1-5;+matthew+24;+luke+21:36;+joel+2:28-32;+daniel+9;+2-peter+3:10-13;+2-peter+3:3-7;+luke+21:11;+1-thessalonians+5:2-11;+2-thessalonians+2:3-4;+mark+13:32;+revelation+12:9;+revelation+14:14-20;+revelation+19:11-18;+revelation+20;+isaiah+2:2\">scriptures which, according to literal interpretations, anticipate an apocalyptic end of the world when Jesus returns<\/a>. In the Bible this concept has its origins in terms such as &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:1-5;+matthew+24:1-14;+2-peter+3:1-13;+1-timothy+4:1;+daniel+12:13;+matthew+13:36-49;+matthew+24:3;+matthew+28:19-20\">end of day&#8221; and&#8221; end of the age<\/a>.&#8221; Various theories about the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rapture\">rapture<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/End_time\">End Times<\/a> come to mind as interpretations of Biblical prophecy being fulfilled in global terms at a singular, unique time.<\/p>\n<p>When applying Biblical stories to our personal lives, however, we should not imagine that prophecy will be fulfilled in our physical bodies, or with events (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\">signs, wonders and miracle<\/a>) that can be observed with our natural eyes, in our lifetime or in some future generation, on a more or less global scale. We must always consider that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:14-21;+ezekiel+36:26;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:39;+ezekiel+18:31;+psalm+51:10;+2-corinthians+3:3\">God&#8217;s spiritual work is always in our hearts<\/a> &#8212; not in our flesh and<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+12:38-39;+luke+11:29-30;+matthew+16:1-4;+deuteronomy+13:1-8\"> not in outward signs that can be seen<\/a>. And he performs that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\/4\">miraculous work<\/a> one person at a time &#8212; not globally or to populations that live at a certain future time. With that understanding, we should interpret and apply these stories on a strictly personal level with no expectation of being swept up into a huge, observable, public phenomenon like religious people imagine when they think about revivals, the rapture or the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:1-5;+matthew+24:1-14;+2-peter+3:1-13;+1-timothy+4:1;+daniel+12:13;+matthew+13:36-49;+matthew+24:3;+matthew+28:19-20\">end of the age<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In contemporary times, media reports the phenomenon of many people leaving religion (see\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">God is Calling People Out of Religion)<\/a> because there is tangible, observable evidence that God is doing something on a large scale. The trend is remarkable in terms of gross numbers, but it actually reports in the aggregate what is really happening imperceptibly, and slowly in individuals spread across the country and perhaps the world.<\/p>\n<p>What we fail to recognize is the fact that the statistics that show many people leaving religion are the accumulated results of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:14-21;+ezekiel+36:26;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:39;+ezekiel+18:31;+psalm+51:10;+2-corinthians+3:3\">spiritual work God has done in the hearts of individuals<\/a> after each one has been delivered from religion. This trend will logically show up in declining church attendance, which is consistent with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/passage\/?q=john+3:1-8\">the way the spirit moves in the hearts of people <\/a>to induce them to leave church as the first step toward becoming a New Covenant disciple.<\/p>\n<p>The way God works imitates the obscurity of new birth that is prophetically represented in Jesus&#8217; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/luke\/passage\/?q=luke+1:26-38\">conception<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/luke\/passage\/?q=luke+2:1-7\">birth.<\/a> This well-known story is actually a parable that anticipates the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/passage\/?q=john+3:1-8\">spiritual rebirth<\/a> (i.e. they are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\/5\">born again<\/a>) that people experience when they leave Old\/First Covenant religion and become New Covenant disciples. The so-called &#8220;Christmas Story&#8221; is not the story of one, unique person (i.e. Jesus) being born. Rather, it is the common story of new birth of everyone who transitions from Old\/First Covenant religion to being New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p>Going back to the question of why we study, we can conclude that the reason for study is to observe in scripture the many different ways that Biblical characters throughout the Bible, beginning with Adam, have experienced spiritual rebirth and then apply their experiences (i.e. things they did right and things they did wrong) and God&#8217;s ways of dealing with them to our own lives.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">COMMENTARY ON BIBLE CHARACTERS: Most religious people believe that the <a href=\"https:\/\/overviewbible.com\/authors-who-wrote-bible\/\">Bible was written by Bible characters<\/a> (e.g. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, Luke, etc.). Whether any of these characters actually lived or not is irrelevant because we do not study the Bible to learn history. Rather, we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/2\">study the Bible to hear God&#8217;s spoken word<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 200px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/2\">Listen to God&#8217;s Voice While Reading<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">The important thing about Bible characters who are quoted as though they spoke for God is whether the did in fact speak for God. When they said &#8220;hear the word of the Lord,&#8221; were they actually speaking for God? Are they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+3:34;+jeremiah+26:1-5;+ezekiel+2:1-7;+2-chronicles+36:15;+acts+3:26;+revelation+1:1;+deuteronomy+18:18;+isaiah+51:15-16;+john+17:1-8;+isaiah+59:21;+deuteronomy+32:1;+job+22:22;+psalm+19:14;+proverbs+12:6;+jeremiah+1:9;+jeremiah+5:14;+hosea+6:5;+daniel+9:9-11;+2-peter+1:19-21\">prophets of God, sent by God to speak for God<\/a> or not? If they are and if they do, then we want to pay special attention to what is written about them and what they say. They are all examples of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\" data-slimstat=\"5\">true prophets<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/angels\" data-slimstat=\"5\">angels<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\" data-slimstat=\"5\">messiahs<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/the-high-priest\" data-slimstat=\"5\">high priests<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenants-part-2\/7#witnessdefined\" data-slimstat=\"5\">witnesses<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/model-warriors\" data-slimstat=\"5\">warriors<\/a>. We learn from their words and actions just like we learn from Jesus&#8217; words and actions. What we learn is how to conduct our lives as New Covenant disciples which we want to be.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 200px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\">People<\/a> for understanding of how Bible characters should be interpreted.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">This does not mean,however, that we do not pay attention to characters that clearly are not sent by God (e.g. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/5#pharaohs\">Pharaoh<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/balaam\">Balaam<\/a>, Ahab, Jezebel, Herod, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/judas\">Judas<\/a>, etc.). We learn from these characters also. They are all examples of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/serpent-devil-satan-adversary-demons-evil-spirits-and-anti-christs\">Serpents, Devils, Satan, Adversaries, Demons, Evil Spirits and Anti-Christs. <\/a>What we learn from these characters is how not to conduct our lives because they are all examples of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#oldcovenant\">Old\/First Covenant<\/a> religionists which we do not want to be. Learning to know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys, therefore, is critical to profitable Bible study. We must know how to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/2\">DISCERN BETWEEN CLEAN AND UNCLEAN, HOLY AND PROFANE, SOUL AND SPIRIT, and GOOD AND EVIL.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">When we are religious, we read the Bible for the wrong reasons and are not able to distinguish\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">True Prophets<\/a> from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">False Prophets<\/a>. After we are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\/6\">born again<\/a>, however, God&#8217;s spirit will teach us which is which. God&#8217;s spirit makes scriptures come alive for us and we are able to see ourselves as good or evil. This is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:13-17;+john+16:7-9\">what the spirit is able to do<\/a> to those who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/2\">study while listening to God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since people in all generations live in religious environments, the challenges to spiritual rebirth are always represented in terms of negative religious influences present in surrounding <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/gowy.html\">nations (i.e. people)<\/a> that God represents as the enemy. In the example of the birth of Jesus, these opposing influences are represented in Herod and Jerusalem&#8217;s religious leaders. They are discussed in greater detail in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">Religion is the Enemy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If we do not recognize these influences in our own lives while reading, we have missed God&#8217;s hidden messages and warnings to us about our relationship with religion that interferes with our relationship with him. Moreover, if we do not recognize these negative influences, that is a sure sign that we are still captives in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\">spiritual Babylon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">COMING OUT OF BABYLON<\/a> IS BEST DONE IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS<\/strong><br \/>\nThe most common references to God&#8217;s enemies are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">Egypt, Babylon and the enemy nations that lived in the Promised Land.<\/a> These enemy nations represent the world of religion in which we live and with whom we engage in a fight for life and death. They also represent the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/revelation\/11-15.html\">Kingdom of the World which will be overcome by the Kingdom of God <\/a>in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+14;+revelation+17;+revelation+18\">several key prophecies. <\/a>When reading these prophecies we must avoid common theories that point to a unique &#8220;end time&#8221; for the entire world. Rather, we must think in terms of the end of the world of religion for us as individuals as we respond to God&#8217;s invitation to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=revelation+18:1-5;+isaiah+21:1-9;+jeremiah+51:1-8;+revelation+14:1-8\">come out of Babylon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIPS: To get a vision of what it means to come out of Babylon, it is\u00a0 good to look at the book of Nehemiah where we see a parable of the attitudes, trials and challenges of leaving Old\/First Covenant religion on the way of becoming New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Also see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/time-hours-days-weeks-and-ages\">Time: Hours, Days, Weeks and Ages<\/a> for understanding of the symbolic use of time in the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>This theme of coming out of Babylon symbolically represents rejection of Old\/First Covenant practices in favor of the New Covenant. Thus it could be said that those who leave Babylon have been, or are being spiritually reborn into New Covenant disciples. In our studies, therefore, we should be able to interpret Israel&#8217;s repeated struggles (some effective and some not) against religion as their efforts to come out of Babylon.<\/p>\n<p>Borrowing language from end times doctrines, it could also be said that those who have escaped Babylon have already been <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rapture\">raptured<\/a> &#8212; but not in the sense that they are physically <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/1-thessalonians\/passage\/?q=1-thessalonians+4:15-18\">caught up in the clouds<\/a> as human doctrines based on literal interpretations of the Bible suggest. What they are in fact caught up in is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+66:1-2;+psalm+11:4;+matthew+5:34-35;+matthew+23:22;+acts+7:48-49;+2-samuel+7:1-5;+1-kings+8:22-27\">spiritual heaven which is where God&#8217;s throne is (i.e. their hearts). <\/a><\/p>\n<p>It can also be said, however, that many who have left religion have not yet matured into New Covenant disciples. They are free from religion, and may be wandering in the wilderness, but they have not yet entered into the Promised Land of New Covenant discipleship. On the way, they must engage in warfare with their enemies as they <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/philippians\/passage\/?q=philippians+2:12-17\">work out their salvation with fear and trembling<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network exists to give individuals who have been, or are being called out of religion a Biblical framework in which they can interpret and understand their own personal journey and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=galatians+2:1-5;+galatians+5:1;+1-corinthians+16:13;+acts+15:10;+joshua+1;+1-timothy+6:12;+2-timothy+4:1-7;+2-peter+2\">resist going back into religious bondage<\/a>.\u00a0 It also exists to inform people who are still in religion that the Bible stories of deliverance and judgment prophetically anticipate God&#8217;s historical efforts to move people out of Old\/First Covenant religion and transform them into New Covenant disciples.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>What we learn from media reports about people leaving religion is that the prophetic <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+6:1-8;+jeremiah+16;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+24:1-7;+ezekiel+6;+ezekiel+7;+ezekiel+12;+ezekiel+20:1-44;+ezekiel+25:11-17;+ezekiel+26;+ezekiel+28:20-26;+ezekiel+29;+ezekiel+30:1-8;+ezekiel+32:1-15;+ezekiel+33:29-33;+ezekiel+35;+ezekiel+36:38;+ezekiel+38;+ezekiel+34:20-31;+ezekiel+39:22-28;+joel+2:18-27;+joel+3;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">Bible stories of judgment, destruction and rebirth\/restoration<\/a> are being played out in thousands, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions of individuals in these modern times. For them, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:1-5;+matthew+24:1-14;+2-peter+3:1-13;+1-timothy+4:1;+daniel+12:13;+matthew+13:36-49;+matthew+24:3;+matthew+28:19-20\">end of the age<\/a> of religion has already happened or is somewhere in the process of happening even though religion is still very much alive in the world. What Bible readers should want to learn, therefore, is where they are in the journey from Old\/First Covenant religion to the New Covenant. But where are they in the journey?<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Are they still practicing Old\/First Covenant religion in Egypt and Babylon?<\/li>\n<li>Are they somewhere in the process of being delivered from religion but not fully free from it?<\/li>\n<li>Have they been fully delivered from religion to the degree that they are now New Covenant disciples?<\/li>\n<li>Have they left religion but are still under religious influences that might make them want to return to it?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The reality is that most people are still in Egypt\/Babylon. They are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">enslaved to religion<\/a> and don&#8217;t know it. They need to know, however, that they are in bondage and that God is the only one who can deliver them. The deliverance process begins when they <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=exodus+2:21-24;+exodus+3:1-10;+exodus+6:1-8;+1-samuel+9:15-16;+nehemiah+1;+nehemiah+9;+psalm+22:1-8;+psalm+106;+jeremiah+51;+lamentations+3;+acts+7:30-34;+hebrews+5:1-7\">confess their sin of practicing religion and cry out for God&#8217;s deliverance<\/a> from the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\"> enemy that enslaves and persecutes them.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Of course religion will not teach about this process because doing so would mean the end of religion which is always looking to promote and secure its place in the hearts of people. Furthermore, the end of religion would mean the end of income and status for religious leaders. Therefore, anyone who wants to be delivered from religion should not expect anyone who is still involved with to religion to help them find their way out of religion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network is one resource to help people find their way out of bondage to religion. But it is only a resource. No one should depend entirely on it or the networking connections it offers for instruction on why anyone should want to get out of religion or how to actually make the transition. God is the one who delivers.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But people who might want to leave religion have a big problem. They have been trained\/<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\">intoxicated<\/a> with a belief they cannot learn about God on their own. Like the Israelites of old and Jews past and present, they choose to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/exodus\/passage\/?q=exodus+20:1-21\"> keep their distance from God by listening to a religious leader instead of listening to God themselves<\/a>. Thus it can be said that it is in the spiritual DNA of Jews and Christians to depend on other religious people (e.g. pastors, priests, rabbis, teachers, etc.) for instruction just like Israel depended on Moses. That is why they typically go to churches, synagogues and conferences to hear teachers, and it is why they purchase religious books, teaching CDs and music. Having chosen to do all these religious things, they remain spiritual <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1-corinthians+3:2;+hebrews+5:12-13;+1-peter+2:2\">infants who nurse on milk from a human teacher instead of eating solid spiritual food directly from God.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In summary, it must be said that Jews and Christians are poorly equipped to study and learn about God by listening to his voice themselves. Worse yet, they like it that way and can&#8217;t deliver themselves from this habit. They need God to open their spiritual eyes and ears.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network will appeal to people who are no longer satisfied with religion as usual are eager to learn how to hear God&#8217;s voice through disciplined Bible study. They are ready to have God<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/parallel-bible\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:7-13&amp;t=nas&amp;t2=niv\"> deliver them from evil<\/a> (i.e. religion).<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The study tip we are trying to communicate here is that it is very hard to break free from religion all alone. It is a lonely, difficult process that is best done in the company of others who are also trying to gain freedom from their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\/4#addictedtoreligion\">addiction to religion<\/a>. This is why we encourage Religion Detox Network participants to scan the forums for potential friends with whom they can study and grow together. The benefits of joint study are discussed in some detail in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/5\">STUDY WITH OTHERS:<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>ONLY GOD CAN OPEN EYES TO SEE AND EARS TO HEAR<\/strong><br \/>\nWhile human resources can be helpful for learning about righteousness, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+isaiah+6:9-10;+ezekiel+12:1-16;+matthew+13:10-17;+acts+28:26-27;+romans+11:1-8;+john+12:40;+ephesians+1:16-18\">God is the only one who has the power to open the eyes<\/a> of people who are so blinded by religion that they cannot see why they should want to be delivered from it. And his chosen vehicles for teaching are his spirit and the Bible &#8212; not <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">human teachers<\/a>. That is why we find that the Bible says that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17;+romans+15:1-4\">all scripture is useful for correction, rebuke and training in righteousness. <\/a>But these results are not achieved unless and until our eyes are opened to show the way to salvation by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:20-25;+exodus+19:1-5;+jeremiah+7:23-26;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+22:21;+psalm+106:25;+nehemiah+9:29;+jeremiah+11:10;+jeremiah+13:11;+zechariah+7:11;+isaiah+46:12;+matthew+13:15\">listening to God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>. That means we no longer read and interpret the Bible exclusively for its literal content as human teachers do and teach. It also means that we no longer listen to the teachings of false prophets (i.e. religious leaders).\u00a0 Our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+isaiah+6:9-10;+ezekiel+12:1-16;+matthew+13:10-17;+acts+28:26-27;+romans+11:1-8;+john+12:40;+ephesians+1:16-18\">spiritual eyes and ears must first be opened<\/a> before we can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:20-25;+exodus+19:1-5;+jeremiah+7:23-26;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+22:21;+psalm+106:25;+nehemiah+9:29;+jeremiah+11:10;+jeremiah+13:11;+zechariah+7:11;+isaiah+46:12;+matthew+13:15\">listen to God&#8217;s voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When studying the Bible, therefore, we should first look for scripture that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/passage\/?q=john+16:5-11\">convicts and corrects us<\/a> of the many ways in which we are or have been <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\">religious<\/a>. The stumbling block for us, however, is that these scriptures are hidden in difficult language (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">parables, dark sayings, proverbs and riddles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">figures, words of the wise and riddles, <\/a><span class=\"verse-12\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/job\/passage\/?q=job+33:9-19\">dreams, enigmas and difficult problems, figurative language, dreams and visions, <\/a><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+5:14;+hebrews+11:19\">types and patterns<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:12-17;+genesis+17:11;+exodus+13:16;+numbers+6:7;+deuteronomy+6:8;+deuteronomy+11:18;+joshua+4:1-6;+isaiah+8:18;+isaiah+19:20;+isaiah+20:3;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+24:3;+galatians+4:24;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+11:19;+1-peter+3:20-21;+revelation+11:1-8;+revelation+17:1-5\">symbols, signs and allegories<\/a>) that can be interpreted only by New Covenant disciples. Some of these difficult scriptures are explained in the following pages:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-1687 page_item_has_children current_page_ancestor current_page_parent\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\">Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies, Shadows and Patterns<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2355\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\">Bread, Food and Wine<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2243\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\">Cities, Kingdoms and Nations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2259 current_page_item\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\">Egypt and Babylon<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2238\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/fourth-commandment\">Fourth Commandment<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2247\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/kings-queens-and-princes\">Kings, Queens and Princes<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-1683\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/land-and-earth\">Land and Earth<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2234\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/fourth-commandment\/sabbath-fasting-rest\">Sabbath, Fasting and Rest<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-2410\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\">Signs, Wonders and Miracles<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-1913\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/the-high-priest\">The High Priest<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-1828\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/wood-gold-silver-stone\">Wood, Gold, Silver, Stone<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>When we find difficult scriptures, here is how we should respond:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Confess to God that we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+13:1-16;+john+12:36-40;+acts+28:27;+isaiah+6:1-10;+zechariah+7\">hard heart that makes it impossible for us to understand what we read<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+106;+daniel+9;+nehemiah+9:1-30;+isaiah+6:1-7;+psalm+51\">Confess that our practice has been to listen to the teachings of false prophets to acquire knowledge of God.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+32:1-5;+leviticus+26:40-42;+psalm+38:1-18;+psalm+51:1-15;+james+5:16;+1-john+1:9\">Confess our guilt for practicing the sin of religion<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1-kings+8:33-51;+2-chronicles+6:19-39;+psalm+7:12;+isaiah+1:27;+jeremiah+5:1-3;+ezekiel+14:6;+ezekiel+18:30;+matthew+3:1-2;+matthew+4:17;+matthew+11:20;+matthew+21:32;+luke+13:1-5;+luke+16:30;+acts+3:19;+acts+17:30;+acts+26:20;+2-timothy+2:25;+revelation+2:1-5;+revelation+3:1-3;+revelation+3:19;+revelation+9:20-21;+revelation+16:9-11\">Repent (i.e. turn) for having participated in religious practices and traditions<\/a> that have<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+4:1-4;+1-timothy+6:1-5\"> blinded us to spiritual truth.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+7:7-11;+1-john+3:21-22;+colossians+1:9;+james+1:5;+proverbs+23:23;+2-chronicles+1:1-12;+proverbs+2;+proverbs+3:1-26;+proverbs+4:1-11;+proverbs+5:1-13;+proverbs+7:1-4;+proverbs+8:1-14;+ecclesiastes+1:13-16;+ecclesiastes+2:26;+daniel+9:1-23;+luke+2:46-52;+ephesians+1:16-18\">Ask God to give us eyes to see and ears to hear so we may receive spiritual instruction, wisdom knowledge and understanding<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Wait and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:20-25;+exodus+19:1-5;+jeremiah+7:23-26;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+22:21;+psalm+106:25;+nehemiah+9:29;+jeremiah+11:10;+jeremiah+13:11;+zechariah+7:11;+isaiah+46:12;+matthew+13:15\">listen for God&#8217;s voice to explain\u00a0 scriptures<\/a> that we do not understand.<\/li>\n<li>Give thanks to God for opening our eyes when understanding does come.<\/li>\n<li>Look for opportunities to share our new understanding (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/teach\">teach<\/a>) with religious people and other New Covenant disciples.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Even before reading, we must keep in mind that God has a condition that must be satisfied before he will instruct us: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+14:1-11;+1-kings+22:1-23\">We must not concurrently seek to learn about God from false prophets. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>God, in his wisdom, does not open the spiritual eyes of people who insist on seeking instruction about God from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\/5\">men who presume to speak knowledgeably about God<\/a>. This includes all persons, male or female, young or old, who have a public ministry and take on a label (e.g. father, rabbi, priest, bishop, teacher, apostle, pastor,counselor, etc.) that identifies them as someone who knows God, knows about God, and is qualified to speak for God by interpreting scripture. In God&#8217;s view, all such people are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/exodus\/passage\/?q=exodus+20:1-5#\">gods and idols that people serve and worship<\/a> by listening to them, by obeying what they teach and by honoring them with praise and offerings (i.e. financial compensation).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:26-27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11;+isaiah+54:10-14;+john+6:44-45\">God is very clear and firm in his desire to teach people directly through his spirit speaking to their hearts<\/a>. It is absolutely necessary, therefore, that people who want to hear God for themselves must stop seeking religious instruction from human teachers. The reason for this condition is found in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:20-24;+luke+16:10-13\">&#8220;two masters&#8221; principle<\/a>.<br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>LOOK FOR THE RIGHTEOUS ALTERNATIVE TO RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen studying, we should always look for scriptures that instruct us about God&#8217;s righteous alternative to religion: Being a<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\"> New Covenant disciple<\/a>. When Jesus said <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\">&#8220;go and make disciples,&#8221; <\/a>these are the kinds of disciples he was referring to.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">COMMENTARY ON MAKING DISCIPLES: Christians use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/matthew\/28-19.html\">Matthew 28:19<\/a> to justify their evangelistic efforts. Their definition of a disciple is not, however, the same as God&#8217;s definition. God&#8217;s ideal disciple is one who<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/nas\/mathetes.html\"> learns how to hear his voice<\/a> and then speaks what he\/she hears to others.<\/p>\n<p>New covenant disciples always and only<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\/religion-is-idolatry\/4#spiritandtruth\"> worship God in spirit and truth.<\/a> This kind of worship is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\">pure religion<\/a>. Old\/First Covenant religionists always and only worship in ways that God considers to be <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\">defiled religion<\/a>. Worship in spirit and truth is righteous worship. Worship in ways that fit the pattern of defiled religion is sin.<\/p>\n<p>When we study the Bible, one of our motives for study should be to ***If we are not convicted and corrected by scripture of our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\">personal sin regarding the practice of religion<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/#definitionofsin\">listening to religious teachers instead of listening to God&#8217;s voice,<\/a>\u00a0we are not studying the Bible for spiritual understanding. We are only reading for intellectual knowledge which is what religion does and teaches to us do.<\/p>\n<p>We will know that we are reading the Bible for the right reasons with the right heart attitude when God<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+ezekiel+12:1-3;+ezekiel+40:1-4;+mark+8:14-20;+luke+10:21-24;+romans+11:1-10;+isaiah+6:1-10;+isaiah+43:1-8;+jeremiah+5:20-21;+matthew+13:13-18;+mark+4:8-18;+luke+8:1-10;+john+9:39-41;+john+12:37-40;+acts+28:17-28\"> opens our eyes to understand<\/a> it in new ways that make much more sense to us than all the literal interpretations that human teachers ever taught us. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/proverbs\/13-11.html#\">Little by little<\/a>, the meanings of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">parables, dark sayings, proverbs and riddles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">figures, words of the wise and riddles, <\/a><span class=\"verse-12\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/job\/passage\/?q=job+33:9-19\">dreams, enigmas and difficult problems, figurative language, dreams and visions, <\/a><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+5:14;+hebrews+11:19\">types and patterns<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:12-17;+genesis+17:11;+exodus+13:16;+numbers+6:7;+deuteronomy+6:8;+deuteronomy+11:18;+joshua+4:1-6;+isaiah+8:18;+isaiah+19:20;+isaiah+20:3;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+24:3;+galatians+4:24;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+11:19;+1-peter+3:20-21;+revelation+11:1-8;+revelation+17:1-5\">symbols, signs and allegories <\/a>will become clear as the spirit of<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34\"> God writes his laws on our hearts. <\/a>These spiritual laws embody God&#8217;s righteous alternative to religion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">The Heart is the Place <\/a>for understanding of God&#8217;s focus.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"verse-16\">We should read the entire Bible, therefore, to understand the differences between the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=isaiah+31:1-4;+matthew+26:40-41;+john+3:1-6;+john+6:63-64;+romans+8:1-13;+romans+7:6;+2-corinthians+3:5-8;+2-corinthians+3:1-10\">literal laws\/commandments that lead to death (i.e. Old\/First Covenant) and the spiritual law that leads to a righteous life (i.e. New Covenant)<\/a>. All other motives for reading are purely religious. Religious people may be impressed with regular Bible study, memorizing and quoting of scripture, but God is not impressed if we do these things with the motive of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-6;+matthew+6:16-18;+matthew+23:1-12;+luke+20:46-47;+luke+21:1;+john+5:41-44;+john+12:37-43;+romans+2:29;+john+7:18;+2-corinthians+5:12\">looking good to other religious people<\/a>. For God, the right motive is to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\"> receive training and correction<\/a> that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:14-21;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+32:38-39;+ezekiel+18:31;+ezekiel+36:24-27;+psalm+51:10;+ezekiel+11:19;+john+3:3;+john+3:5;+2-corinthians+5:17\">transforms our hearts<\/a>. God and others will know when this happens when our hearts change from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">evil and impure<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">good and pure.<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">Religion is the Kingdom of False Prophets<\/a>, then the righteous alternative to religion is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:40;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11;+psalm+143:10;+luke+12:11-12\">God&#8217;s kingdom established in the hearts of New Covenant disciples.<\/a> He wants to do this because the heart is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\">Place Where God Will Place His Name<\/a> (i.e. his character).<\/p>\n<p>The process of writing his laws on the hearts of his people can be fulfilled only when people <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:20-25;+exodus+19:1-5;+jeremiah+7:23-26;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+22:21;+psalm+106:25;+nehemiah+9:29;+jeremiah+11:10;+jeremiah+13:11;+zechariah+7:11;+isaiah+46:12;+matthew+13:15\">listen to God&#8217;s voice<\/a>. But this cannot happen unless and until people first <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">come out of religion<\/a> and stop following <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">religious laws<\/a>. Only when they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/ezekiel\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+14:1-11\">stop listening to false prophets<\/a> will they able to reliably <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">hear God&#8217;s voice,<\/a> and only then will they be able to follow God&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a> which are the righteous alternative to religion.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, people either follow <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a> made by men, or they follow God&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a>. Or, to put the alternatives in terms of righteousness or sin, they either eat fruit of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeoflife\">Tree of Life<\/a> or from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeofknowledgeofgoodandevil\">Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil<\/a>. One tree leads to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#spirituallife\">spiritual life<\/a> and the other leads to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#spiritualdeath\">spiritual death<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>God&#8217;s preference, of course is that his people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/deuteronomy\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+30:15-20\">choose spiritual life<\/a>. That choice is good for God and for his people.<\/p>\n<p>The essence of this choice is this: What kind of heart do they want to have? Do they choose to have a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">clean, pure heart<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:14-21;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+32:38-39;+ezekiel+18:31;+ezekiel+36:24-27;+psalm+51:10;+ezekiel+11:19;+john+3:3;+john+3:5;+2-corinthians+5:17\">created by God\u00a0<\/a>who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">writes his spiritual laws on their heart<\/a>? Or, do they choose to retain the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">evil, impure heart<\/a> that they have created for themselves along with help from their religious friends who teach them to follow<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\"> religious laws<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>Choosing the clean, pure heart, of course, is the righteous alternative.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>STUDY TO ENTER THE KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN <\/strong><br \/>\nJesus said that it is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=eye+camel&amp;t=rsv&amp;c=all\">easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. <\/a>He was speaking to all people who think they are blessed (i.e. rich) because of their religious heritage, the truth of their religious doctrines, the rightness of their religious practices, and the comfort and praise they receive for being members in good standing of a religious community. These are the qualities of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/2\">religious pride<\/a> that God symbolically refers to when he talks of wealth, riches and possessions. They are all the stuff of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+31:1-4;+matthew+26:40-41;+john+3:1-6;+john+6:63-64;+romans+8:1-13\">flesh that leads to death and not of the spirit that leads to life.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The story of the rich man emphasizes the difficulty religious people have trying to escape religion (i.e. the kingdom that can be shaken) where they are prisoners and enter the Kingdom of God (i.e. the kingdom that cannot be shaken) where they are free. We are all members of one kingdom or the other. Hopefully people who have dropped out of religion have not just dropped out to do nothing. Hopefully, they will study to enter the Kingdom of God. But, like the story about the rich man says, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/revelation\/11-15.html\">passage from the kingdom of the world of religion) to the Kingdom of God <\/a>is hard to accomplish. This is because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+6:16-23;+romans+7:14-25\">we are prisoners and slaves to our fleshly, religious instincts which we cannot control.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>People who are religious and even those who are not religious are members of a kingdom that can be shaken. Recalling that end times prophecies are to applied personally and not globally, we conclude from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/daniel\/2.html\">Daniel&#8217;s interpretation of <\/a><span class=\"verse-1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/daniel\/2.html\">Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar&#8217;s (King of Babylon) dream, <\/a>and from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+14;+revelation+17;+revelation+18\">prophecies in Revelation<\/a>, that Babylon and all kingdoms, both personal and corporate, will be crushed\/shaken\/overcome by the Kingdom of God. When and how that will happen will be personal and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=acts+14:21-22;+romans+2:9;+romans+12:12;+1-thessalonians+1:6;+hebrews+10:33;+revelation+1:9;+revelation+7:14\">full of tribulation<\/a> for each individual because no one likes to have their known, secure world upset or shaken in any way. Therefore, coming out of religion is not easy. This is a bad news warning to all religious people who might want to quit religion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network exists to encourage people who have doubts about their religion by reading first-hand testimonies of people who have successfully escaped from religion. These stories will verify the trials of leaving friends and family and report on the ultimate freedom achieved through perseverance.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The good news, however, is that those who persevere through the tribulation that they receive at the hand of religious people can successfully <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/revelation\/11-15.html\">transition from one kingdom to the other.<\/a> That does not mean, however, that God unilaterally moves us from one kingdom to the other without our participation. What we must do is not as simple as being baptized, saying a prayer, having hands laid on us, going to a revival meeting or lighting a candle because the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/luke\/passage\/?q=luke+17:20-21\">kingdom does not come with signs that can be seen with the natural eye<\/a>. God is looking for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/parallel-bible\/passage\/?q=2+timothy+2:15-16&amp;t=nas&amp;t2=kjv\">evidence that we want to be delivered<\/a>, and he finds that evidence in our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+19:29;+mark+10:28-31;+luke+18:29\">willingness to leave the comfort, security and familiarity of our religious family, friends, teachers <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=mark+7:3-9;isaiah+29:13\">traditions<\/a>. It begins with crying out for deliverance, followed by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+9:20-21;+matthew+3:1-2;+matthew+4:12-17;+matthew+11:20;+mark+1:14-15;+luke+13:1-5;+acts+8:18-24;+revelation+2\">repentance for engaging in religion (i.e. physical works, following other gods),<\/a> followed by study to learn <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+hebrews+8:8-12;+hebrews+10:16-17\">God&#8217;s righteous alternative to religion<\/a>. He exposes this evidence by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/deuteronomy\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+8:1-3#\">testing our hearts to learn if we will keep his commandments and trust that man lives by the spoken word of God <\/a>instead of trusting he teachings of men and following a religion based on the literal words of the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>As we said before, these lessons are not learned quickly or easily. Israel spent forty years in the wilderness where <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=hebrews+3;+hebrews+4:1-9;+numbers+14;+1-corinthians+10:1-12;+deuteronomy+1:19-46\">God readied his people for entrance into the Promised Land (i.e. New Covenant\/Kingdom of God). <\/a>There he detoxified some, but not all, of Israel from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+20:1-8;+leviticus+18:1-4;+deuteronomy+29:16-18\">religious practices that they had learned in Egypt.<\/a> Ex-religionists who want to enter the promised land may not spend a literal forty years getting cleansed from their old religious beliefs and practices (i.e. sins), but it will take and indeterminate amount of time which is different for each person. Even after repenting and dropping out of religion, the length of time spent in the wilderness depends on how the quantity and quality of study.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of study is to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+4:14;+james+4:8;+1-peter+1:22;+1-john+3:3;+psalm+19:12;+jeremiah+4:4;+2-corinthians+7:1;+2-timothy+2:15-16\">cleanse our hearts<\/a> from religious idolatry and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+12:1-2;+2-corinthians+3:18;+philippians+3:20-21;+hebrews+9:1-10\">renew\/transform our minds<\/a> from religious thinking and habits. This is what God tried to when he rescued Israel from Egypt because Israel had adopted religious beliefs and practices while in Egypt. Just as Israel was intoxicated with Egyptian religion and needed to be detoxified, people coming out of religion today need to be <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\/6\">detoxified<\/a>. Transformational study that includes listening to God&#8217;s spoken voice is the only way to become detoxified.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">Characteristics of a Good, Pure Heart<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">Characteristics of an Evil, Impure Heart<\/a> for understanding of the transformation that God&#8217;s voice is able to create.<\/p>\n<p>As the transformation process is accomplished, God <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">writes his perfect law on our hearts as his spirit teaches us how to be obedient at all times in all situations<\/a>. Only then will we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/hebrews\/passage\/?q=hebrews+4:1-12\">find rest from the business of religious work.<\/a> Only then can we stop trying to make sure we are obeying all the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=you+shall&amp;t=nas&amp;c=le\">Old\/First Covenant laws <\/a>which we cannot possibly remember nor obey even if we could remember. Only then we we really have peace in our hearts. Only then will we have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+118:6-8;+2-chronicles+32:7-8;+psalm+40:4;+psalm+56:4-11;+psalm+108:12;+isaiah+31:1;+isaiah+31:3;+isaiah+57:13;+jeremiah+17:5;+psalm+146:3;+isaiah+2:22;+isaiah+30:1\">no fear of religious people<\/a> who are always scheming to attract new people to join their religions and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">keep those who have already joined in slavery.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When we enter God&#8217;s rest we are no longer occupied by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/isaiah\/passage\/?q=isaiah+28:1-15\">the detailed work of keeping the Old\/First Covenant law<\/a> (i.e. religion). When we trust that the New Covenant law is written on our hearts, we come to a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=numbers+25:12;+isaiah+54:10;+ezekiel+34:25;+ezekiel+37:26;+malachi+2:5\">place of peace, <\/a>rest and a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-timothy+1:1-5;+titus+1:15;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+10:22\">clear conscience<\/a> regarding our relationship with God and with others.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>COMING TO REST WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING <\/strong><br \/>\nGetting to that place of peace and rest in the Kingdom of God does not happen instantaneously. It is a process in which we must <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+2:15-16\">study the Bible to show ourselves approved by God<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We begin with the written words of the Bible, we do not end with the Bible for understanding. Instead, we end with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:21;+exodus+19:5;+jeremiah+7:23;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4\">hearing and obeying God&#8217;s voice<\/a>. When we follow this process we apply the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1-corinthians+2;+isaiah+64:1-4;+1-corinthians+15:41-49;+job+33:1-21;+job+36:1-16;+2-kings+17:13\">&#8220;first the natural and then the spiritual&#8221;<\/a> principle while reading the literal Bible to discover the spiritual truth the spirit of God will reveal to us through Bible study. Reading between the lines of the Bible, we infer a three step process.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ol>\n<li>He first uses words and tells stories in natural terms (e.g. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">parables, dark sayings, proverbs and riddles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">figures, words of the wise and riddles, <\/a><span class=\"verse-12\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/job\/passage\/?q=job+33:9-19\">dreams, enigmas and difficult problems, figurative language, dreams and visions, <\/a><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+5:14;+hebrews+11:19\">types and patterns<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:12-17;+genesis+17:11;+exodus+13:16;+numbers+6:7;+deuteronomy+6:8;+deuteronomy+11:18;+joshua+4:1-6;+isaiah+8:18;+isaiah+19:20;+isaiah+20:3;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+24:3;+galatians+4:24;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+11:19;+1-peter+3:20-21;+revelation+11:1-8;+revelation+17:1-5\">symbols, signs and allegories)<\/a> which symbolically represent spiritual truth that is sealed<\/li>\n<li>He further explains the meaning of the word or story with other natural terms found in many different places in scripture.<\/li>\n<li>He<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/1-corinthians\/2.html\"> ties it all together with a revelation to the heart that explains the story in spiritual wisdom.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Since the explanations in Step 2 are distributed widely, and we might even say randomly because we don&#8217;t understand God&#8217;s strategy for distributing truth throughout the Bible, it is not easy to connect the meanings with the natural stories. Man&#8217;s way would be to provide the explanation immediately in the context of a topic, but that is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+55:8;+isaiah+65:2\">not God&#8217;s way<\/a> which is to provide the explanation, or explanations in places we would not expect to find them. That is why we must study the entire Bible, not just one part, and must study carefully so that we might discover many of the hidden clues that will lead us to understanding.<\/p>\n<p>If we do not study broadly so that we connect spiritual meanings to the natural words and stories, we make the mistake of accepting the literal words and literal stories as the ultimate truth and create doctrines from it. What we effectively do is limit our understanding of God to words on a page. Just as a few, or even many, written words would not effectively communicate our essence to others, the same is true and even more so for god who is much more complex than we humans are. But, he has to start telling us about himself somewhere, so he begins with the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>In God&#8217;s language, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=hebrews+10:1-4;+colossians+2:15-17;+1-corinthians+13:8-12\">natural words and natural stories are only a shadow of the spiritual truth about God and his ways<\/a>. Sad to say, the shadow is as far as most people get and that is why they remain immature Old\/First Covenant religionists. Failure to seek the spiritual truth is a big mistake that has caused problems for Jews and Christians since the law was first given. It is a big piece of the <a title=\"The Law: A Stumbling Block\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-peter+2:4-10;+isaiah+8:11-18;+romans+9:30-33;+james+2:10\">law as a stumbling block<\/a> problem.<\/p>\n<p>While the inferred three-step process appears simple in structure, understanding of how to apply it personally is very complicated. God is not a cookie cutter God who prescribes clear, specific steps to salvation that can be applied to everyone according to a fixed pattern. Religious rules are designed to be simple and general so that everyone can understand them and follow them, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+55:8;+isaiah+65:2\">but that is not God&#8217;s way. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>If God&#8217;s way of dealing with his people was not unique to each individual, the Bible would not be as long and detailed as it is and we would not find so many different examples of how people are delivered from religion.\u00a0 Instead of a one-size-fits-all process, God has a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+29:1-14\">unique plan for each person<\/a> that reflects our individual differences and complexities. Each plan is designed to deliver us from exile in Babylon (i.e. religion) and lead us to the Promised Land. The variables in how this process plays out for us individually are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=psalm+95:1-8;+proverbs+3:1-11;+jeremiah+5:1-3;+mark+8:17;+jeremiah+7:21-28;+zephaniah+3:1-7;+jeremiah+7:26;+jeremiah+19:15\">our heart, our willingness to accept correction, and our willingness to repent<\/a> for participating in religion. These are very abbreviated steps to salvation (i.e. deliverance from religion).<\/p>\n<p>But receiving the revelation in Step 3 above is not the end of the matter. It is possible to have understanding but lack the will to act on it. This truth reflects the fact that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/philippians\/passage\/?q=philippians+2:12-16\">salvation process is not easy. <\/a>Those who repent and study and dare to quit religion will be saved from it, but those who are unwilling to repent, study and apply what they learn by quitting religion will spend more time exiled in religion and separated from God. People who feel that they are spiritually rich (i.e. proud) in their religion have the hardest time quitting religion and entering the Kingdom of God.<\/p>\n<p>With respect to application of what we read in the Bible, we conclude from the above scriptures and arguments that the kind of disciples God wants are those who study so they can identify areas of their lives where they need correction.\u00a0 They want to enter the Kingdom of God and are willing to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/51.html\">sacrifice their pride as well as their religion<\/a> to make it happen.<\/p>\n<p>While none of us are perfect and should be open to correction on all life issues, Bible stories always focus on the issue of fleshly <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\">religion compared to spiritual faith<\/a>. These issues should be the primary areas where disciples study to be corrected: Are we people of faith or are we religious?<\/p>\n<p>Even when we think God is talking about morality and ceremonial laws, he is talking about his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a> which are concealed in the symbolism of the literal Bible. Therefore, effective correction begins when we are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=nehemiah+1;+daniel+9:1-23\">convicted that we have followed other gods and repent for our religious beliefs and practices<\/a>. And correction is completed when we are able to interpret the symbolism hidden the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\" aria-haspopup=\"true\">Symbols, Signs, Types, Allegories, Parables, Copies, Shadows and Patterns<\/a> of the literal Bible.<\/p>\n<p>Even if we humble ourselves and repent, entering the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/asv\/luke\/passage\/?q=luke+17:20-21\">Kingdom of God<\/a> does not occur as a unique, one-time event in which we are baptized, repent, say a prayer, or participate in some kind of ritual. Just as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/exodus\/passage\/?q=exodus+13:17-18\">Israel did not enter the Promised Land directly after escaping from Egypt<\/a>, we do not enter the Kingdom of God quickly or easily.<\/p>\n<p>When we consider the flow of Israel&#8217;s wanderings in the wilderness, we see that entering the Kingdom of God is an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-33;+deuteronomy+7:15-26;+proverbs+13:11\">indirect, little by little process <\/a>that is characterized by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12;+deuteronomy+20;+numbers+21:1-3;+numbers+31:1-18;+numbers+32;+numbers+33:50-56;+deuteronomy+9;+joshua+7:1-15;+joshua+9;+joshua+11;+joshua+23;+judges+2:11-23;+1-samuel+15:10-26;+deuteronomy+7:1-6;+deuteronomy+31:1-8;+zechariah+12:9;+jeremiah+1:10;+jeremiah+51:15-23\">persistent overcoming of religious habits and influences <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/matthew\/passage\/?q=matthew+4:1-11\">(symbolically represented as warfare with the surrounding religious nations)<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12;+deuteronomy+20;+numbers+21:1-3;+numbers+31:1-18;+numbers+32;+numbers+33:50-56;+deuteronomy+9;+joshua+7:1-15;+joshua+9;+joshua+11;+joshua+23;+judges+2:11-23;+1-samuel+15:10-26;+deuteronomy+7:1-6;+deuteronomy+31:1-8;+zechariah+12:9;+jeremiah+1:10;+jeremiah+51:15-23\">,<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-33;+deuteronomy+7:15-26;+proverbs+13:11\"> resistance to ongoing temptations to participate in religion that those enemies present to us<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/matthew\/passage\/?q=matthew+4:1-11\">, <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:26;exodus+23:21;exodus+19:5;jeremiah+7:23\">obedience to God&#8217;s voice<\/a>. Even<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+23;+matthew+24:1-2;+john+4:4-24;+matthew+26:60-61;+matthew+27:39-40;+mark+14:58;+mark+15:29;+acts+6:8-15\"> Jesus, who, after receiving the Holy Spirit, was on a mission to tear down the religious establishment<\/a>,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=luke+2:39-52;+luke+3:21-22\"> spent thirty years learning, growing, and observing the law before he received the Holy Spirit. <\/a>In other words, Jesus had to spend time in the religious wilderness just like everyone else does.<\/p>\n<p>God calls the maturing process <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/philippians\/passage\/?q=philippians+2:12-15\">&#8220;working out our salvation with fear and trembling&#8221; <\/a>because sooner or later we will find that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+16:1-4;+ephesians+6:10-17;+ephesians+2:1-3;+romans+11:1-3;+matthew+24:1-14;+luke+21:5-19\">religious people will resist our mission to tear down their religious establishments just like Jesus did<\/a>. How long it takes to navigate this wilderness depends on our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/ephesians\/passage\/?q=ephesians+6:10-17\">resistance to religious influences<\/a> and our ability to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/1-corinthians\/2.html\"> reinterpret human words with spiritual wisdom that explains the depths of God to us. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Putting this all in the context of study, it can be said that we study for the following reasons:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Understand why religion must be destroyed.<\/li>\n<li>Learn where we must destroy religion in our own lives.<\/li>\n<li>Destroy religion in our own lives.<\/li>\n<li>Find motivation to participate in the destruction of the world of religion by helping people who are in bondage to religion find freedom from it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network will appeal only to people who are willing to work out their salvation with fear and trembling in the face of their religious enemies. It will appeal only to followers of Jesus who accept that being a follower means tearing down religious establishments just like Jesus did. It will not appeal to people who want to remain comfortable and secure in their religion and who do not see it as their mission to destroy religious establishments.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>READ WITH YOUR EARS <\/strong><br \/>\nSimply memorizing the words of the Bible in our minds is not the same thing as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/psalms\/passage\/?q=psalm+119:1-20\">studying to store God&#8217;s spoken word in our hearts<\/a>. Learning and memorizing the literal words it contains is not a substitute for<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+10:17;galatians+3:1-5\"> faith which comes by hearing God&#8217;s word<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+12:1-2;+ephesians+4:17-24\">Hearing by faith and the mental work of learning must go together.<\/a> And then, after God&#8217;s voice teaches us how to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/2\"> distinguish the truth from the lies<\/a> by understanding the symbolic interpretations of the written words, we must apply what we learn.<\/p>\n<p>When we apply what we learn, however, it will not be in a way that is just religious performance and ritual to\u00a0prove to\u00a0God,\u00a0others, and ourselves how righteous and spiritual we are. It won&#8217;t be a simple &#8220;what would Jesus do&#8221; kind of response where we make a literal interpretation of what Jesus or another Bible character did and then make a religious doctrine and ceremonial practice out of it. Rather, we will do it because the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=john+14:26;+john+16:13;+1-john+2:20;+1-john+2:26-27\">Spirit of God in our heart instructs on what to say and do <\/a>and put no trust in the teachings of <a href=\" http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a> who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-corinthians\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+11:1-15\">masquerade as servants of righteousness.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>God&#8221;s view on application of Bible study is affirmed in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/2-timothy\/3-16.html\">2 Tim<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">othy 3:16-17 <\/a>which says that all scripture is useful for instruction in righteousness. This is a scripture that we can interpret literally. We find an important <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/corollary\">corollary<\/a> about Bible study in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/2-15.html\">2 Timothy 2:15 which says that we should study to show God that we can handle the Bible correctly.<\/a> The way we see it, the challenge to &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/kephel.html\">handle<\/a>&#8221; the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/logos.html\">word<\/a> of truth clearly indicates that it is possible to wrongly interpret the Bible. That means we want to be careful in our study so that we will <a style=\"outline: 1px dotted; outline-offset: 0px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/hebrews\/5-14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-2\">discern good from evil<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>That the Bible might contain evil is an outrageous idea until we understand that God uses the word evil to represent religion. The easiest way to grasp this is to remember that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=1-peter+2:1-10;+isaiah+8:11-18;+romans+9:30-33;+james+2:10;+jeremiah+18:23;+ezekiel+3:20\">The Law Is A Stumbling Block that causes us to sin.<\/a> What causes us to stumble is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\/religion-is-idolatry\/10\">religious leaders<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\/2593-2\/2#howbiblewaswritten\">lying scribes<\/a>, who, being motivated by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=mark+11:15-17;+luke+19:45-46;+matthew+21:13;+jeremiah+7:11;+isaiah+56:10-11;+jeremiah+6:13;+jeremiah+8:10;+jeremiah+22:17;+hosea+4:1-8;+micah+3;+ezekiel+34:2;+hosea+7:1;+1-corinthians+6:9-10;+hosea+6:9;+isaiah+1:23;+matthew+7:15;+1-corinthians+5:10-11;+1-corinthians+6:10\">personal gain<\/a>, have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ceb\/passage\/?q=psalm+27:1-2;+proverbs+1;+proverbs+2;+proverbs+4:15-16;+proverbs+24:15-22\">done evil to us and enticed us to sin.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The way we see it, the prospect of stumbling over the law suggests that sorting out the good from the evil in the Bible is a matter of life and death. It is the challenge to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/2-15.html\">handle the word of God accurately<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=leviticus+10:8-11;+leviticus+11:47;+leviticus+20:25;+ezekiel+22:26;+ezekiel+44:23\">distinguishing between the holy and profane, and between clean and unclean things and animals.<\/a> The problem is, however, that we have not been trained to distinguish good from evil or the clean from the unclean, but we have been trained to regard the entire literal Bible as truth. We need help, therefore, to discern spiritual truth, on which we can and should act, from<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=proverbs+3:29;proverbs+4:14;proverbs+14:22;ecclesiastes+5:1;jeremiah+4:22;zechariah+8:17;3+john+1:11\"> evil, which we should not do. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Few would argue that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/13\">God&#8217;s word is truth<\/a>. Fewer still understand that it is God&#8217;s s<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/logos.html\">poken word<\/a> that is truth. Any word spoken or written by man is suspect when it comes to truth. We have no assurances in the Bible that the written word is always truth. In fact, what the Bible says about itself is that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-corinthians\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+3:1-10\">the letter kills while the spirit gives life.<\/a> Thus we always seek to understand the spirit of truth in the symbolic interpretations of the Bible so we can apply those to our lives. And, accordingly, we always want to identify and discard the lies that lead to death that are represented in literal interpretations.<\/p>\n<p>The way we see it, the letter of the law kills because<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-chronicles+14:11;+psalm+146:3;+psalm+60:11;+isaiah+2:22;+psalm+118:8;+jeremiah+17:5\"> we cannot, indeed should not, trust that what others report (i.e. preaching, teaching) about what God said<\/a>. Whatever they speak and write is filtered through their personal, intellectual understanding which is based on their religious training. That is why God said that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=psalm+118:5-9;+isaiah+2:22;+psalm+146:3;+2-chronicles+32:7-8;+psalm+40:4;+psalm+108:12;+isaiah+31:1-3;+jeremiah+17:5;+2-chronicles+14:11;+psalm+60:11\">we should not put our trust in men<\/a> who are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=isaiah+56:9-12;+jeremiah+3:6-15;+jeremiah+10:17-22;+jeremiah+12:5-11;+jeremiah+23:1-4;+jeremiah+25:30-38;+jeremiah+50:1-6;+ezekiel+34:1-10;+zechariah+10:1-8;+jude+1:3-16\">ungodly shepherds<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+8:8-9\">lying scribes<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+6:9-15;+jeremiah+8:1-14;+ezekiel+13:1-16\">false prophets and priests<\/a> who only know what they have been taught by other <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=isaiah+56:9-12;+jeremiah+3:6-15;+jeremiah+10:17-22;+jeremiah+12:5-11;+jeremiah+23:1-4;+jeremiah+25:30-38;+jeremiah+50:1-6;+ezekiel+34:1-10;+zechariah+10:1-8;+jude+1:3-16\">ungodly shepherds<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+8:8-9\">lying scribes<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+6:9-15;+jeremiah+8:1-14;+ezekiel+13:1-16\">false prophets and priests<\/a>. And, against God&#8217;s will, they<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+14:1-16;+jeremiah+23:9-40;+jeremiah+27:1-10;+ezekiel+13;+ezekiel+22:23-31;+micah+3;+zechariah+10:1-3\"> dream up lying divinations and oracles<\/a> to keep their gullible followers entertained enough to keep coming back with money to pay for the religious show.<\/p>\n<p>This warning about trusting man applies to the Bible as well as any other verbal or written interpretations of what God has said. So we must be very careful in our interpretations of what is written in the Bible. Many people with various religious motives have influenced what is written there. We do not want to make the mistake of being misled by religious motives which are revealed writing or speaking. The only reliable way to learn about God is to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">be taught by his spirit<\/a>. But we do not totally reject the literal Bible because it is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/galatians\/passage\/?q=galatians+3:15-24#\">a tutor that leads us to faith<\/a> even though the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+7:6;2-corinthians+3:5-8\">written law itself leads to death.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>If God thought that the written Bible or human teachers would be able to competently teach about him, there would have been no need for the New Covenant where his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:26-27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11;+isaiah+54:10-14;+john+6:44-45\">spirit teaches us all things<\/a>. The Old\/First Covenant religious system of priests offering sacrifices and prophets teaching would have been acceptable. But, words written by men, human priests and prophets are not able to interpret and report the depths of God found in the symbolism and mysteries that exist in the literal Bible. What they find there are only <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows<\/a> of the truth that only God&#8217;s spirit can reveal. Human <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/1-corinthians\/4-20.html#\">teachers work with words while God works with power<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So we see that Bible study is not as simple as we might have imagined it to be. There are conditions and traps that affect reading, understanding and application. God did not make learning about him easy. Answers only come to New Covenant disciples (i.e. learners) who continue<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+7:7;+luke+11:9;+psalm+63:1;+proverbs+7:15;+proverbs+8:17;+hebrews+11:6;+proverbs+2:1-8;+james+1:5;+proverbs+13:4;+proverbs+21:5\"> asking, seeking and knocking in their passionate, ongoing search for truth.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Those who interpret the Bible literally, on the other hand, are unable to recognize spiritual truth when they see it with their natural eyes because they cannot discern good (i.e. spiritual truth) from evil (i.e. literal truth).\u00a0 They may be sincere and zealous in their efforts to learn, but <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+isaiah+6:9-10;+ezekiel+12:1-16;+matthew+13:10-17;+acts+28:26-27;+romans+11:1-8\">they do not have eyes to see or ears to hear<\/a> spiritual truth that comes from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice#howtoheargodsvoice\">hearing the voice of God<\/a>. Their faith is in the literal laws they read and understand in the literal words of the Bible. They do not have the kind of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=galatians+3:1-5;+romans+10:1-17;+hebrews+4:1-2\">faith that comes by hearing God&#8217;s spiritual words <\/a>when he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=hebrews+8:10-11;+jeremiah+31:33;+romans+11:27;+hebrews+10:15-17;+2-corinthians+3:1-3\">writes his spiritual law on their hearts<\/a>.<br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>OBEY WHAT YOU HEAR &#8212; NOT WHAT YOU READ<\/strong><br \/>\nJudaism and Christianity are based on the literal words of the Bible which is often referred to as &#8220;God&#8217;s Law.&#8221; It is not well understood, however, that the Bible actually contains two laws: Literal and spiritual. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\">laws in the literal law are not the same as the spiritual laws spoken by God. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>The literal law is based on the literal interpretation of the literal words written in the Bible. This is the law of Old\/First Covenant religion that consists of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+15:1-9;+mark+7:1-7;+colossians+2:16-22\">doctrines, regulations and traditions made up by and supervised by men<\/a> who interpret the Bible literally. These are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\">Religion<\/a> for more about the literal law.<\/p>\n<p>The Old Testament, specifically chapters dealing with the Law of Moses (i.e. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) are the primary sources of written law for Jews. Christians will also claim these books (at least the parts dealing with the ten commandments) as the sources of their laws, but they also find guidance for their religious practices in the New Testament. Both religions take their instruction exclusively from the literal texts with no regard for the meaning of symbolism and mystery found in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">parables, dark sayings, proverbs and riddles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6\">figures, words of the wise and riddles, <\/a><span class=\"verse-12\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/job\/passage\/?q=job+33:9-19\">dreams, enigmas and difficult problems, figurative language, dreams and visions, <\/a><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+5:14;+hebrews+11:19\">types and patterns<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:12-17;+genesis+17:11;+exodus+13:16;+numbers+6:7;+deuteronomy+6:8;+deuteronomy+11:18;+joshua+4:1-6;+isaiah+8:18;+isaiah+19:20;+isaiah+20:3;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+24:3;+galatians+4:24;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+11:19;+1-peter+3:20-21;+revelation+11:1-8;+revelation+17:1-5\">symbols, signs and allegories. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Focused exclusively on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+2:27;+romans+7:6;+2-corinthians+3:1-6;+colossians+2:13-17#\">written code<\/a> of law found in the literal text, both religions have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+4:1-2;+deuteronomy+12:32;+proverbs+30:6\">subtracted from the law. <\/a>Deceived by religion that teaches that righteousness is gained by obedience to the written code, Jews and Christians are ignorant of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:21;+exodus+19:5;+jeremiah+7:23;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4\">God&#8217;s commands to listen to his voice <\/a>where they will learn to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:26-27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11;+isaiah+54:10-14;+john+6:44-45\">understand his spiritual laws taught by his spirit<\/a>. These <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a> are available only to New Covenant disciples who have spiritual <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+ezekiel+12:1-3;+ezekiel+40:1-4;+mark+8:14-20;+luke+10:21-24;+romans+11:1-10;+isaiah+6:1-10;+isaiah+43:1-8;+jeremiah+5:20-21;+matthew+13:13-18;+mark+4:8-18;+luke+8:1-10;+john+9:39-41;+john+12:37-40;+acts+28:17-28\">eyes and ears<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice#howtoheargodsvoice\">hear God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of listening to God&#8217;s voice with faith that expects to hear, religious people have been trained by religion to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=hebrews+3:1-15;+psalm+95:7;+hebrews+4:1-7\">harden their hearts<\/a> to the possibility that God will <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=hebrews+3:1-15;+psalm+95:7;+hebrews+4:1-7\">teach them his spiritual laws by his spirit without a human teacher<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The message here for student\/disciples is to listen with our spiritual ears while we are reading the written words, and then act on what we hear in faith. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=hebrews+3:1-15;+hebrews+4:1-7\">Failure to respond to God&#8217;s voice with immediate action is rebellion<\/a> for which<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/hebrews\/12.html\"> he responds with discipline.<\/a> The right attitude in reading the Bible is to be like an obedient child who cannot read for understanding but can learn directly from God&#8217;s voice while reading all the confusing language contained in the Bible. And like a child who wants to please his parents and receive their praise, immediately obeys what he\/she has been instructed to do.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding of the spiritual meaning and training in righteousness will not come, however, for people who do not listen, who proudly think they already know what what is best for them because they have memorized many scriptures and do their daily devotions, or think that they can figure it out if they just read more and apply their intellectual knowledge to gain understanding.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>BEWARE OF EMPTY TEACHINGS<\/strong><br \/>\nMost Christians have heard it said that all of God&#8217;s promises are true and that all we need to do to access those promises is believe in Jesus. In its simplicity, that is not a true statement.\u00a0It is false teaching that gives people false hope and deceives them into believing that simply believing in Jesus (whatever that means) is all they need to do to gain eternal salvation and blessings. It would be a true statement if they were perfectly like Jesus (i.e. in his name\/character), but if they are not like Jesus, it cannot be reliably said that they will have unconditional access to those promises.<\/p>\n<p>Either God spoke the truth in<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+19:5;exodus+34:8-14;deuteronomy+7:12;deuteronomy+28:1-4;deuteronomy+28:15-68;1+kings+3:14;1+kings+6:12;1+kings+11:38;2+chronicles+7:14;nehemiah+1:8-9;isaiah+58:4-14;jeremiah+17:27;jeremiah+18:6-10;ezekiel+33:13-14\"> his &#8220;if\/then&#8221; statements,<\/a> or he lied. If he spoke the truth, then our qualifications to receive the promises with good benefits depends on whether or not the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/parallel-bible\/passage\/?q=john+1:14-18&amp;t=nas&amp;t2=niv\">law is written on our heart which is the essence of what it means to be like Jesus<\/a>. If we are still an Old\/First Covenant religionist who is under the law of religion of one kind or another, then we are disqualified from the promises that we consider to be good and beneficial.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But,&#8221; many will say, &#8220;since I am a believer in Jesus, God does not see me, he sees the Jesus in me so that I am qualified to receive the promises.&#8221; We have heard that teaching, and there was a period in our lives when we believed that to be true, but we do not believe that thinking to be true now. Here is why we see it differently today: It puts all the requirements for receiving the promises on what we believe in our minds, and does not account for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=john+7:37-39;isaiah+58:11;proverbs+4:23\">attitude of our hearts and the obedience that flows out of i<\/a>t.<\/p>\n<p>We may think that our heart attitude is right, but we will probably be wrong because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+17:9-10;ecclesiastes+9:3;matthew+13:15;mark+7:21-22\">our heart is incurably deceitful<\/a>. We may comfort ourselves with confidence <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29;+luke+16:13\">that our heart is mostly right, but that would be false comfort<\/a>. God alone knows the conditions of our hearts. All who think their heart attitude is right before God would do well to know what is a right heart attitude and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that their confidence is based on Biblical truth &#8212; not on the teachings of men. Reading the Bible to discern its symbolic meaning is how we will learn what adjustments we need to make.<\/p>\n<p>If our actions line up with what we say we believe, we are in good shape. In other words if the level of trust and obedience we apply in our daily lives agrees with the beliefs we say we have (i.e. the Bible), there is consistency that proves the truth of what we say. If, however, we say we have put all our trust in God, but continue to trust ourselves or others or some kind of idol or a king (i.e. religious leader) for our needs, including our need to practice some kind of religion, we have spoken a lie and disqualify ourselves from receiving <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+29:11-14\">God&#8217;s promises for prosperity and hope.<\/a> If our actions do not line up with what we say we believe, the disconnect between our statements about ourself and the truth about us is exposed, and we should expect to receive <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=joshua+23:15;1+kings+14:10;2+kings+22:16;isaiah+24:6;isaiah+34:5;isaiah+43:28;jeremiah+6:19;jeremiah+11:8;jeremiah+35:17;jeremiah+39:16;malachi+4:6;psalm+28:4;ecclesiastes+12:14\">God&#8217;s promises to bring evil on us just like he did for disobedient Israel<\/a>..<\/p>\n<p>As we see it, the main problem with this kind of thinking (i.e. &#8220;I am a believer therefore I am qualified to receive the promises.&#8221;) is that the concept of belief is interpreted to apply mainly to eternal salvation. It is good to be convinced of our eternal condition, but if our trust is not also applied to our daily life, it is not the kind of faith that God wants and expects.<\/p>\n<p>We are of little value to God while on earth if we only have enough faith to get us to heaven after we die. Contrary to popular teaching, scripture does not say that we are saved from hell so that we can go to heaven. We are saved for works and deeds that are to be done now &#8212; not after we physically die. The kind of faith represented in teaching about the afterlife says nothing about issues like<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/matthew\/passage\/?q=matthew+25:31-41\"> feeding the\u00a0hungry, clothing the poor, visiting prisoners in jail, or making disciples<\/a>. These are examples of here and now behaviors on which <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=revelation+2:23;+matthew+16:27;+deuteronomy+30:9-19;+matthew+25:31-46;+matthew+7:15-23;+ephesians+2:8-10;+james+2:14-20\">God is evaluating us to determine if we are qualified to receive the promises or not.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>These <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+8:39;+1-timothy+5:10;+1-timothy+6:18;+james+2:14-26;+acts+9:36;+acts+26:20;+titus+2:7;+titus+2:14;+titus+3:8;+titus+3:14;+hebrews+10:24;+james+3:13;+1-peter+2:12\">good deeds and works <\/a>are different from the religious works by which all religions (including Judaism and Christianity) are known. Religious works are of no value to God or anyone else after we physically die. Religious works are only of value to the people who do them. God is not impressed by religious works commanded by religious institutions. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=mark+7:3-9;isaiah+29:13\">Religious works are nothing more than traditions of men<\/a>.\u00a0 God saves people from religious traditions to be lights to the world here and now &#8212; not in the future. He does not save people so they can practice and promote religious traditions.<\/p>\n<p>Readers who can accept the above arguments that speech and actions make a difference to God while they are alive on earth, and<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:26;exodus+24:7;deuteronomy+4:10;deuteronomy+6:3;deuteronomy+12:28;deuteronomy+13:4;deuteronomy+28:15;deuteronomy+30:11-12;romans+2:13;luke+8:15;luke+8:21;luke+11:28\"> if they are diligent to apply (i.e. hear and obey) what they learn in the Bible, life will go well for them.\u00a0<\/a> However, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/deuteronomy\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:14-22\">if they think that some kind of loophole scripture excuses them from evil consequences because they follow Jesus, or because they are faithful in their exercise of religious activity, or that they have some special dispensation from God because of their righteousness, will be disappointed and punished for their disobedience<\/a><strong>. <\/strong>That is a hard word, but that is what God says.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thinking that God\u00a0is not faithful to His word in every situation does\u00a0nothing to help build our faith or the faith of others. Teaching that says some people (i.e. ethnic Jews and Christians) do not have to be in a New Covenant relationship with God is wrong teaching. Moreover, those who follow such teaching will miss out on the promises that God faithfully provides to those who do obey God&#8217;s commandments. And lacking testimonies of God&#8217;s faithfulness, they will lack credibility with others who need to see and hear real life examples of a faithful God before they will put their trust in Him.<\/p>\n<p>The message here is to constantly evaluate what we read and compare it to what we have been taught and what we believe. Do not be afraid to question old beliefs. Do not be afraid to reject old religious beliefs and practices in favor of new understandings God gives to us. Do not reject a new understanding because it conflicts with doctrines we have trusted because they were taught by people we trusted. We put our<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-chronicles+14:11;+psalm+146:3;+psalm+60:11;+isaiah+2:22;+psalm+118:8;+jeremiah+17:5\"> trust in God &#8212; not in men.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>ASK FOR TRUTH<\/strong><br \/>\nThroughout this website we have encouraged readers to study to discover hidden Biblical <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=proverbs+25:2;+deuteronomy+29:29;+matthew+11:25;+psalm+78:1-7;+john+16:17-33;+daniel+2;+romans+11:25;+romans+16:25;+1-corinthians+13:2;+ephesians+1:9;+ephesians+3:1-9;+ephesians+6:19;+colossians+1:25-26\">mysteries <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">listen to God&#8217;s voice<\/a>. What we have not yet explained is that it is God&#8217;s voice that reveals the mysteries.\u00a0Here is a scripture that places the objective of such study squarely in the here and now and not in the future:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/job\/passage\/?q=job+28:1-28\">Job 28: 1-28<\/a>\u00a0 1 &#8220;Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine. 2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the ore. 3 Men put an end to darkness, and search out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom and deep darkness. 4 They open shafts in a valley away from where men live; they are forgotten by travelers, they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro. 5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread; but underneath it is turned up as by fire. 6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold. 7 &#8220;That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon&#8217;s eye has not seen it. 8 The proud beasts have not trodden it; the lion has not passed over it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">9 &#8220;Man puts his hand to the flinty rock, and overturns mountains by the roots. 10 He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. 11 He binds up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hid he brings forth to light. 12 &#8220;But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 13 Man does not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living. 14 The deep says, &#8216;It is not in me,&#8217; and the sea says, &#8216;It is not with me.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">15 It cannot be gotten for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price. 16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">20 &#8220;Whence then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? 21 It is hid from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air. 22 Abaddon and Death say, &#8216;We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.&#8217; 23 &#8220;God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. 24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens. 25 When he gave to the wind its weight, and meted out the waters by measure; 26 when he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder; 27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">28 And he said to man, &#8216;Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>This scripture uses mining for precious metals as a metaphor for searching for the truth contained in mysteries. Just as mining is hard work, so is the process of searching for truth. Similarly, just as the miner does not know where the precious metal is located, those who search for truth in the Bible do not know where they will find it because God has distributed bits of truth throughout the Bible. We never know when or where we will find it.<\/p>\n<p>One thing we know for sure is that we will not find it if we do not dig. New Covenant disciples are diggers. Another thing we know is that we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=isaiah+55:1-4;+acts+8:9-23;+matthew+10:8;+revelation+21:6;+revelation+22:17\">cannot buy understanding with money<\/a>. It is futile, therefore, to pay others (e.g. pastors, rabbis, teachers, musicians, authors, etc.) to do the work of searching for Biblical truth so they can sell it as a religious product to people who are too lazy to dig for truth themselves. New Covenant disciples never look to <a href=\" http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a> for teaching about God.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN TO UNDERSTAND AND IDENTIFY EVIL<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/job\/28-28.html\">Fear of the Lord and avoidance of evil yields understanding<\/a>. To appreciate the significance of this, it is critical to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine#evilspiritualfood\">know that evil <\/a>is\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5#puredefiledreligion\">Defiled Religion.<\/a><span class=\"verse-3\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This description of evil contrasts greatly with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Evil\">cultural and religious ideas of evil <\/a>&#8212; especially in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Evil#Christianity\">Christianity<\/a> where it commonly considered to be a malevolent spiritual force usually associated with satan. The concept of evil has strong associations in modern culture with Satan, demons, witches, especially gross sins and people who practice divination. While all of these could be included in God&#8217;s concept of evil, he has a much more general definition of evil: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/deuteronomy\/17-2.html\">Transgressing his covenant<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+11:1-8;+jeremiah+7:21-28;+jeremiah+9:13-16;+jeremiah+35:15;+ezekiel+20:1-8\">failure to listen to and obey his voice.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Since being in covenant relationship with God is inextricably tied to obedience to the law, evil exists when the law is violated. But it is critical to know which law, or laws, God wants his people to honor.<\/p>\n<p>The laws God wants his people to obey are his<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/5#spirituallaw\"> spiritual laws.<\/a> He does not want them to obey <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/5#religiouslaws\">man&#8217;s religious laws<\/a>. Obedience to religious laws is evil.<\/p>\n<p>It is critical to keep in mind that violation of the law occurs when\u00a0 we fail to do what God commands just like it occurs for doing what he prohibits. Thus we have sins of omission just like we have sins of commission.<\/p>\n<p>In God&#8217;s eyes, both sins constitute<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=proverbs+3:7;proverbs+4:27;proverbs+14:16;romans+16:19;1+thessalonians+5:22;1+peter+3:11\"> evil which we are to avoid<\/a>. That seems like a strong way to look at sin, and it may conflict with our modern understanding of evil, but that is what God says so we need to reconcile ourselves to it. The only way to do this is by learning to identify <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\">what is good spiritual food and what is evil<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The most important sin of omission for religionists is the failure to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\">listen to God&#8217;s voice<\/a>. Because people who hear God&#8217;s voice have his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11;+john+6:45\">laws written on their hearts<\/a>, their ability to discern good from evil is always at work guiding them and directing them in everything they do.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS<\/strong><br \/>\nFirst the bad news: No matter how sincere we are, no matter haw hard we work at obeying religious laws, and not matter how much we study the Bible, we won&#8217;t follow <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">God&#8217;s spiritual laws<\/a>. When the scriptures tell us that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=psalm+14:1-3;psalm+53:1-3;ecclesiastes+7:20;james+3:1-6;1+kings+8:46;romans+3:9-20;james+2:10;1+john+1:8\"> none of us are without sin<\/a>, that means everyone &#8212; including observant Jews and faithful Christians. This even includes those who claim to be righteous because they have a salvation testimony. Our testimony of our own heart condition may mean something to others, and it may give us some comfort, but it means nothing to God. What matters to God is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">condition of our heart.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then the good news: God has provided a way for his spiritual laws to be written on our hearts. It is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:36-40;+jeremiah+33:14;+isaiah+59:21;+jeremiah+24:7;+ezekiel+37:26;+ezekiel+39:29;+luke+22:20;+1-corinthians+11:25;+2-corinthians+3:1-6;+hebrews+8:8-12;+hebrews+10:16-17;+psalm+40:8;+psalm+37:31;+genesis+17:7-13;+2-kings+18:11-12;+exodus+19:3-6;+judges+2:16-23;+deuteronomy+5:1-4\">New Covenant<\/a>. Being in a New Covenant relationship with God means that we obey because the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">desire and ability to obey is in our heart<\/a> &#8212; not as a result of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a>. Obedience to\u00a0 God&#8217;s spiritual laws is not a matter of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">legalism<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/circumcision\">rituals<\/a> we do with our physical body (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/flesh\">flesh<\/a>.)\u00a0 The kind of obedience God wants is with respect to his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws written on our hearts.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When we are in a New Covenant relationship with God, we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/2-corinthians\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+3:2-6\">won&#8217;t simply do the letter of the law with our physical body (i.e. flesh), we will keep the spirit of the law with our heart<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1+john+5:1-5;matthew+11:28-30;matthew+23:1-7\">It will not be work for us to keep checking the terms of the written law to be sure we are in compliance<\/a> and then doing those things to make sure that we are in compliance. That is legalistic religion.\u00a0 There are so many laws that we could not possibly keep track of them all nor could we possibly do them all. Deliverance from this checking and doing is what the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/fourth-commandment\">Fourth Commandment<\/a> rest is all about. That is what the good news of the gospel is all about: no more religious work. The Pharisees tried to keep the law religiously, but they could not do it, and Jesus said that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/matthew\/passage\/?q=matthew+5:17-20\"> our righteousness must exceed their righteousness.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/pharisees-and-scribes\">Pharisees<\/a> were Old\/First Covenant religionists. People who love God do not want to be Old\/First Covenant religionists. They want to be New Covenant disciples. That is where the life is.<\/p>\n<p>But there is more bad news. We can&#8217;t be in both an Old Covenant relationship and New Covenant relationship at the same time. Old Covenant is when we do religious things in order to be righteous. It is doing the letter of the law. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/romans\/passage\/?q=romans+9:30-32\">For Jews, that meant working very hard to obey all the terms of the Law of Moses, but that was never good enough for God.<\/a>\u00a0But now,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+3:27-28;romans+9:30-32;galatians+2:15-21;galatians+3:2-5\"> both Jews and Gentiles can achieve righteousness by faith instead of through futile attempts to obey the written law<\/a>. New Covenant is when we believe that the law is written on our heart and no longer obey religious laws. That is good news.<\/p>\n<p>Either we believe that the law is written on our heart or we don&#8217;t. If we do believe it to be true, then we stop doing those other things that we previously thought added to or confirmed our righteousness. For Jews, this means ending legalistic obedience to the Law of Moses. For Gentiles, it means ending all the religious activities they do to convince God, themselves and other that they are righteous and Godly. That includes church, synagogue and everything associated with all organized religious institutions. These organizations are unnecessary. They are all about religious works and not about faith &#8212; no matter how we may clothe those works in religious language. If we can&#8217;t do without our religious institutions, but still maintain that we are followers of Christ or the Torah, we are deceived and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=psalm+119:113;+james+1:1-8;+james+4:8\">double minded<\/a>. That is bad news.<\/p>\n<p>Once indoctrinated, is very hard to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ephesians+5:6-12;+deuteronomy+7:1-4;+exodus+34:14-15;+joshua+23:11-13;+ezra+9:12;+2-corinthians+6:14-17\"> disassociate with religion<\/a>, but doing so is necessary to being in a true New Covenant relationship with God. The term the Bible uses to describe this process of resisting religious influence is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=genesis+32:28;+luke+10:17-19;+john+16:33;+romans+12:21;+1-john+2:13-14;+1-john+4:1-4;+1-john+5:1-5;+revelation+2:7-0;+revelation+2:17;+revelation+3:1-21;+revelation+17:1-14;+revelation+21:1-7\">overcoming<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>That we can make this transition and overcome is good news &#8212; but it will not be easy. Nor will it be possible if we do not study the Bible and apply what we learn.<br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>THINK PERSONALLY &#8212; NOT GLOBALLY<\/strong><br \/>\nThere is a strong tendency for religionists to think in global terms when reading the Bible. By that we mean that Jews, for example, tend to think about Biblical events in terms of what happened to Israel as a whole tribe of people instead of what happened to individuals. Christians make the same mistake of thinking about Biblical events in terms of what happened to the collective church instead of what happened to individuals. This kind of thinking causes several problems for individual people and for God.<\/p>\n<p>Individuals tend to lose a sense of personal responsibility for obedience &#8212; except to be a part of the larger group (i.e. Jew or Christian). Both religions put so much emphasis on being a part of the larger group that individuals tend to think that their main responsibility is to be a member in good standing of a synagogue or a church, or a ministry or a religious movement or a denomination. Thus the institution &#8212; not God &#8212; becomes the authority that directs and drives what individuals do. God calls this idolatry.<\/p>\n<p>We see this tendency at work in the emphasis on the name brand church, denomination, synagogue, or religious movement to which people belong. For example, it is not uncommon in Christian circles for adults to attend the denomination into which they are born. This is less true today than in days past but it is still true that most people find one denominational style (e.g. protestant, catholic, Pentecostal, reform, orthodox, etc.) and stick with it. There is some crossover within a denominational style but little between styles. Thus people tend to identify themselves by the label of the religious organization (e.g. Catholic, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Orthodox, etc.) to which they belong. For the more radical religionists, such labels carry as much weight as skin color, ethnicity and political labels. Again, the orientation is on the religious organization &#8212; not on the individual.<\/p>\n<p>One of the consequences of this orientation is that people are more concerned about the church that their friends attend than they are about the spiritual well-being of the friend. For example when people who formerly went to church with someone who no longer attends that church encounter the missing acquaintance on the street, they are likely to say something like &#8220;I have not seen you in church lately.&#8221; Or they might ask the old acquaintance about the name of the church that they now attend. The focus is on identity with the church &#8212; not on the individual.<\/p>\n<p>When people read the Bible they see application in terms of what the people (e.g. Israelites, Pharisees, Disciples, etc.) did do or should have done &#8212; not in terms of the personal responsibility of individual members of the group. A good example is found in the warnings to the seven churches in Revelation. Indeed the warnings are addressed to the churches, but the typical interpretation is always applied to the collective, corporate &#8220;churches,&#8221; not to individuals Thus, people think in terms of what should &#8220;we&#8221; do to be be Biblical, not in terms of what should &#8220;I&#8221; do.<\/p>\n<p>Corporate church bodies are known by their preferred traditions and doctrines. Thus, when church leaders say &#8220;we follow a particular religious tradition,&#8221; the religionists of that church follow it. Members of the congregation trust that the leaders understand what the Bible says and therefore know the right thing to do. Then they do it religiously as a group. Individuals do not make personal studies of right doctrines or behaviors. They all willingly submit to the authority of church leaders and follow the accepted traditions which are always fulfilled in congregational gatherings and rarely on the personal level.<\/p>\n<p>Christians entertain themselves and others with studies and speculations about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/romans\/14.html\">disputable matters<\/a> such as the Second Coming of Christ, the Rapture, baptism, speaking in tongues, women in ministry and many other issues that distinguish one religion from another. Participation in such speculations are indicators of super spirituality for religious leaders and spiritual wannabes, even though the Bible clearly warns against such disputes.<\/p>\n<p>Such fleshly exercises are examples of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+16:1-4;+matthew+12:39;+luke+11:29\">signs and wonders<\/a> that Old\/First Covenant religionists are compelled to seek because they lack New Covenant faith that enables them to interpret scripture symbolically instead of literally. Not only are these studies and speculations a waste of time and contrary to what God says, but they also deceive people into thinking globally to the exclusion of personal, here and now application of prophecy and Bible stories.<\/p>\n<p>The point we are trying to make is that New Covenant disciples must retrain themselves to interpret the Bible for its application to them as individuals right now &#8212; not in the unknown future. They must stop thinking in terms of global future events that will affect everyone and focus on what God wants for them as individuals today. People who read prophecy for its global application at some unknown future time will miss the personal application for themselves now. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/hebrews\/passage\/?q=hebrews+4:1-12\">Hebrews 4:1-12<\/a> has much to say about the here and now application of scripture:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, &#8220;As I swore in my wrath, &#8216;They shall never enter my rest,'&#8221; although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way, &#8220;And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.&#8221; 5 And again in this place he said, &#8220;They shall never enter my rest.&#8221; 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he sets a certain day, &#8220;Today,&#8221; saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, &#8220;Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.&#8221; 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later of another day. 9 So then, there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God; 10 for whoever enters God&#8217;s rest also ceases from his labors as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.<\/p>\n<p>What we learn from this scripture is that people who hear (i.e. read) God&#8217;s voice in prophecy and project the application of it to people of some future time have effectively hardened their hearts to what God wants them to learn today. They have resisted the living word&#8217;s ability to pierce their hearts.<\/p>\n<p>In God&#8217;s timing the emphasis is always on today as is revealed in these scriptures:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a title=\"Go to 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/2-corinthians\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+6:1-2\">2 Corinthians 6:1-2: <\/a><span id=\"2co6-1\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. <\/span> <span id=\"2co6-2\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">2<\/span> For he says, &#8220;At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation.&#8221; Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/nun.html\"> now<\/a> is the day of salvation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/luke\/passage\/?q=luke+19:5-10\">Luke 19:5-10 <\/a><span id=\"lu19-5\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, &#8220;Zacchae&#8217;us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"lu19-6\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">6<\/span> So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. <\/span> <span id=\"lu19-7\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> And when they saw it they all murmured, &#8220;He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"lu19-8\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> And Zacchae&#8217;us stood and said to the Lord, &#8220;Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"lu19-9\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> And Jesus said to him, &#8220;Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. <\/span> <span id=\"lu19-10\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Bible must be read in terms of how it applies to individuals. It does apply to larger groups, of course, but that is true only to the extent that individuals with the right heart attitudes make up the larger group. We become members of the nation of Israel or the church by virtue of the spiritual condition of our heart &#8212; not because we have a physical or legal presence in the group. God only recognizes spiritual groups of individuals with common spiritual qualities (i.e. New Covenant disciples). He does not consider his chosen people to be those who have tied themselves to an organization. Such people are under the law of the organization &#8212; not under God&#8217;s law (i.e. law written on the heart). They are idolaters because they have put the organization ahead of God.<\/p>\n<p>Making this adjustment will be hard because all religionists have been trained in the traditions of their religion of choice. And all of those religions employ religious leaders who study and report what the literal Bible says to naive followers. It is a big mistake for individuals to let others interpret the Bible without digging their personal spiritual wells. It is also a big mistake to blindly follow the traditions and teachings of any religious organization. That attitude and practice does not line up with what it means to be a New Covenant disciple.<\/p>\n<p>Religious leaders are trained and conditioned to interpret the Bible in ways that will benefit religious leaders and the institutions (e.g. church, denomination, etc.) they serve. They have Old\/First Covenant filters that see Bible application in terms the organization &#8212; not the individual. They are motivated and trained to lead large numbers of people in religious activities that are conducted under the authority of the organization &#8212; not by God. Listening to religious leaders is not the way to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">New Covenant discipleship<\/a>. It is idolatry because the emphasis is on what the leader says &#8212; not on listening to God&#8217;s voice.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>THINK TODAY &#8212; NOT FUTURE<\/strong><br \/>\nThere is a tendency to interpret the Bible (especially the Old Testament) in terms of history. Indeed it is history, but it is much more than that. It is the story of real people with real spiritual issues that are recorded for our benefit. The historical benefit is useful only if we can make some sense of it so that we can apply it to our life today. If we do not apply it to our life today, study of history is only an intellectual exercise that is useful only for proving to ourselves and others how religious we are. Such study is an empty religious work.<\/p>\n<p>The same is true of prophecy. Most everyone knows that the Bible contains a lot of prophecy. Many think that they are very spiritual if they can figure out what the prophecies mean and when they will be fulfilled. Thus they are future oriented instead of now oriented. In other words, they fail to recognize that the fulfillment of the prophecies is occurring today and is not for the unknown, distant future. Prophecy is only useful if we can apply it to our life today. If we do not read so that we can apply what we learn in some big or small way today, the study of prophecy is only an intellectual exercise and\/or an empty religious work.<\/p>\n<p>The tendency to look to the future is a feature of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dispensationalist_theology\">dispensational theology <\/a>which basically says that God deals with people in different ways, in different eras (i.e. dispensations) of time, and in different places. The way we see it, this is totally false teaching that deceives people into thinking that parts of the Bible do not apply to them now.<\/p>\n<p>Dispensationalism is false teaching because it totally contradicts <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=acts+10:34-39;+romans+2:6-11;+colossians+3:25;+1-timothy+5:21;+james+2:1;+james+2:9;+ephesians+6:9\">what God has said about himself regarding his impartiality. <\/a>Dispensationalism that rewards people who live in certain eras, or places, or who do certain religious activities also disagrees with God&#8217;s concept of time.<\/p>\n<p>If God is not impartial and does not show favorites, he has always been that way because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=numbers+23:19;+1-samuel+15:29;+psalm+110:4;+hebrews+7:20-21\">God does not change nor does he change his mind<\/a>. That being the case, we should not expect or even entertain the idea that God would treat people from different times differently. Nor should we expect that some parts of the Bible apply to some people at one time and other parts apply to other people at other times. The rule is that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">all scripture is useful for training in righteousness for everyone.<\/a> That means it has application for everyone today.<\/p>\n<p>Part of the problem for Bible readers is the fact that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/time-hours-days-weeks-and-ages\">God uses time symbolically.<\/a> Thus, when the bible refers to hours, days, months, years and ages, we tend to interpret scriptures according to our cultural understandings of these time-related terms. When we study <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=isaiah+34:1-8;+isaiah+61:1-2;+isaiah+63:1-4;+ezekiel+4:1-6\">what God has said about these terms<\/a>, however, we find that his use of these terms is fluid and even confusing when we try to reconcile them to our cultural understanding. This effectively prevents us from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/time-hours-days-weeks-and-ages\/2\">applying scripture to our lives today which is what God otherwise instructs us to do.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We overcome the confusion about dispensationalism when we always think in terms of today. When we take this understanding, we do not think in terms of historical or futuristic events that involve others. Rather, we will think in terms of parables and prophecies that can affect us as individuals today.<\/p>\n<p>If we approach Bible reading as a solemn, spiritual exercise in hearing God&#8217;s voice &#8212; as contrasted with an intellectual, religious activity that demands to be reconciled with our cultural understanding of time, we will listen\/read much more slowly and carefully. And as we get excited (i.e. raptured) when <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=proverbs+25:2;+deuteronomy+29:29;+matthew+11:25;+psalm+78:1-7;+john+16:17-33;+daniel+2;+romans+11:25;+romans+16:25;+1-corinthians+13:2;+ephesians+1:9;+ephesians+3:1-9;+ephesians+6:19;+colossians+1:25-26\">he reveals secrets and mysteries<\/a> to us, we will be enticed to come read\/listen again soon and often.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=hebrews+4:1-13;+hebrews+3:7-19;+psalm+95:11;+numbers+14:1-23;+numbers+14:28-30;+deuteronomy+1:35\">God makes the point about listening to his voice &#8220;today&#8221; very strongly when discussing entering into his rest. <\/a>Ultimately, God is calling us to come to rest with him in the Promised Land in an eternal Sabbath. Each time we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17#\">read\/listen to and apply what he has to say<\/a> we can move a little, or a lot, closer to the day when we rest from our religious activities and worship him only in spirit and truth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WHY STUDY? Why do we read the Bible? Here are a few possible reasons: For intellectual knowledge of the Bible with which we can impress others when we teach them what we know. For pride in the knowledge that we <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/study-tips\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":754,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1169","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1169"}],"version-history":[{"count":114,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11877,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1169\/revisions\/11877"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}