STEP OUT OF RELIGION AND INTO REVELATION

In our relationship with God, a REVELATION is when God opens your eyes to a TRUTH that has been there all along that either your humanness was blocking or you were not previously ready to receive. 

Every RELIGION forms around a “REVELATION.”  Some around a revelation of a TRUTH from God and other religions are formed around “revelation” of man’s thoughts.  

THE PROBLEM….Most all religions “STOP” at the revelation that provides a basis for their existence; even those who will proudly proclaim, “FULL GOSPEL” or “WE HAVE THE TRUTH.”  They are so excited at their new-found knowledge of TRUTH that they embrace that belief, proclaim it as gospel and become content with codifying that into their world view and never progress by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal more truth to them.

Now you know why there are so many Christian Religions.  But even before Christianity had formed a religion, the Bible describes the thought process that goes into forming A RELIGION based on ONE REVELATION…

Mark 9:2 Now after six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them apart, upon a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

Peter gets all excited about the experience and in his usual, impulsive, rambunctious manner, declares, as described in Luke…

 Luke 9:33 Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make 3 tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah – not knowing what he said.

Peter wanted to STOP right there on the mountain and build a “RELIGION” on a REVELATION he had received but did not yet fully understand. 

Matthew, Mark and Luke, who were not on the mountain, describe the event but you will not find a description of John’s experience on the Mount of Transfiguration in any of his writings.  Could it be because the Revelation he received on the mountain made such an impact on him and his hunger to know “more”, caused him to pursue TRUTH!

Later, it would be Peter with the voice; who would loudly proclaim on the Day of Pentecost; it was to him, not John that the KEYS TO THE KINGDOM were given.  But to John, it was given an UNDERSTANDING OF THE KINGDOM because he was not willing to STOP AT A REVELATION.

Rather than describe the REVELATIONS OF TRUTH, John received as he continued his pursuit, I will let John tell you in his own words….

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we BEHELD HIS GLORY; the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John given the high honor of not only seeing JESUS IN ALL HIS GLORY on the Mount of Transfiguration but because he didn’t stop at ONE REVELATION, he is given the full REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST on the Isle of Patmos and declares Jesus as..

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

God is waiting to reveal more of Himself to each one of us, if only we would be willing to STEP OUT OF RELIGION AND INTO REVELATION!