Paul encourages us in having ‘a new mindset’; “renewed” in the Truth of “the word of Truth.”

² And be NOT conformed to this world [this ‘age’ and its superficial religious practices]: but be ye transformed by the ‘renewing of your mind,’ [so] that ye may prove [Grk. dokimazo, approve or allow] what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect [Gk. teleios, complete], will of God. Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Many believers can’t imagine a Christian’s life without attending formal services. Many are beguiled by the pomp or the emotional feeling of a seemingly united big crowd singing. Of course, the crowd really does not know or agree on the Truth even as the Truth is contradicted in many of the words of the songs sung. They say it “feels’ so good.” So, they hang in there with the corrupt religious organizations of men that requires them to conform to the dogma of their sect or denomination… that comes along with the traditions and false dogma, mixed in with a little truth. Satan usually brings in his ‘lies’ mixed in with a wagonload of distorted truth.

But, when we conform to the external manmade religious practices and dogma of such religious organizations, the organization becomes a substitute for really coming to “know Him” and “the power of His resurrection” to sustain our lives in faith. They miss out on the simplicity of Christ. For it is simply by Christ now being in the form of “the Spirit of Life” with the assurance of the “Spirit of Truth” within our spirit… that He as The Truth is intimately knowable, thus assuring us.

Jesus told His Jewish disciples about the union they could have with Him as the “Spirit of truth.”

¹⁷ Even ‘the Spirit of truth’; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye [His believing remnant of disciples] KNOW him; for he [Jesus] dwelleth WITH You [Jesus’ Jewish disciples], and Shall Be IN YOU [in all you believers]. John 14:17 (KJV)

Paul wrote accordingly:

²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ IN YOU, the hope of glory: Colossians 1:27 (KJV)

In Colossians we see how that the genuinely heavenly-minded believers on earth hold fast to Christ Alone as ALL. For Christ is “the Head” of the genuine invisible church that Paul calls “the body of Christ” on earth … even while “the Head” is in exile “in heaven.” When we “abide in the truth,” minding Him as “the Truth” we are “filled with the fullness of God.” – not only in our spirit but also in our soul/mind. All the “fullness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in Christ,” with Whom we as believers now have His resurrected eternal life (Col 3:4, Gal 2:20).

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him [Jesus] should All Fulness Dwell; Colossians 1:19 (KJV)

Norman Grubb wrote:

“When I say “I don’t pray,” I am referring to the kind of prayer which is a formal religious duty. Paul says, “Pray without ceasing,” so prayer can only be a continuity, a permanently inner relationship of communion.”

Christ is to become the object of the believer’s thoughts and affections. Thus, Paul says now, since we are raised together with Christ;

“Set your affection on things Above [in the heavenlies], NOT on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3).

⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)

The lowly truth-abiding believers knows enough to be ‘content’ in whatever situation. He willing to not to be recognized or known … until the glory of Christ comes to him at the Rapture. Ultimately, we shall know Him even as we are known by Him.

Yet, the truth-abiding lowly believer is wise enough to note and resist the four distressing religious tactics of the Devil (below) listed below by Paul. It is by these tactics that the Devil opposes the “mystery [hidden secret] of faith” – by which believers hold fast “the Head” who is yet in heaven while we still walk on the earth as members of “His body.”

Each tactic is an aspect of religious opposition to Christ alone as “the Truth” and “the [One] Head” of “the body.” These tactics are rooted in Satanic religious “lies” or ‘falsehoods” that are so common to man’s religions such as we see in the degraded Christendom of today.

• beguilement through enticing words;
• philosophy and vain deceit,
• the traditions of men; - Jesus said: ⁶ … Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect [no benefit] by your tradition. Matthew 15:6 (KJV) ¹³ Making the word of God of none effect [no benefit] through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:13 (KJV)
• the ritual observance of outward ordinances and holy days; the worship of angels (cf. Colossians 2:4, 8, 16, 18, below).

⁴ And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Colossians 2:4 (KJV)
⁸ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8 (KJV)
¹⁶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days [religious tradition]: Colossians 2:16 (KJV)
¹⁸ Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility [false piety] and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly [carnal] mind, Col. 2:18 (KJV)

From the above verses we note how that the Adversary’s (The Devil’s) activity is among the ranks of the religious men while they appear to be religiously ‘nice.’ Satan works especially well within the ranks of the ‘accredited religious educational institutions’ and ‘organized religion’ with its ‘religious people.’

Recently I was speaking to a genuinely Christian friend who was lamenting the loss of being lost to her own grown children who believe the lies of the secular world system and its work toward the prophesied ‘one world government’ of the Bible. This friend now realizes that the religious niceties of her neo-fundamentalist churches of the past 75 years actually provided no sustaining faith for their ‘nice religious’ children. They did not grow in the knowledge of “the truth” as the genuine reality.

Man’s impotent religion is a product of Satan’s sin-spirit that has infected flesh of all men. Satan as a ‘spirit being’ has no physical body, and so he is not tempted by the pleasures of ‘the flesh’ as men are. But all men are tempted to such sins and excesses from within by “Sin [as a nature] in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3b). Satan work primarily concerns man’s spiritual affairs, particularly those which are can impede the purpose and aims of God and His Christ. So, the Devil attacks believers from within … using ‘beguilement through enticing words, philosophy and vain deceit and the tradition of men’ as seen in manmade religion… to deceive. Satan strikes at the gullible, emotionally based, unintelligized believers who Do Not Know the Truth of God for today’s age of “the dispensation of the grace of God.”

Today’s religious leaders often work against the will of God that His people might have the proper “key of knowledge” (below), that the leaders themselves have not embraced. This is seen when Jesus reprimanded Israel’s Sadducees, Pharisees and Lawyers of Israel in His day. This is also seen when the Lord reprimanded the leaders of Israel in the O.T. (below).

⁵² Woe unto you, lawyers [of Moses Law]! for ye have taken away the ‘key of knowledge’: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Luke 11:52 (KJV)

Just like the leaders of secular governments of men most often care only for themselves, we note here the similar case of the Lord reprimanded the Priests of Israel and the condition of the Nation Israel in the O.T.

¹ Hear the word of the LORD [ye Priests], ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy [Heb. rib, contention] with the inhabitants of the land, because there is No Truth, nor mercy, Nor Knowledge Of God in the land.

⁶ My people are destroyed for Lack Of Knowledge: because thou [you Priests] hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:1, 6

Note how plainly Paul speaks of having no company with those who will not embrace Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God”;

¹⁴ And if any man obey not our word [of truth] by this [Pauline] epistle, note that man, and Have No Company With Him, that he may be ashamed. 2 Thessalonians 3:14 (KJV)

⁶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: ⁷ Which is not [really] another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, If Any Man Preach Any Other Gospel unto you than that ye have received [from Paul and company], Let Him Be Accursed [Anathema, Banned]. Galatians 1:6-9 (KJV)

Thus, we can say of truth that… “Religious Disunity Is Often Born of God’s Truth.”

There are No Factions Among Genuine Christian Individuals Who Hold to ‘Christ’ as “the Truth” and “The Head” - whereby He is ALL and in ALL.

¹⁰ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you [you believers]; but that ye Be Perfectly Joined Together In The Same Mind And In The Same Judgment. ¹¹ For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

(It may be well for you to read the book: “Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices” by Frank Viola and George Barna, available at Amazon. You will be amazed at what Satan has planted in accepted Christianity)