As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
Proverbs 25:25

Pointing the finger in the wrong place:

Bringing good news from another country is something every child of God has been commissioned to do.  The opposite of coming at the infidel with bombs and terror, or a universal message of peace and good will to all men because of the  Christ-mass message, with the absence of the need for repentance.  Or exploiting the gospel for your own means.  Why bear good news to others wrapped in the baggage of pretence and ulterior motives which ultimately acts as an inoculation against the truth anyway?  This is the contrast between how the religious world goes about doing  things, compared to ministering the kingdom out in the light:

"In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you (Titus 2: 7-8)."

Scripture mentions how the prince of this world (the Devil) has weakened and deceived the nations.  This deception does not come about solely with the aid of open propaganda or peer pressure, but stealthily through the wide gate of prosperity and "the good life".  People are either blinded by pleasure, ease and the fullness of bread; or they are shackled with run-away lusts or gross ignorance.  With pride or fear locking them in.

The good news (the gospel) is the bearing of glad tidings that God has made a way out, through His only begotten Son, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

This is glad tidings without strings attached or religious redtape.  It is not a gospel of retribution or an eye for an eye, or getting even by the way.  Nor is it a gospel of pampering their sinful lifestyle or religious endeavours.  It is a gospel of compassion for the lost and an an urgent call to turn back to their Maker.

In order for the believer to love His enemies he would first have to love his brethren in Christ.  This of course is the main hurdle to get over and come to terms with as we commence our pilgrim walk.  It is also actual proof we have been truly born again.  Moreover, by this love "shall all men know that (we) are His disciples, if (we) have love one to another (John 13:35 paraphrased)."  It is not only evidence of our new birth (or the believers beginning point) but is also a command given by the word:

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently (1 Pet. 1:22)".

Do you love your Brother?  With "pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned" that is!  If not, you are still walking in darkness according to the word of God.  This also means you have not left Babylon thus far, signifying the world's system of belief and practice.

Babylon!  Yes, a metaphor for the world and its wide and broad accommodating  behaviour and demeanour.  The opposite to the narrow way the true pilgrim of God is called to.  The area where unregenerate man can conjure up excuses to bag his fellow man, or where the religionist can find cause to brand those who endeavour to choose the narrow way above mans alternatives.

Forget about chucking stones at this or that church, to justify that you have all the truth.  Just get on being the church where you are planted!  Forget about looking for common ground or mollycoddling  religionists to prove you are luving 'em. Scripture says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."  Meaning, if you love them you will not deprive them of the truth just for the sake of a peace truce, nor to be a man-pleaser.

Getting back to the Babylon thing ...  the churches have invented various alibis to brush off the existence of spiritual Babylon, the true place of apostasy and confusion the NT speaks about.  To the leaders  in many cases, it is only a picture of leaving the world behind, then leaving it there failing to elaborate encase more questions are asked.  While the more wayward say leaving this system is fleeing from the USA.  I have personally met some extremists in my own country (Kiwis or Yanks) who have precisely done just that, and are still running from the big boggy.  It's hard to get away from the influence of Hollywood and multicorp labels anywhere you go, is it not?  If there is any fleeing away it should be straight into what "is written".

What the RCC calls coming out of Babylon is when the Church left being Imperial Rome. This justified the new tyranny of the Holy Roman Empire and the reason, many centuries later, for Vatican Two ...  reinventing its image of tolerance and unity for global PR reasons only!

On the other hand, the Protestants refer to coming out of Babylon as leaving this same system (the RCC) referred to biblically as Whore of Revelations.  However, what these Reformers have failed to do is realize they were her wayward daughters anyway, duplicating her system as a moderated, redefined, religious alternative.  They may have left the Whore geographically, but they failed in driving this 'bond woman' out of their own midst.

Furthermore, how the Hebrew Roots movement interprets "coming out", is coming out of this whole monolithic system branded together as "Christianity" itself.  However, what if Christians left both Catholicism and Protestantism together, along with every other aspect of apostate Christendom?  Then the result would be Christianity in it's purest sense ...  the concept of following Christ only!

Therefore, what the HRM is out to do is to destroy Christianity in a nutshell, by undermining the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Christians Saviour and the Jews Messiah) and replace it with a new form of recycled Judaism (a New Testamentalized generic model - read Galatians), rallying around a replacement name.  And, on it goes!

Basically, scripture is not for private interpretation in any form or to be monopolized by any one particular group.  This cancels out (all part of the good news for the nations) ALL man-made movements acting as God's proxies with their false interpretations of this pagan City opposed to God.

The written word commands individuals to come out of religion in every shape and form, which the RCC is trying to round-up or build bridges to, in order to control Spiritual Babylon entirely.  That's until the man of sin pulls the plug on this system and abolishes religion completely, having suited his cause.  Then heads will begin to roll ... literally!  The ultimate clear choice in the end (made public) ...  God or Satan!

Clean hands and a pure heart:

In essence, geographical separation (though sometimes necessary), or walking away from an apostate group (a good thing), is not good enough.  What the Lord is after is individuals who will follow His word (the scriptures) without pretence or guile, or mixing the truth with tradition.  This is the sole purpose of keeping the name hallowed and promoting His kingdom only, in order to win others to this kingdom and avoid any substitute or counterfeit.

Who qualifies for this kingdom?  Luke 8:15 reveals how it works:

"But that on the good ground are they (the called individuals), which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

'Fruit with patience', by the way, is not declaring war on your enemy, but overcoming evil with good ...  as Rom. 12: 17-21!

Repeating these qualifications again, that it may drop 18 inches from the head to the heart:  'An honest and good heart', 'a right spirit', plus 'sound doctrine' is what God requires in the NT era.  The end result ...  fruit through hearing (God's word), doing and keeping (God's word), and patience (forbearing and enduring  opposition to the end, by not taking it, or them out).  Here's a reminder from Hebrews 6:12:

"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

The above verse is certainly not the violent taking the kingdom by force, but is geometrically the opposite.  F'instance, did not Jesus say the meek shall inherit the earth?  Certainly not the gatecrashers, the religious zealots or the politically charged aggressors!  Following David's example (Psalm 51:10):

"Create in me a clean heart (honest and good), O God; and renew a right  spirit within me."

If you have passed from death until life, then you will truly love the brethren (1 Jn. 3:14).  This is proof you have been reborn by the Spirit of God, have a right spirit, and are walking in Him daily.  Sorry ...  but there is definitely no exceptions!  According to the Lord that is.  This has nothing to do with what I say or write, by the way?  Neither is it to do with how you feel or what you would like to believe.  So guess what?  You are stuck with having to love me whether you want to or not, if you want to remain a child of God walking in the light!

Aiming for the right place:

Because I do not demand a doctrinal creed of perfection from other members of the Body as a condition to my right hand of fellowship, and am fully aware I do not have all the answers, nor do I possess all the truth; this is the reason why I need my brethren.

Maturity is the ability to make allowance for each others views (who also trust completely in the shed blood of Jesus), as well as accepting the opinions of others that may not necessary line up with our own.  Doctrine is important, and absolutely vital, of course.  However, we must take into account a person's heart (are they pliable and teachable before the Lord, and where do they place others)?  Or whether they have a right spirit (not sower, malicious, haughty, or vindictive)?  Or do they manifest a free spirit (standing in the liberty where Christ has made them free) and are they ministering this spirit onto others as opposed to controlling them?  Moreover, are they joyful and minister what is lasting  ...  the right fruits?

Psalm 51:12. "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."

Furthermore, are the fruits in a brother's life based on mellowness, remorsefulness, brokeness and a contrite spirit (Is. 66:2, Mi. 6:8, Matt. 3:8, Acts 26:20)?  Are they based on Galatians 5: 22-23 and Ephesians 5:9?  Moreover, are they based on being man-pleasing or God-fearing?  I bet you have never been taught this before in regards to whether you quality or disqualify to be a citizen of Babylon!

While I refuse to place a tag on myself (although others may), I also realize I cannot agree with some who do.  Nor can I go along with the 'one man' pastor concept, nor titles of "spiritual" position and rank, nor Sunday set-practice, nor those who say Jesus can't meet someone miraculously today, in a physical or psychological way, or by a word from others.   Nor those who cancel out the name  of Jesus in exchange for a Hebraic counter name.

However, this does not mean I will get angry with them and cut them off.  Even if they wittingly or unwittingly complicate the faith.  Even if they have a blind spot not recognizing God only has one Bible in de English tongue today, who may attend a denomination and tithe, observe the christianized version of Winter Solstice (Xmas - Jer. 10:4) or Spring Fertility (Easter - Acts 12:4), or have the odd sip of wine (burrrp!!! - true!!) to spruce up their day, and so on.  As sin blinded the heathen so religion blinds the religious. They are one and the same, with a greater degree of delusion coming from the latter.

This is why it could have been just as easy for me to name this web site "Beyond Reform" instead of "Beyond Protestantism".  However, I choose the latter as a statement a little closer to home, in order to drive the point home, while we press on down the narrow road towards our true home.

The important thing ...  make the Holy Bible everything in your life (as your final authority), making sure every ministering spirit is based upon it, conveying edification, exhortation and comfort to the hearer.  Also, making sure you are cross centred and Holy Ghost dependent, constantly; being the church where you are, with others who see it this way.  After all, there is no point leaving Babylon if you are taking its baggage with you.  The big trick is to get you sidetracked with dealing with one while avoiding the other.  The call is to deal with both and to be free from both.  "For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited."  That's coming out and getting it out of yourself, in other words, while sojourning from the city of the world to the eternal city of our God:

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

..