In the world as we know it, there are so many religions to choose from, and consequently many find it hard to make a conscious decision on what to believe based on truth alone. Nowadays, many people are becoming involved in various problematic religious systems without first questioning its credibility. Therefore, lets examine the word Religion. By definition, a religion is a worldview that tells us how to live and what to believe. It is composed of ideas, doctrines, values, and examples of supposedly moral intentions, which constitutes what one should believe. A religion expects one to obey and observe its laws, rites and rituals.

Why would someone convert to a religion? Many do so for protection from enemies, some marry into a religion, abandoning their own convictions, in order to marry the person. Additional reasons are for threats of violence, bribes for money, sex, political advantage, cultural acceptance, racial discrimination, fame and ignorance. When a person does this based on any of these reasons, their choices will produce devastating consequences.

It would benefit any person to change their beliefs based on truth alone. Perhaps if you were convinced that whatever you believed in were false, then you should abandon it altogether. To continue in a belief system that you know to be false would lead to ruin and hopelessness. Always remember that an unexamined belief is a worthless belief.

When it comes to a belief system, during street ministry, within predominantly black communities, there is a popular saying that lingers among the people. Ask the unbeliever and Believer alike, where do they fellowship, is like randomly questioning novice contestants on a game show. For some do not know the answer, because they do not understand. Many among both groups will tell you either theyre Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, or Methodist, just to name a few. Some, in their own way will let you know theyre very religious because they attend Church down the street with a particular relative. To make matters worse, the presence of Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons are so visible in these areas, the people often think Born Again Believers who have the only truth, are members of these Cults them selves.

(1) STRIPPED OF PRESERVATION POWER

The Lord Jesus Christ tells the Church that we are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Matthew 5:13, NIV.

It is a common response from people on the streets to say theyve attended a Church one time or another within their community. Many were ordered to attend Church in order to stay within the guidelines of a particular organization they were a part of, either after being released from incarceration, or a drug rehab program. However, there is a tendency for them to mention attending that White Church when they were in a particular program outside of their community. On Mothers Day and Easter they go to that Black Church around the corner from where they live.

An important factor is commonly missing in many of their responses, and that is a clear description of what it actually means to have been in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They have no revelation of what it means to fellowship with Him, because the preeminence of Christ is often ignored in the Churches within these communities.

Giving the Lord first place within these local Churches often takes a back seat to programs, agendas, organizations, clubs, activities, auxiliaries, committees, and social gatherings. When the Church remains in this condition, it grieves the Holy Spirit, and is unable to preserve the truth of the Gospel, because it ceases to be the the salt of the earth.

Salt is an ingredient used to preserve, maintain, and add flavor to a tasteless organism. The Church is a living organism not an organization. Know for a surety, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Preserver, who is seated at the right hand of God. Because of his highly exalted position, he has seasoned the Believers with his preservation ability. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Christian is to represent Christ as the preserver in the earth. The Church is to be the favorable and visible ingredient to preserve lives.

Impurities are the fruit of compromise added to the living organism, the Church. Numerous unfavorable ingredients such as philosophies, vain deceits, and the traditions of men, have been added, in order to prevent the Church from maintaining its ability to preserve as the salt of the earth. These effects are harmful, as the good news of the Gospel is thrown out and trampled over by False Teachers.

I will call them blind guides who bring with them another gospel. They introduce strange and lofty philosophies, void of the power of God, doctrines of devils, which are incapable of restoring a community. Injurious Cults, who eventually make their way into unsalted pulpits, which have become bland, void of the main ingredient, which is the flavor of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Eventually the spiritual condition of the people within the environment waxes worse.

The physical doors of the Church fly open, and so does the doors of spiritual wickedness in high places which has opened the doors to The Motherland Religions, who creep in unawares through the doors of compromise. Immediately the local Church in that community is Stripped of Preservation Power. That is why the leaders of The Nation of Islam, false prophets, can walk into an unsalted pulpit, present its ideologies, and take half, if not all the congregation with them. All of this is done under the disguise of religion.

(2) THE COLOR OF THE CHURCH

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16, NIV. That is why the truth of the Bible is valid, and credible in identifying that there is no such thing as the White Church. Contrary to what some may believe, there is no such thing as the Black Church. These are worldly titles and puns given to describe a place where people groups choose to congregate, and worship based on ethnicity. No where in Scriptures does the Holy Spirit label the Church as such. Neither can the evil spirit of demarcation determine, or set guidelines and descriptions of what race solely represents the New Testament Church.

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ sets no boundaries based on ethnic, political, social or economic status. It is the only way to believe, and the only Faith that makes no distinction among people groups because of its all-inclusive purpose, based solely on a person having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The rudiments of the world and human traditions of men cause separation because of human sin.