Life reduced to time and material (red pyramid world) by the determined will of corrupt human nature works incessantly to manipulate everything for its own purposes (like a drowning person grasping frantically for anything upon which to climb). This is why human beings have turned the teaching of the Bible and especially of Christ in the New Testament into just another set of rules that a clever person might use to gain favor from god for his own material gain.
Thus the “Christian” church became a material kingdom, even though Jesus clearly said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Thus the “church” has a history of fighting in the world, even though Jesus clearly said, “If my kingdom were of this world, My followers would fight for Me. But now My kingdom is not of this world.” There is a long list of biblical teachings that people who claim the Bible generally and consistently contradict: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15); “Owe no one anything except love” (Romans 13:8); “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed” (Romans 12:2); “… that we should live no longer for ourselves” (2 Corinthians 5:15); and perhaps best of all, “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).
How could a material person in time have any hope or happiness in following such teachings? Yet if there is a god, how can we expect him to help us if we reject his word? What if it’s not his word, but only the words of men written to advance their own material pursuits, as many have accused over the past 200 years?
Next week we will look at the worlds of human invention and how they have successfully pulled the wool over our eyes.