Gods? What Gods?

: The Mystery Religions of the First Century Mediterranean World as Antithetical To First Century Christianity

by

R. Alan Woods San Diego: Rhema Rising Press Copyright 2007

ORIGINS

Men are forever gaining knowledge but never coming to know the Truth (Heb. Ch. 5:3). The religious systems that existed during the first century in the Medite rranean world primarily consisted of two main groups. First, the milieu of myster y religions and their accompanying tradition of religious beliefs and practices h aving had their ancient origins in Macedonia, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Chaldea, Syro-Phoenicia, and India. Second, the Jewish faith as practiced by the ancient Hebrews. Christianity as an established system of belief that contained recogniz able practices and visible communities did not exist before ca. 46 AD outside of Jerusalem. The early church was composed mainly of Jewish converts and some Genti les who were previously known as God-Fearers within the Jewish communities in Jude a. However, it has been speculated that the apostle Paul after his conversion, w hich is said to have occurred on the road to Damascus ca. 32 AD, probably began evangelizing Jews, God-fearers, and Gentiles, and organized them into Christian communities in the province of Cilicia, and more specifically in his home turf of Tarsus between 32 AD and 46 AD.

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH BEGINS IN ERNEST

The birth of the Gentile Christian church and its formation as recognizable, organized communities began in earnest with Pauls first missionary journey aroun d 47 AD. The geographic areas primarily covered by his three major missionary ex cursions were located in Asia Minor and Macedonia with trips being made to Rome, Spain, and Britain toward the end of his missionary ethos. The apostles James, John, and Peter were the founders and pillars of the Jewish Christian church, wh ich was headquartered in Jerusalem and, up until Pauls work in the province Cilic ia, was the primary expression of the early church.

FALSE RELIGIONS

In contrast to the early Jewish Christian church and, the resultant establishmen t of Christian communities in Judea (i.e. Jerusalem, Samaria, and Palestine) and the Diaspora, there had been in existence (ca. 1000 BC) a milieu of religious b eliefs and practices which were primarily paganistic in origin and that consisted mainly of versions of the mystery religions commonly associated with Ancient Chald ea, Babylon and Assyria with Egyptian, Syro-Phoenician, and Far Eastern religiou s influences adding nuance to, the smorgasbord of the gods (Mobley). In addition to this, when the Roman Empire transitioned from a Republic, administered by the R oman Senate, to a monarchy ruled by Emperors (ca. 47 BC), the practice of Emperor Worship appeared and was then thrown into the mix and was implemented as the offici ally sanctioned city-state religion comprised of its own distinct set of beliefs and practices. These various religious expressions were grouped into a general category ref erred to as cults that consisted of exclusive clubs and associations that practice d certain secret rites of initiation and rituals of spiritual practice. These rite s and rituals became associated with specific gods and/or goddesses which one co uld theoretically come to experience or know through a supernatural actualization wh ich was mystical in nature. The purpose of this so-called experience was to gain en lightenment accompanied with an expectation of knowing an answer to mans age-old q uestion: Why am I here? and Where am I going after this life is over? (i.e. what is the meaning and purpose of life?).

THE AUTHENTIC VS. THE COUNTERFEIT

In every instance of alleged enlightenment and (un) informed belief that was b irthed from the specific rite and ritual as practiced, the approach utilized was a systematic internalization of a process involving self-awareness with the hope of actualizing a union with and ultimate absorption by the deity(s) in a distinc tly non-personal manner (i.e. May the force be with you! [Star Wars, episode I.]. In Ca. 46 AD the Apostle Paul began his first missionary journey into Asia M inor and later Macedonia bringing with him the Gospel of Jesus Christ as reveale d to him through his conversion experience while on the road to Damascus- Paul w as on his way there with the focused intent to arrest Jewish Christians and have them jailed for trial and in many cases sentenced to their deaths. He had made a singular reputation for himself as the premier prosecutor of contemporary Christ ians, most all of whom were Jewish and Gentile God-fearers, and an accomplished disruptor of their families and corporate communities. Pauls message to the Gentiles was simple and basic: Christ Crucified and Resurrect ed. Paul understood the Gospel to be a simple message of reconciliation that was offered graciously as a cessation of againstness between God (Jehovah) and Mankind freely available through Jesus Christ- the Anointed One of God as God of very G od)- and attainable exclusively through Christ predicated upon two primary pre-r equisites. The first was/is, an acknowledgment of sin and a sinful fallen nature or state of being which had caused a separation as enmity from God- a fall from Grace inherited through Adam and Eve- and, the second was/is for mankind to rec ognize Jesus of Nazareth as the only begotten Son of the living God through whom t his exclusive Salvation may be actualized- appropriating the propitiation for si n accomplished through the Cross of Crucifixion through Faith (Greek: Pistis) an d the recognition of The Propitiatory that is eternally embodied in the Christ. The intended transformation that was expected to follow from this entailed b eing set free from deception and delusion, to a being set free for enlightenment and freedom for freedoms sake. This authentic transformation as described, its roots

in objective Truth and Reality, and the means of acquiring it was/is antithetical to All of the religious offerings of pantheism and Satan worship (mystery religio ns of ancient Chaldea and Babylon) that were prevalent and readily available to the inhabitants of the first century Mediterranean world or that have ever exist ed from the beginning of human history. The absolute dissimilarity of a so-calle d religious experience that is wholly internalized outside of objective reality and truth- as opposed to an authentic external experience that is rooted in obje ctive Reality and Truth- as compared to one that becomes Holy (sic) internalized a nd creates a paradigmatic enlightenment that gives the receiver spiritually attune d eyes and ears, Divine Incarnational encampment, and supernatural empowerment- a pe rsonalized and intimate connection with The Living God of Creation and The Jews. Although there may seem to be some commonality or similarity between Christiani ty and All other religions there is in fact, upon an objective analysis, existe nce of a deception that is more than sinister in its subtlety and evil in its pu rposed effect: the eternal destruction and separation of man from his Creator/Go d.

VICTORY AND VINDICATION

The major religious players in todays post-modern world are Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism with each of these major belief systems comprised of over on e billion adherents. It is readily apparent that the show-down seems to be forming up between the Judao-Christian and Islamic camps. It seems to me to be more tha n coincidental that the Philistines (Palestinians), Babylonians, and Assyrians are still at enmity with Abrahams seed. Christianity has come a long way from its humble beginnings. In the Middle o f Time (Hans Conzelmann)- or in the nick-of-time- from non-descript and humble begi nnings, well below the radar of the movers and shakers of the World, arrives the Go d-Man, Jesus of Nazareth. The One, True, and Living God is revealed and made know n to the World- Objective Reality and Truth is manifested. All other religious bel ief systems more than pale in comparison to the hyper-obvious superiority of the Judao-Christian reality of not only belief, but also the supernatural connectio n in authentic relationship to The One True and Living Creator God that lies at t he core of belief and practice. Satan is the father of all lies. He is the great deceiver. He is the source of all that is counterfeit. Praise be to God! The Wa y, The Truth, and The Life came into the World. His name is Jesus of Nazareth, T he Risen Christ, the Living Word of God made divinely human. Truly, the Light ha s come into the world; the Kingdom of God has come unto us. All other religious beliefs along with their adherents will ultimately perish as though they never e xisted. Christ and His Church still stand and stand strong, all the while taking territory and expanding as The Kingdom of God. Come Lord Jesus,