Nothing Has Changed
I Attended Church Almost My Whole Life — But I Was Still Asleep
Have You Ever Been in an Abusive Relationship?
Not physical.
Verbal. Emotional. Spiritual.
The kind where someone tells you you’re not enough—
but reassures you:
“It’s okay… we love you anyway.”
They “forgive” you—
but never let you forget your flaws.
They lie—about things that matter.
You catch it. You ask questions.
You dig deeper.
But they dismiss you:
“You’re overthinking it.”
“Just let it go.”
Still, something nags at you.
A whisper deep inside:
“This isn’t right.”
But you stay.
Because you’re dependent.
Because you don’t know what else is out there.
Because they’ve convinced you—you need them.
So you rationalize.
You excuse.
You call it anything but what it is.
But it is abuse.
Just not the kind you can see.
It’s spiritual.
It’s emotional.
It’s invisible.
Now imagine being told your whole life:
“You are unworthy… but don’t worry, we forgive you.”
Does that sound like love?
Does that sound healthy?
I Was Raised Catholic
I knew all the stories:
Jesus in the manger
Jesus on the cross
Jesus rising from the grave
I wore my Easter best.
Waited for Santa on Jesus’s birthday.
Took communion.
Memorized Scripture.
I could quote John 3:16 before I could multiply.
I tried to be good.
I followed the rules.
I tithed. I volunteered.
I smiled in the pew.
And I believed what I was told:
“We’re all sinners. Unworthy. But Jesus died for our sins.”
And for a while, that felt like enough.
But deep down, something didn’t sit right.
I wasn’t hungry for more church.
I was hungry for truth.
When I Started Asking Real Questions
It all felt… scripted.
Like a machine.
“Do as I say,” wrapped in the language of faith.
I didn’t want performance.
I wanted God.
So I asked questions:
Why does Jesus say the Kingdom is within me?
Why did He call us the light of the world?
Why didn’t He write anything down Himself?
I asked sincerely.
But I was told:
“Just believe.”
“Just trust the Church.”
“Don’t overthink it.”
But faith without truth… isn’t faith.
It’s bondage.
And I was shackled to a version of Jesus who never really looked me in the eye.
The Day Everything Changed
It wasn’t thunder.
It wasn’t a vision.
It was a whisper.
I was sitting in church.
Same message:
“You’re broken. Jesus died to fix you.”
But something stirred in me.
A whisper I couldn’t ignore:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9
Grace.
A gift.
Not earned. Not bought.
And it always has been.
Even before the cross.
God never waited for perfection.
He’s never chosen the flawless.
Moses was a murderer.
David was an adulterer.
Noah got drunk.
And still—He called them.
Then came another whisper:
“You are the light of the world.” — Matthew 5:14
Let that sink in.
Jesus didn’t say He alone is the light.
He said you are.
He passed the torch.
He invited us to remember who we are—
not just followers… but vessels.
Carriers of His Spirit.
Reflections of His presence.
So Why Did Jesus Come?
Jesus didn’t die just because of “bad behavior.”
Not because someone skipped synagogue or had a lustful thought.
Those were never the real issue.
He died because humanity rejected Truth—
even when Truth stood right in front of them.
The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!”
Later screamed “Crucify Him!”
They saw the miracles.
Heard the teaching.
Watched Him love, heal, raise the dead—
and still, they chose:
Religious leaders over Christ
Religious power over divine presence
Man’s authority over God’s voice
The Real Sin Was Betrayal
They didn’t just reject a teacher.
They rejected God—
“The image of the invisible God.” — Colossians 1:15
“He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” — John 1:11
This wasn’t about morality.
It was spiritual treason.
The ultimate sin wasn’t stealing or lust—
It was betraying the Truth.
The Parable of the Vineyard
Jesus told a story:
A landowner sent his servants (the prophets) to collect the harvest.
But the tenants beat, stoned, and killed them.
Then he sent his son.
“They will respect my son,” he said.
But the tenants said, “This is the heir. Let’s kill him and take the inheritance.”
— Matthew 21:33–45
They didn’t kill Him because they didn’t know who He was.
They killed Him because they did.
And they wanted to keep the system.
Religious Betrayal Wears a Robe
In the Old Testament, betrayal looked obvious:
Baal. Asherah poles. Child sacrifice.
In Jesus’s day?
It wore robes.
Quoted Scripture.
Claimed to speak for God—while silencing His voice.
Jesus called it out:
“You brood of vipers!” — Matthew 23:33
They weren’t shepherds.
They were gatekeepers of religion.
They Thought They Were Serving God
But they bowed to:
The Sanhedrin
Pilate
Caesar
“We have no king but Caesar.” — John 19:15
They didn’t bow to Baal this time—
They bowed to systems.
To tradition.
To control.
And they repeated the betrayal all over again.
And Still—He Forgave
From the cross—mocked, bleeding, alone—
He didn’t curse them.
He said:
“Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34
Forgiveness for ignorance.
Forgiveness for betrayal.
For choosing man’s system over God’s presence.
This Wasn’t Transactional. It Was Transformational.
Jesus didn’t die to hand out new rules.
He didn’t come to cancel the Law—
He came to fulfill it.
And He fulfilled so many prophecies… it was undeniable.
But they denied Him anyway.
To protect their power.
He came to:
Tear the veil
Remove the corrupt middlemen
Restore communion with the Father
He didn’t die because we broke laws.
He died because we broke relationship.
And What About Today?
Does your church honor the Word of God?
Or does it lead you down the wide path?
We may not bow to golden calves—
But we bow to:
Denominations
Celebrity pastors
Holiday traditions born in empire
Rituals disconnected from Scripture
We obey the same system that killed Him.
And many of us… don’t even realize it.
But it still breaks His heart.
Just One Example: The Sabbath
The only commandment that begins with “Remember…”
is the one almost everyone forgets.
Pastors say it doesn’t matter.
But God never voided this Commandment.
Man did—1,700 years ago.
And one compromise always leads to another.
I Started to See the Cracks
The Church distorted the resurrection timeline.
Changed God’s laws and appointed times (see Daniel 7:25).
Turned the birth of the sun god into Christmas.
Swapped Passover for Easter eggs.
For years, I swallowed the message:
“You are unworthy.”
“You need saving from yourself.”
“You need the Church to reach God.”
I didn’t hammer the nails into His hands.
But I was blind—
Believing the Church was showing me how to honor Him.
Then I opened the Bible.
Just the Word.
No commentary.
No middleman.
“The Kingdom of God is within you.” — Luke 17:21
“You are the light of the world.” — Matthew 5:14
“Before Abraham was, I AM.” — John 8:58
Not “He is.”
I AM.
Not “Wait for heaven.”
It’s within you.
Not “You’re a sinner trying to be good.”
You’re a divine flame trying to remember.
A Quiet Thought Rose Up:
“What if you were never broken?”
“What if you’ve just been lied to?”
Born Innocent
Jesus said:
“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” — Matthew 18:3
He didn’t say grow up.
He said: return.
Return to trust.
To identity.
To spiritual innocence.
You were born a light-bearer.
An image-bearer, with the breath of the Spirit in You.
Sinless.
The world corrupted you.
The same as the Serpent corrupted Adam & Eve with twisted words.
And religion helped.
So What Now?
Maybe they missed more than just the Sabbath.
Maybe they missed the entire reason Jesus came.
Even Nicodemus—teacher of Israel—missed it.
Jesus came to:
Model obedience
Expose corruption
Prove He is God
And Maybe You Feel It Too
That ache.
That tension.
That quiet sense that something’s off.
It’s not God that is off.
If you feel it…
You’re not crazy.
You’re remembering.
“Any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.” — Luke 14:33
He’s not asking for your money.
He’s asking for your heart.
Your loyalty.
Your freedom.
Step Into the Truth
For centuries, the systems of this world—
governments, religions, even churches—
have told us we’re unworthy…
Then sold us salvation.
But you are the temple.
You are the light.
“Do not be unequally yoked…Come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. — 2 Corinthians 6:14–17
He’s not calling you to hate the world.
He’s calling you to stop conforming to it.
Final Thoughts: The Flame Lives in You
“Beware the leaven of the Pharisees…” — Matthew 16:6
Corruption often comes from those we trusted most.
This isn’t just about sin.
It’s about trust.
About systems.
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities… spiritual wickedness in high places.” — Ephesians 6:12
If you feel the unrest—
in politics, in religion, in your church—
You’re not paranoid.
You’re discerning.
Jesus didn’t come to create Christians.
He came to awaken you.
“Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins…” — Revelation 18:4
This isn’t just prophecy.
It’s a plea.
Come out of:
Man-made doctrines
Power-hungry pulpits
Rituals without relationship
Hierarchies between you and God
You were never meant to be managed.
You were meant to be free.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2
If This Resonates…
Whisper it.
Say it.
Share it.
You’re not alone.
Many are waking up.
The lies are cracking.
The light is breaking through.
Let’s walk it together.