Brothers, take up your crosses!

This is a continuing of "Not for our sake, but for His", I reccommend reading that post before this one. Thanks.

It was not always this way.
I often delighted in the 'comfort' I received from my church. I believed that the soft, warm, feeling of safety, was a 'blessing of God.' I confess now, that it is for my own happiness that I would go to church. I never questioned the songs we sang, or the way we sang them. The thought had scarcely occurred to me that any church was different from my church.
It was not always this way.
I remember once, thinking, how come I raise my hands when I sing "Once His enemy, now seated at His table...Jesus Thank You!" and no one else does? It must be because I've only heard this song 4-5 times in church, and everyone else has heard it 400-500 times. I slowly lowered my hand to the curt-smiles of my fellow-church-goers. I almost heard them say "That's a good boy, you're young so you did not understand. Raising your hands is just flashy, and unnecessary. That's better is it not, there now you are acting like a Christian." Then a dear brother of mine took me to Brooklyn Tabernacle Church for their weekly prayer meeting. To my awe of God's power, 3,000 people were drawn out on a Tuesday night, to pray. To pray! I would not have dreamed such a feeling, such a site. And the first words I heard... "fellow children, let us lift our hands in prayer to our God." The rest was a blur of blessings, as I shot up my hand, almost racing the other 2,999 people to the limit of their reaches.
It was not always this way.
Soon I began to discover, that there are two "Christianity's" in America. (I say America, for I do not know the world.) One of these is false, the other is true.
Let's talk about the false "Christianity" first. Even in my own typing I can not bear the pain of tagging the title of Christianity to what this heresy represents. I guess I will call it Fictianity.

Fictianity
What lies! Do tell me how the Scriptures allow for a worldly life?! Do please enlighten me how we, as the children of God, can possibly go on sinning without repentance!? The church of America is not the Church of God. The church of America, holds no position in the Body of Christ. The church of America preaches a false gospel.
It will be said, or has been said to you: "Have you invited Christ into your heart?" "Did you confess that Christ was Lord at the age of 5, in childhood bible school?" Only to follow with a heretical comment such as "Then you're saved, for 'there is no condemnation for those in Christ." It was never ever described in the great commission of Christ (Matthew 28) to "Get people to say my name with a smile, so that I can give them a mansion in heaven!"
What vile debauchery! Are we drunk!?
We were never called to make a judgement on 'whether or not a person is saved.'
"Oh but Michael does it not say 'you shall know them by their fruits.'"
-"Twist not Scripture, lest ye be like Satan."
Indeed it does say we 'shall know them by their fruits.' And I know a sour apple when I taste it! I will not feed upon the figs of venom any longer. For the fruits of sin are death!

Enough of this rubbish. Let us rid ourselves of false doctrines, and Fictianity. Let us, stop wearing the world and keeping Jesus in our pocket. Vin once said "People go on sinning, breaking out the Jesus-Christ-credit-card when ever we sin. 'oops I sinned, let me charge it on Jesus' blood.'"

Christianity
As I have found, a few weeks ago... and brothers and sisters, this walk together is just beginning, Christianity can be described in a few words.
"Take up your cross and follow me, anyone who does not pick up their cross daily and follow me, is not worthy of me."

I urge you brothers, bear the cross and scorn its shame (Hebrews 12:1-3), for the joy set before you. I remind you joy is not happiness, happiness is not joy (this topic for another day). Repent I beg you, and take a way of pain, for the glory of God. We must lose our lives for His sake to keep them, not seek to keep our lives for our sake to lose them.

Alas, more to come. We will be talking about Matthew 16:13-28 next time.