The Sect of the Nazarenes or The Way?

​“For we have found this man a public menace and one who stirs up dissensions among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 

But I confess this to you, that in accordance with the Way, which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and is written in the Prophets.

But Felix, having quite accurate knowledge about the Way, adjourned them, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭24:5, 14, 22‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/2692/act.24.5-22.NASB2020

What is Christianity to you? To the Jews with their lawyer it was a sect of the Nazarenes. To Paul, it was worship to God according to the Way. The Jews saw Christianity as a break-off from their Jewish faith and that it was hostile to their way of worship. But Paul saw it differently. Christianity is a reformed Jewish faith back to the way God had intended it to be. 

Now we are at a fork in the road. We are to decide which way Christianity is to operate in our lives. Are we going to let it be a set of rules that a certain organization or person is to put us under? Or are we going to be free from the bondage of rules by submitting to God and his two rules? 

“This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:8-9‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.15.9.NASB2020

“Then the Lord said, “Because this people approaches Me with their words And honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught; Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the understanding of their men who have understanding will be concealed.” Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the Lord, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭29:13-15‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/2692/isa.29.13-15.NASB2020

“And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:35-40‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.22.37-40.NASB2020

God desires that we live with Him in harmony and truth. When we are getting our commands from Him we are in step with Him and walking in the truth. 

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/2692/jer.29.13.NASB2020