Beyond Bethlehem: The Eternal Nature of Christ (#1079 - Elim)

Send us a text Jesus Before Religion – The True Foundation Scripture Focus: Hebrews 1:3, John 1:1 Speaker: Pastor Ben Cooper The greatest deception facing believers today might not be disbelief—it might be confusion. Confusion between following Jesus and following religious systems. In this bold and uncompromising episode, Pastor Ben Cooper digs into the divine nature of Christ as revealed in Hebrews 1:3 and John 1:1, calling listeners back to the true foundation of their faith."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — John 1:1  "He is the radiance of God"s glory and the exact representation of His being." — Hebrews 1:3 These Scriptures establish one profound truth: Jesus is not a created figure; He is the eternal Creator—the Alpha before time, the radiance of divine glory, the exact image of God. Yet today, many churches have replaced this unshakable truth with comfortable tradition and performance-based Christianity. Pastor Ben challenges modern believers to assess the systems they"ve built their faith around. Has the Western church become more interested in showmanship and denominational branding than in radical, Spirit-filled discipleship? Are we unintentionally trading Jesus for entertainment, consumerism, and institutional loyalty? The contrast is clear when we look at the persecuted church—over 365 million Christians worldwide who worship in secret, risking their lives just to own a Bible. Their hunger for truth and closeness with Jesus stands in convicting contrast to Western complacency. Their example calls us back to a raw, unfiltered Christianity rooted in Christ—not culture. Another layer of challenge comes as Pastor Ben addresses the growing influence of social media, labeling it "the devil’s playground." In a world obsessed with validation, image, and influence, we are constantly being shaped—either by algorithms or by the Holy Spirit. The episode reminds us that true transformation doesn’t happen through followers or filters, but through Christ, who alone renews the mind and restores the soul. This message is a lifeline for anyone disillusioned with organized religion, burned by hypocrisy, or longing for something more than superficial faith. You don’t need more church. You need Jesus—the same Jesus who was, is, and is to come. Ready to rebuild your faith on something eternal? It’s time to break from performance, pierce through the noise, and rediscover Jesus as the cornerstone of your walk. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, or directly via Buzzsprout.   Jesus vs religion teaching, Hebrews 1 explained devotional, John 1 and divinity of Christ, difference between Jesus and church, Western church critique, persecuted church faith, how to follow Jesus not religion, Christian identity in Christ, social media and faith, Bible foundation not denomination, spiritual awakening in modern Christianity, revival through relationship not religion Jesus, faith, truth, identity, Hebrews, John, relationship, revival, persecution, freedom, Christianity, podcast Support the show https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/ https://www.rbchristianradio.net/ buymeacoffee.com/reverendbencooper