The Gospel

“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” Rom 1:16

At the very heart of Christianity is a message. A declaration of certain historical events that have profound significance for every single human being on the planet. If you think otherwise – that Christianity is a way of life, or adherence to a standard of morality set by the son of a carpenter who grew up to be a wise teacher – then you have missed the point. Christianity is not about 'following Jesus', if all you mean by the phrase is to try and ask yourself “What Would Jesus Do?”

After Jesus' ascension, the disciples did not simply go back to their peaceful lives trying to be decent, upstanding citizens. They would never have summed up their spiritual convictions by saying, “I just ask myself, 'If Jesus were in my shoes, how would he live?'” Instead, they devoted their lives to propagating a message. They lived, suffered and died for this message, because they considered it the most important thing a person could hear. Every one of them but John was martyred for declaring it openly. And they called it 'euaggelion'; good news; the gospel of Christ.

What was this message? When I ask professing Christians that question, the answer grows more and more diverse. Those who can offer an answer at all usually speak in vague generalities about God's love, Jesus' life, death and resurrection, and having a relationship with God. Occasionally sin is mentioned, but it is always spoken of as impersonally as possible. When you stack it all up to the message we see in scripture, there is very little resemblance. The prevailing philosophies of Christians resemble the biblical gospel in the same way that a formless, shifting cloud might resemble a pony. Yes, the general shape might be similar, but the cloud is not a horse. It is vapor, and is quickly carried away by the wind, whereas the war-horse of the gospel stands firm and powerful against its mightiest adversaries.

The biblical gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, consists of four essential elements: Our Need, God's Provision, Personal Application, and The Ultimate Goal. To be sure, the Bible never uses these categories, but everything that is ever said about the gospel in scripture will fit into one of them. Everything else that scripture says either lays foundation for them, or is a natural outworking from them. I hope you will see this as we go on.

Our Need

There was only one command given to man in Eden: “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”(Gen 2:16,17) Adam broke that commandment, and ate of the tree, and he died that day. No, he did not fall down dead on the spot, nor did God mean that when he ate of the fruit, he would eventually end up dying of old age, since he would no longer have access to the tree of life. Adam died the very day he bit into the forbidden fruit; he died spiritually. He was cut off from God, and no longer walked in relationship with his creator. The God he had been intimate with, because of his sin, had become his enemy.

The effects of Adam's disobedience are felt in full force today. Despite the vast amount of time since that original sin, human beings are born spiritually dead, and the proof of that is we all sin. “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Rom 5:12) Our problem is not nearly so small as a few bad habits, rather we are an offense in the sight of the holy God of the universe, because we love darkness and hate the light. “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (John 3:19,20) Because of this, God is justly full of wrath against us.

The wrath of Almighty God is not a thing to be taken lightly. He is infinitely just, and holy, and He will punish sin wherever it is found. Scripture depicts His judgment against sin in equally vivid and horrific language. “Throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 13:50) “If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.” (Psalm 7:12,13) “I [Jesus] trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.” (Isa 63:3) “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” (Rev 19:15) “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thes 1:9)

Lest we should think that we can be basically good people and be accepted by God on the basis of our own good deeds, scripture plainly tells us, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20) All we need to do is take a look at the perfect Law of God, most notably in the Ten Commandments, and it is easy to see that we fall far short of the standard.

1. You shall have no other gods before me. Who can say that they have always kept God foremost in honor, and affection? If you have ever loved money, pleasure, success, career, spouse or anything else more than God, you have made it a god and have thereby broken this commandment.


2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image. You may not have a wood or stone idol in your household, but you can carve an idol with your mind as well as with your hands. If you have conceived of God in such a way to make you feel more comfortable about your sin, then you have broken this commandment.


3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. It seems less taboo these days to throw around the name of God like it is a four-letter filth-word than to use an expletive itself which was intended for that purpose. If you have ever used God's name to express excitement or disgust then you have esteemed the name of your creator, the one who gave you life, and breath, and everything, as though it was dirt, and have broken this commandment.


4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. All God asks for is one day in seven that we set aside and devote entirely to Him. If you have not always spent at least one day a week fully devoted to prayer, worship, and the scriptures then you have broken this commandment.


5. Honor your father and your mother. Regardless of whether your parents are upright people, God commands you to honor them. If you are still a minor in their household, that means to obey them without grumbling and complaining, and show gratitude for them. If you have not always done this, then you have broken this commandment.


6. You shall not murder. Jesus and James reveal to us that hatred constitutes murder in our hearts. You may not have ever physically killed someone, but if you have ever hated anyone, then you have murdered them in God's eyes, and you have broken this commandment.


7. You shall not commit adultery. Again Jesus rules out the common saying, “You can look, but you can't touch.” telling us that if we even look at someone with lustful desire, we have committed adultery with them in our hearts. If you have ever looked at anyone with lust, let alone acted upon it, you have broken this commandment.


8. You shall not steal. The value of the item is not in question here. The commandment is not, “You shall not steal anything worth more than $10.” If you have ever stolen anything, even if it was worth less than a penny, you have broken this commandment.


9. You shall not bear false witness. White lies, half-truths, any form of deception counts as a lie. If you knowingly try to deceive someone, you have broken this commandment.


10. You shall not covet. Just in case anyone thought they had kept the other nine, God made sure we understood that He is concerned with our hearts. An unwarranted or inordinate desire for something is classified as covetousness. It is the opposite of contentment. If you have ever felt greed, or selfish ambition, or any number of other desires like them, then you have broken this commandment.

It is obvious why the Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23) Just a brief look at the Law of God reveals to us that we are sinners, and not just occasionally, but on a constant basis. Scripture expresses this reality saying, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5) It's not just that we sin, it's that all we ever do is sin, all the time. Because of that, we will be justly condemned to an eternity in Hell, where God will mete out His fierce and infinite wrath against us, unless we can somehow be rescued from this plight.

God's Provision

Thankfully, the very same God who is filled with righteous hatred for our sin, is also merciful and loving. Though we have done nothing to deserve His grace, He has provided a way of salvation for us. This redemptive plan was foreshadowed in the Jewish sacrificial system, but was actualized about two thousand years ago through Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus was born to a virgin, and is fully man, and fully God. He is “our blessed hope... our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Tit 2:13) He is the God-man, the only perfect mediator, who can reconcile us to the Father. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim 2:5) He lived a perfect, sinless life; obedient in every way. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15) He was crucified, suffering horrifically, bearing the punishment for our sin. “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Cor 15:3) “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:5,6) “The Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins...” (Gal 1:4) “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree...” (1 Pet 2:24) Three days later He rose from the grave, forever defeating death and securing eternal life for those found in Him. “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:4) “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Rom 8:34) “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor 15:17)

Jesus stepped into our place as a substitute. He took our sin, and gave us His righteousness so that God's justice is satisfied, and yet He can still show us mercy. “Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood... so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Rom 3:24-26) “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18) “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21)

There is no other plan of redemption. Salvation is through Jesus, or not at all. You cannot be reconciled to God through any other religion, only through Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man who suffered for the sins of the world. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

But how is this great provision of God applied to us?

Personal Application

Not everyone is included in the saving grace of God's provision. The application of Christ's atonement is not universal in its scope, though it is infinite in its power. The fact that Jesus died for the sins of the world does not mean that every person has their sins covered by His blood.

Scripture restricts the scope of the atonement to those who repent and place their faith in the finished work of Christ as their only hope of salvation. "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live." (Eze 18:32) “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mr 1:15) “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Lu 13:3&5) “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38) “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19) “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mr 16:16) “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18) “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

The point is, there is no other way to be saved except through Christ, and to be saved through Him, you must renounce all sin, hating it because it is an offense to the Holy God of the universe, and trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you from His righteous wrath. If you trust in anything else, you are not believing in Christ, and you will not receive eternal life. If you trust in your own ability to do good works, or in any other means of salvation, even if you trust in Christ as well, then you will not be saved. “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” (Rom 3:28)

Ultimate Goal

Seeing that we are radically depraved sinners, who deserve nothing but eternal hellfire, yet God ordains a means of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, who died to pay the penalty for our sin if we repent and trust in Him, we are left in wonder at His grace. Why would a holy, just God save sinners anyway? Is it all wrapped up in His love for us, or is there an even higher purpose of God working in, through, and behind His love?

The purpose of God in saving sinners - indeed the ultimate purpose of the entire universe as well – reaches beyond the love of God. Scripture tells us that the ultimate goal of God in redeeming us is that we would be to the praise of His glory. More specifically, that we might be to the praise of the glory of His grace. “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace.” (Eph 1:4-6) “…so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:12) “…so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:10,11) “For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.” (1 Sam 12:22) “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psa 23:3) “For your name’s sake, O LORD,pardon my guilt, for it is great.” (Psa 25:11) “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!” (Psa 79:9) “Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness... Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power.” (Psa 106:6&8) “For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off... For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.” (Isa 48:9&11) “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.” (1 Joh 2:12)

When God acts in love, He acts for the sake of His glory. When God acts in judgment and wrath, He acts for the sake of His glory. Whatever God does, He tells us Himself through His word, that He does it for the sake of the praise of His name. Therefore, if we have no desire to glorify God with our lives, it proves that our faith is not genuine. If when we conceptualize of eternal life, we are apathetic as to whether or not God will be there, we won't be there.

This is the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel of scripture. Men have sinned against God and deserve His infinite wrath, but He sent His only Son to to be a substitute for us, so that if we repent and trust in Him, we will be granted eternal life, where we will glorify God as a redeemed people, holy and blameless, for all eternity. How this gospel is presented may vary widely, but the substance of it will remain the same. Our Need will always be our sin against a holy God, which deserves eternal punishment in Hell. God's Provision will always be through the substitutional life, death and resurrection of Christ on our behalf. Personal Application will always be through repentance of sin, and Faith in Jesus alone for salvation. The Ultimate Goal will always be the praise of the glory of His grace through the redemption of a chosen people. These timeless truths are the anchor and core of the Christian faith. God help us if the church ever abandons or relegates to the fringes of our confession these foundational doctrines.

Back in the saddle again!

Hi everyone. It's been a while since my last blog. I have wanted to blog many times within the last weeks, but trials and exhaustion have overwhelmed me. Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know that I will again be a bloggin and I hope you will be a readin.

Go bless you and see you soon.

The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart! pt 2A The Church Of Satan

The MAC has been a tremendous source of stress for me as it seems to be so thoroughly corrupt. There is no end to the heresies that spring up on a daily bases. People care more about what Billy Graham thinks, than about what Jesus Christ Has said in His Word. Men would sooner turn to soothsayers and dead philosophers than to the true and living God.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but think that this is not the first time this has happened through out history. As a matter of fact, Martin Luther experienced similar difficulties in the days of the reformation. In fact many of his works, including the Ninety Five Thesis, expressed his frustration with the Catholic Church and their heretical ideology.
Yes, certainly Luther was not unfamiliar with the struggles that come in dealing with heresy. However his were only an echo of previous battles of the past. Paul constantly had to contend for the faith, and Jude exhorts us to do the same, Jude 1:3. And yet even Paul was not alone in the grand spectrum of Scriptural History.
The war has been waging since the day that Lucifer fell from heaven. Satan has always pushed to have his throne established above God’s throne. He has sought to subvert the authority of All Mighty God. The bible says that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. Rest assured folks, the enemy today is the same enemy that has been subverting the masses since the beginning of creation. It is none other than that old serpent The Devil. He crawls around on his belly, bellow the radar of many, ready to bite the heels of all those who pass by him. He strikes at the boot and then waits in the shadows for his enemy to fall. He is ever wanting for the children of God to cross his path, coiled up and camouflaged waiting for the right moment.
The bible says that he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Peter 5:8. (Notice that lions always attack the weakest of the heard. He knows that a healthy animal may over power him and so he will not risk it. So it is with our enemy. This is something that I will address further in 2B) Remember that his one focus in life is to kill, steal and destroy. Do not neglect to prepare yourself for battle; else you may succumb to the snares of the Devil.
Yes, for certain, Satan is both crafty and deceptive. However, I think that our view of how he operates is somewhat inaccurate. While it is very true that our enemy is shady and perverse in his dealings, it is not true that he is uncalculated in his attacks. Is a snake uncalculated in how he strikes his prey, or a lion in where he bites his victims? No, he is strategic. Our view of the Devil, more often then not, is based on science fiction and imagination rather than fact. We tend to look at him as being random and chaotic and animal like in character. When we think of the satanic influence we tend to think of Marilyn Manson, rock concerts and séances. We think of upside down crosses, Wicca, and disturbing images of goats heads inside demonic symbols. But is this view and image of baal-zebub entirely accurate, or is there more to our enemy then meets the eye?
The Bible says that Satan often appears as an Angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. I believe that in the last two hundred years he has so infiltrated the American church that he has been able to form an entirely new religion and gather literally millions of converts. I believe he has succeeded in high jacking the Christian label and redefining it in America. This new religion of the Devil revolves completely around fulfilling your fleshly needs, whatever they may be. The gospel preached is one of life enhancement and personal achievement. It is a do-gooders religion of self improvement, a moralistic, theistic and humanistic religion of works. This is not the first time that the Devil has succeeded in doing this throughout history. In fact he did the same thing with the Catholic Church.
Why has the enemy been able to do so much damage to the church throughout history? What is his strategy?
Well, to answer these questions I will use not only the scriptures, but also some helpful parallels that will help us to pin point his battle strategies and properly define Truth from error. Until next time, God Bless

Letter to Obama

I rescently sent this e-mail to Barrak Obama in regard to the murder of children.

Dear President Obama,
Thank you for taking my e-mail, as I know you must be very busy. My question to you, sir, is in regard to what you call, “A woman’s right to choose.” Firstly, I would like to pose the question, what makes a human being a human being? Is it the fact that they all look and act the same? No, because we know that that is not true. What if a man has no arms and no legs, is he still a human being? Does he still have rights? Yes, of course he does.
Some might say, “It’s because that man is alive and a baby is not until it leaves the womb.” Very well, let’s begin with the preconception that a child is not alive until it leaves the womb. A man buried in a grave is still considered a man, correct? Does he or does he not have rights? Is he or is he not still considered human? Isn’t he still endowed with certain unalienable rights?
Again I will ask the first question, what is it that makes a human being a human being? Are we human because of our outward appearance? No, we are human because of our genetic structure. An ape is not human. A rat is not human. A dog is not human. A child however, because of its genetic makeup, is human. Whatever the stage of its development, because of its DNA, you can rightly call that child a human being, and man by definition. Therefore, you be the judge sir. Does the child have the right to live, or not?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all MEN are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are LIFE, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Sincerely,
David Carnahan

By the way, to date I have still received no reply.

The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart! pt 1

In my many dealings with the monster known as the Modern American Church (MAC), the one issue that I keep running into is, what is God like? Everyone, it seems, has their own idea of what God is like. I have heard everything from, God is Love, to God would never send anyone to hell and the ever persistent God has a wonderful plan for you.


Now before I get into what I believe to be the root of all of this incorrect theology. I must confess to you, that I was once a propagator of it. I held to those same teachings for the better part of my life and so I understand firsthand just how damaging they can be to a person.


That in mind I will now share from both the scripture and my personal experience what I believe to be the heart of the matter.


The second commandment says that you shall not make a graven image. That is, you shall not make a god to suite yourself. God commands that He be the object of your affections and that you will not create another god to offer worship to. Since God is the only true God, Isaiah 44:8, He has every right to demand worship from His creation. To make a god to suite yourself is not only offensive in His sight, but the bible says it is an accursed thing, Joshua 6:18.


The bible condemns Idolatry more than it condemns any other sin.
Leviticus 19:4 Leviticus 26:1 Leviticus 26:30 Deuteronomy 29:17 1 Samuel 15:231Samuel31:91Kings 15:12 1 Kings 15:13 1 Kings 21:26 2 Kings 17:12 2 Kings 21:11
2 Kings 21:21 2 Kings 23:5 2 Kings 23:24 1 Chronicles 10:9 1 Chronicles 16:26 2 Chronicles 15:8
2 Chronicles 15:16 2 Chronicles 24:18 2 Chronicles 33:7 2 Chronicles 33:15 2 Chronicles 34:7
Psalm 96:5 Psalm 97:7 Psalm 106:36.
Exodus 20:4 Exodus 32:16 Exodus 39:6 Leviticus 26:1 Deuteronomy 4:16 Deuteronomy 4:23
Deuteronomy 4:25 Deuteronomy 5:8 Deuteronomy 7:5 Deuteronomy 7:25 Deuteronomy 12:3
Deuteronomy 27:15 Judges 17:3 Judges 17:4 Judges 18:14 Judges 18:17 Judges 18:20
Judges 18:30 Judges 18:31 2 Kings 17:41 2 Kings 21:7 2 Chronicles 33:19 2 Chronicles 34:7
Job 19:24 Psalm 78:58 Psalm 97:7 Isaiah 10:10 Isaiah 21:9 Isaiah 30:22 Isaiah 40:19
Isaiah 40:20 Isaiah 42:8 Isaiah 42:17 Isaiah 44:9 Isaiah 44:10 Isaiah 44:15 Isaiah 44:17
Isaiah 45:20 Isaiah 48:5 Isaiah 49:16 Jeremiah 8:19 Jeremiah 10:14 Jeremiah 17:1
Jeremiah 50:38 Jeremiah 51:17 Jeremiah 51:47 Jeremiah 51:52 Hosea 11:2 Micah 1:7 Micah5:13. There are still many more references, but I just wanted to give you the general Idea. One of the main reasons why I believe that this sin is condemned the most out of every other sin is that it not only takes worship that rightfully belongs to God and offers it to dumb Idols, but it deadens the consciences of men. If you make a god who loves what you love and hates what you hate then you will be able to practice sin to your hearts content with little to no conviction.


Sadly, this is the state of the MAC. It is filled with men and women who not only sin to their hearts content, but teach others that it is OK to do the same. Many of them when confronted about sin will immediately point to the cross and say, "but Jesus died for us." As if that means that now they have licence to do whatever hellish thing they want to. The problem is that they have and Idolatrous view of God that has been passed down to them over the last 200 years. Their Idol bears the the name Jesus, they baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, which is biblical. But it's their concept of The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit that I have a problem with, not their usage.


The bible made it very clear that this deviance from the Truth would one day come. 2Timothy 4:3-4 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. And that men's consciences would be disfunctional. 1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; These scriptures have never been more relevant to a generation than they are to this one. The Hot Iron of Idolatry has seared the consciences of the masses of professors in this country, and look at the myriad of false teachers that we have today.

There is nothing more damning to a Nation than Idolatry. It will leave a nation desolate and abandoned by God. It will corrupt the people of God and turn them into nothing more then splendid satanists. It will exchange the Truth of God for a lie. It is one of the easiest sins to commit for it can happen in an instant. All you have to do is speculate about what God is like and you have done it. Sola Scriptura, I truly wish that was the motto of America, but sadly I think a more fitting motto for our country is Seldom Scriptura.

I will be continuing this series on a monthly, perhaps weekly bases so keep checking the blog. I hope you have found this edifying and perhapse even convicting. Please don't hesitate to post your comments.

God Bless

So you bear the name Christian...

So, you say that you are a Christian, and you rely on the Bible, and boast in God, and know His will, and agree with the things that are essential. You are convinced that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a correcter of the foolish, and teacher of those young in the faith, having in the Bible the written manifestation of knowledge and of the truth.

You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who teach that one shall not steal, do you steal? (Take extra long breaks at work, cheat on your taxes, download software or music that you didn't pay for, etc.) You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? (Looking at someone with lustful desire, or sexual contact with someone who is not your spouse.) You who can't stand idols, do you commit idolatry? (love anything more than God, create a God in your mind to suit your sin) You who boast in the Bible, through your breaking the commandments within it, do you dishonor of God? For the name of God is mocked by unbelievers because of you.

For crucifix charms, and fish bumper-stickers are of value, if you obey the commandments of scripture. But if you live like the rest of the world, they are meaningless. Take a moment and examine your faith. Are you a hypocrite? Then repent of your self-righteousness, and pride. Humble yourself before God, and trust in the work of Jesus Christ to save you. Do not think lightly of the kindness, tolerance and patience of God. His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance, because he has been so merciful to you, a sinner.

God is not impressed with outward displays of piety, (raising your hands in worship, speaking in "tongues", public prayer) but is concerned with your heart. Whatever outward symbols you have of your faith in Christ, your devotion to Him should be indelibly marked upon your heart, and you should not be striving for praise from men, but praise from God.

Men can play-act the part of a Christian very well, just like the Jews of Paul's time could make a good facade of religion, but only you and God know where your heart is really at. Saying a simple prayer is not salvation, nor is signing a little card. Search yourself out and see if you be in the faith. Are you so good at deceiving others because you have deceived even yourself? Read 1st John and take a hard look at your life. Are you truly a Christian? A true Christian is one who has been born again, by the power of the Spirit. Not just by cleaning up your life a bit, saying a prayer, and reading the Bible every now and then. A true Christian drives hard after righteousness, because he wants to please his master. He perseveres in doing good, seeking after the glory of God, honoring His name, and eternal life with Him.

If you could not tell, this has been an adaptation of Romans 2:17-29, with some bits and pieces thrown in from earlier in the chapter as well. Paul is there calling out the hypocrisy of the Jews, who are Jews in name only. They have the outward appearance and marks of true Jews, but they lack the spiritual life and sanctified walk of those who are truly Jews.

Please, if you call yourself a Christian, examine yourself against scripture to see if your faith is authentic. There would be nothing more terrible than to think you are going to go to heaven, and on the day of judgment hear the words, "Depart from me, I never knew you, you workers of iniquity." You may offer all the outward signs of your faith that you want, saying, "Did I not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and perform many miracles?" but God sees the intents of the heart, and whether you ever truly worshiped Him at all. Don't be wrong about this most important self-assessment.

Letter from Ben Stein

I thought everybody would find this interesting. It is a letter that Ben Stein wrote and sent out. I think you will find it interesting to say the least.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.

It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.

I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?' In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.

I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.

I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards,
Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein