Have you heard about it?
If not,...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Monday, July 13, 2009
Progress? No.
Rodney King
OJ Simpson
Jesse Jackson
Mike Tyson
Kobe Bryant
Michael Jackson
Steve McNair
Who are these men? These are a few of the criminals that the Black American community has rallied behind for the last twenty years or so.
Rodney King was a thug on drugs who got a justified beat down from LA cops. In response, the black community rioted, punctuated by an unjustified murderous assault on Reginald Denny, a white man whose sufferings were completely discounted as the thugs who beat him were let off the hook as being not responsible for their actions. I wonder if God thought the same as the jury. I doubt it.
He certainly did not agree with the jury who acquitted OJ Simpson of murdering his estranged wife and her adultery partner. True, by God's Law, they got what they deserved, but this wasn't OJ's first marriage, so he was certainly not really in a position to throw the proverbial stones. And, since Jesus said that divorce was permitted by Moses because of “the hardness of men's hearts,” and OJ was a wife-beater, one could easily argue that his wife should have left him long ago....or that she should never have married him in the first place, since he beat his first wife.
Then we have Jesse Jackson, the pro-life preacher who suddenly became pro-abortion when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination back in 1984. Reverend Jackson seems to have forgotten that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood (the single largest infant-murder organization in the world), was a racist whose followers and successors deliberately plant their assassination clinics in black neighborhoods. The result? The black population of the United States of America is waning. We are no longer the chief minority in this country. Because the Hispanics seem to have enough brains to realize that progeny is what keeps a culture alive (2.11 children per family or go “bye-bye”).
And this is the man who served as President Clinton's “spiritual advisor” when the president lied about committing adultery with Monica Lewinsky. Of course. Because he himself was an adulterer. His former adultery partner successfully took him to court for $120,000 per month in child support. No resignation from his position as a “reverend” even though the Bible calls for it (1 Timothy 3), because none of his followers actually believe or read the Bible. They wouldn't stand with him for abortion if they did.
Mike Tyson is a failure who could have succeeded if he were a bit more humble. Sure, he was great in the boxing ring, but he, like Samson so many years ago, couldn't keep from the allure of fornication. Then he found out that “strange women” are not good company, so he sought to teach them a lesson. That only landed him in jail. Repeatedly. Now, he is a joke, though a very imposing one.
Kobe Bryant didn't take notes from Tyson's saga (about avoiding loose women), but he did handle his own failures a little better. That is, this adulterer did not seek to take the life of the woman with whom he sinned against his wife. Unfortunately, to avoid criminal charges for raping her, he paid her off (technically, she sued him and settled out of court, but that was after the prosecutors asked the judge to permanently drop the case because she wouldn't testify). People all over the country sympathized with him (and threatened her), as if somehow he was the poor victim of some evil-hearted white girl out for his money. In truth, he was the perpetrator of a sin against God's Law, and against the wife to whom he had pledged the entire rest of his life. He got much less than what he deserved, but at least he repented. Which is a lot more than can be said for the people who backed him while he was traveling to and from Colorado for court hearings in between games.
Ironically, Tracy McGrady was criticized for “attacking” Kobe when he said that the lesson in what happened was that “we need to stick with our wives.” How was that an attack? It was the simple wisdom that would have helped Kobe avoid all this trouble in the first place. Of course, Kobe just got another ring, and T-Mac just missed the playoffs again with an injury, so people are going to say that Kobe is vindicated. Not so. He got mitigated consequences because he repented: this ring he got took years after he should have gotten it.
Michael Jackson may have been the “king of pop” in his heyday, but he was also a child-molester who never got his just due from man's court. When he died prematurely (at age 50), thousands upon thousands of people lined the streets with sympathy for him. Forget about the black children he raped. Their ruined lives are not as important as our entertainment.
Finally, there's Steve McNair, the 36-year-old retired NFL quarterback with numerous accolades, who died at the hand of his adultery partner, who also shot herself. Again, thousands of people lined the streets to mourn this wicked man who betrayed his wife and children and then suffered his due consequences. Someone should have read Proverbs 7 at his funeral, but then they might have been booed off stage for being “disrespectful” to a man who didn't have the toughness to keep his most sacred promise.
These are the people that the black community defends. To the deaths (threatened or actual) of those who call them out. I doubt that my life is in any danger whatsoever, but that's because I'm black. And that's stupid.
Sin is sin. It doesn't matter whether a black man or a white man does it. “Getting a fair shake in court” does not mean being acquitted when you are guilty; it simply means that the guilty are punished and those not guilty go free. Somehow we have turned justice into equal numbers of criminals being allowed back into society. “Well, the white man has it happen all the time!” will not stand up before God on Judgment Day.
Jesus isn't black—He's God and He became a Jew—Allah isn't real, Africa isn't paradise, and Mohammad hated black people—or “raisin heads” as he called them. The Bible decrees salvation for all, Jew and Gentile, Black and White, popular and unpopular, loved and hated—if we repent. Not if we make excuses for our sin, such as “white people do it all the time.” Jesus died for all sinners, but Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).
So, we can go to the same Hell with the white people who practice evil, or we can dump sin like an cheating spouse and go to Heaven. The choice is yours.
OJ Simpson
Jesse Jackson
Mike Tyson
Kobe Bryant
Michael Jackson
Steve McNair
Who are these men? These are a few of the criminals that the Black American community has rallied behind for the last twenty years or so.
Rodney King was a thug on drugs who got a justified beat down from LA cops. In response, the black community rioted, punctuated by an unjustified murderous assault on Reginald Denny, a white man whose sufferings were completely discounted as the thugs who beat him were let off the hook as being not responsible for their actions. I wonder if God thought the same as the jury. I doubt it.
He certainly did not agree with the jury who acquitted OJ Simpson of murdering his estranged wife and her adultery partner. True, by God's Law, they got what they deserved, but this wasn't OJ's first marriage, so he was certainly not really in a position to throw the proverbial stones. And, since Jesus said that divorce was permitted by Moses because of “the hardness of men's hearts,” and OJ was a wife-beater, one could easily argue that his wife should have left him long ago....or that she should never have married him in the first place, since he beat his first wife.
Then we have Jesse Jackson, the pro-life preacher who suddenly became pro-abortion when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination back in 1984. Reverend Jackson seems to have forgotten that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood (the single largest infant-murder organization in the world), was a racist whose followers and successors deliberately plant their assassination clinics in black neighborhoods. The result? The black population of the United States of America is waning. We are no longer the chief minority in this country. Because the Hispanics seem to have enough brains to realize that progeny is what keeps a culture alive (2.11 children per family or go “bye-bye”).
And this is the man who served as President Clinton's “spiritual advisor” when the president lied about committing adultery with Monica Lewinsky. Of course. Because he himself was an adulterer. His former adultery partner successfully took him to court for $120,000 per month in child support. No resignation from his position as a “reverend” even though the Bible calls for it (1 Timothy 3), because none of his followers actually believe or read the Bible. They wouldn't stand with him for abortion if they did.
Mike Tyson is a failure who could have succeeded if he were a bit more humble. Sure, he was great in the boxing ring, but he, like Samson so many years ago, couldn't keep from the allure of fornication. Then he found out that “strange women” are not good company, so he sought to teach them a lesson. That only landed him in jail. Repeatedly. Now, he is a joke, though a very imposing one.
Kobe Bryant didn't take notes from Tyson's saga (about avoiding loose women), but he did handle his own failures a little better. That is, this adulterer did not seek to take the life of the woman with whom he sinned against his wife. Unfortunately, to avoid criminal charges for raping her, he paid her off (technically, she sued him and settled out of court, but that was after the prosecutors asked the judge to permanently drop the case because she wouldn't testify). People all over the country sympathized with him (and threatened her), as if somehow he was the poor victim of some evil-hearted white girl out for his money. In truth, he was the perpetrator of a sin against God's Law, and against the wife to whom he had pledged the entire rest of his life. He got much less than what he deserved, but at least he repented. Which is a lot more than can be said for the people who backed him while he was traveling to and from Colorado for court hearings in between games.
Ironically, Tracy McGrady was criticized for “attacking” Kobe when he said that the lesson in what happened was that “we need to stick with our wives.” How was that an attack? It was the simple wisdom that would have helped Kobe avoid all this trouble in the first place. Of course, Kobe just got another ring, and T-Mac just missed the playoffs again with an injury, so people are going to say that Kobe is vindicated. Not so. He got mitigated consequences because he repented: this ring he got took years after he should have gotten it.
Michael Jackson may have been the “king of pop” in his heyday, but he was also a child-molester who never got his just due from man's court. When he died prematurely (at age 50), thousands upon thousands of people lined the streets with sympathy for him. Forget about the black children he raped. Their ruined lives are not as important as our entertainment.
Finally, there's Steve McNair, the 36-year-old retired NFL quarterback with numerous accolades, who died at the hand of his adultery partner, who also shot herself. Again, thousands of people lined the streets to mourn this wicked man who betrayed his wife and children and then suffered his due consequences. Someone should have read Proverbs 7 at his funeral, but then they might have been booed off stage for being “disrespectful” to a man who didn't have the toughness to keep his most sacred promise.
These are the people that the black community defends. To the deaths (threatened or actual) of those who call them out. I doubt that my life is in any danger whatsoever, but that's because I'm black. And that's stupid.
Sin is sin. It doesn't matter whether a black man or a white man does it. “Getting a fair shake in court” does not mean being acquitted when you are guilty; it simply means that the guilty are punished and those not guilty go free. Somehow we have turned justice into equal numbers of criminals being allowed back into society. “Well, the white man has it happen all the time!” will not stand up before God on Judgment Day.
Jesus isn't black—He's God and He became a Jew—Allah isn't real, Africa isn't paradise, and Mohammad hated black people—or “raisin heads” as he called them. The Bible decrees salvation for all, Jew and Gentile, Black and White, popular and unpopular, loved and hated—if we repent. Not if we make excuses for our sin, such as “white people do it all the time.” Jesus died for all sinners, but Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).
So, we can go to the same Hell with the white people who practice evil, or we can dump sin like an cheating spouse and go to Heaven. The choice is yours.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Ticket to Hell?
How many of you have ever gotten a speeding ticket? You know what happens: a cop with nothing better to do--it is his job, you know--is just sitting alongside the road just waiting. Because he knows what's coming around the bend. Eventually.
It never fails him, some idiot doing more than ten over the posted speed limit comes whizzing by. Never mind that many people have radar jammers/sensors/detectors--the cops always have a way around it, and the culprit--this time you--gets nailed for a $100-$200 fine. And a court date.
Well, wouldn't you know it, God has put a traffic cop in your life. Only this guy isn't waiting around the bend for you--he's in your head. And he doesn't just occasionally catch you in a traffic violation (let's face it: for every ticket we gtet, we've probably done it 100 times). He sees every time that you lie, steal, hate, lust, curse, blaspheme, covet, worship idols, refuse to consult God, refuse to thank God, etc. And he rights a ticket for every violation.
That's why you feel guilty when you do something wrong--your conscience has just written you a ticket with a court date on it, and a terrible fine: eternal damnation.
Did you know that lying gets you a fine of eternal damnation--on the first offence?
It's true. Revelation 21:8 says, "[A]nd all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second death."
Same with stealing (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), lust (which Jesus said is adultery--Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:4-10), hatred (which is murder in God's eyes--1 John 3:15--and includes name-calling and cursing--Matthew 5:21-26), murder (which includes abortion), etc.
Have you ever had someone pay a traffic ticket for you? Felt good, didn't it? Or it would feel good, if it hasn't happened yet. How would you (or did you) feel toward the person who paid your $200 fine for you?
How should you then feel toward the Person who volunteered to pay your eternal damnation fines? That is what Jesus did when He died on the cross almost 2000 years ago. Jesus was punished for the sins of the whole world, even though He had never sinned Himself (because God can't sin, and Jesus is God in the flesh).
So, if you are truly grateful, then this is what you should do: repent. That's right, turn away from your sins. Don't just say, "Oh, God, I'm a sinner"--make sin your mortal enemy! Flee from it! Cut off relationships that would hinder a holy life! Be willing to lose friends, jobs, family members, and other comforts--because that's what it costs to walk in Righteousness with Him (Luke 14:25-33).
Then start praying for your friends. As long as they are still breathing, it is not too late for them to do the same. Pray that God doesn't lose patience with them, just as He has shown so much mercy to you. Then read your Bible every day, and obey what you read. And find a good, Bible-living church (lots of churches say they believe the Bible--do they live it?), where you can get help in your Christian walk.
And may God bless you.
It never fails him, some idiot doing more than ten over the posted speed limit comes whizzing by. Never mind that many people have radar jammers/sensors/detectors--the cops always have a way around it, and the culprit--this time you--gets nailed for a $100-$200 fine. And a court date.
Well, wouldn't you know it, God has put a traffic cop in your life. Only this guy isn't waiting around the bend for you--he's in your head. And he doesn't just occasionally catch you in a traffic violation (let's face it: for every ticket we gtet, we've probably done it 100 times). He sees every time that you lie, steal, hate, lust, curse, blaspheme, covet, worship idols, refuse to consult God, refuse to thank God, etc. And he rights a ticket for every violation.
That's why you feel guilty when you do something wrong--your conscience has just written you a ticket with a court date on it, and a terrible fine: eternal damnation.
Did you know that lying gets you a fine of eternal damnation--on the first offence?
It's true. Revelation 21:8 says, "[A]nd all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second death."
Same with stealing (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), lust (which Jesus said is adultery--Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:4-10), hatred (which is murder in God's eyes--1 John 3:15--and includes name-calling and cursing--Matthew 5:21-26), murder (which includes abortion), etc.
Have you ever had someone pay a traffic ticket for you? Felt good, didn't it? Or it would feel good, if it hasn't happened yet. How would you (or did you) feel toward the person who paid your $200 fine for you?
How should you then feel toward the Person who volunteered to pay your eternal damnation fines? That is what Jesus did when He died on the cross almost 2000 years ago. Jesus was punished for the sins of the whole world, even though He had never sinned Himself (because God can't sin, and Jesus is God in the flesh).
So, if you are truly grateful, then this is what you should do: repent. That's right, turn away from your sins. Don't just say, "Oh, God, I'm a sinner"--make sin your mortal enemy! Flee from it! Cut off relationships that would hinder a holy life! Be willing to lose friends, jobs, family members, and other comforts--because that's what it costs to walk in Righteousness with Him (Luke 14:25-33).
Then start praying for your friends. As long as they are still breathing, it is not too late for them to do the same. Pray that God doesn't lose patience with them, just as He has shown so much mercy to you. Then read your Bible every day, and obey what you read. And find a good, Bible-living church (lots of churches say they believe the Bible--do they live it?), where you can get help in your Christian walk.
And may God bless you.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Does Homosexuality Send Someone to Hell?
This is a serious question. No one wants to go to Hell--atheists deny the existence of Hell, quite simply because they don't want to go there; however, all people who go there will be there quite simply because they aren't willing to abandon their sins to escape the Wrath of God. In short, they expect God to bow to them. It doesn't work that way.
The Bible says that "all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8) That's not a place I want to go, and yet I have to admit, I am a liar: I have told lies, that makes me eligible to go to Hell. Have you ever told a lie?
Revelation 21:8 doesn't just mention liars: it mentions "the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars..." Do you fit into any of those categories?
Who are the fearful? Well, remember, the Bible was not written in English, but in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Translation from one language to another is limited by the meanings in the words of the latter. The word translated "fearful" here specifically denotes someone who, when faced with calamity, refuses to trust the promises that God has made him. Specifically, I believe that this refers to those who deny God's provision for their souls in Jesus Christ. They live their lives in fear of their Lord, rather than in obedience to His Word, because they don't trust His promises. They call themselves Christians, but are actually "workers of iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23), "wicked and slothful servant[s]" (Matthew 25:14-30), who will join the rest in the Lake of Fire.
Who are the unbelieving? Quite simply those who reject the Gospel. They don't even pretend to be Christians, they don't humble themselves when presented with God's High and Holy Law, they just reject it. They, too, will received Eternal Justice on Judgment Day.
Who are the abominable? Now this is where most conservatives would take the time to point out homosexuality. Now, they are right in one thing: homosexuality is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13), but they are wrong in another, or, rather, incomplete: There are many things that are mentioned in Scripture as "an abomination"--just look at the entire chapter of Leviticus 18. Then go over to Proverbs 6:16-19. Read everywhere that the Bible speaks of idolatry. Or how about Proverbs 12:22? Why aren't these also included? We'll attempt to answer that later in the post.
Who are the murderers? One would think that would be obvious, but listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." First John 3:15 reiterates: "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
Who are the whoremongers? The Greek word translated "whoremongers" is pronounced "porneo," from which we get the word pornography, and it simply denotes any sexual relationship not in line with Genesis 2:24: "For this cause shall a man ... cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh." Notice, it does not say "spouse" or "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" but "wife." Those who disobey this priniciple, be they gay or straight, will have their part in the Lake of Fire.
Who are the sorcerers? Well, the Greek word translated "sorcerers" is pronounced "Pharmacaea" and simply means drug abuse. Why would God send drug abusers to Hell? Because they refuse His help. They put getting high above serving the God who gives them every breath that they take. By the way, getting high and getting drunk are one and the same. We just use different means (snorting/shooting/smoking versus drinking).
Who are the idolaters? Most people think of idolatry as bowing down before "false idols." I don't know where the term "false idols" came from, because, by definition, an idol is a false god. The term could even be contradictory to the meaning intended by the speaker: 1) Does this mean that there are "true idols" that we should bow down to? 2)Does this mean that these are not really idols? But enough of my diatribe on grammar, we're talking about going to Hell! Are you an idolater? Have you made a god to suit yourself, or do you worship the God who is? One can make an idol in his own mind (Ezekiel 14:3-4), a god who doesn't condemn him for his sins, but does condemn those who rebuke him for his sins.
Who are the liars? Everyone that has told a lie is a liar. Even if they are just historical liars, they are still liars nonetheless. And "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone."
Now, I said I would address this issue later, and now is later: Why don't conservatives focus on these other sins? Why, it's for the same reason that liberals decry any mention of sin--they are guilty of them and don't want to face the fact that they deserve to go to Hell.
The Bible says that almost every man will proclaim his own goodness (Proverbs 20:6). I have dished out the Good Person Test to at least 1000 people. Very rarely will anyone admit that his is a bad person, and only some Christians see themselves as truly evil people. Yet, this is what the Bible teaches, that "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). No one likes to admit that he himself deserves to go to Hell, and yet that is the hard truth of Christianity.
Jesus Himself said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Then He said this: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes to the Father except through Me." Therefore, if you are not a sinner, then you cannot enter Heaven.
But, wait a minute--Heaven isn't for sinners, is it? Well, not really. Jesus also said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5). But you have to be a sinner to repent. Doesn't matter what the sin is, you have to have done something that displeases God, and I'm sure that if you are honest with yourself, you will see that you have done something, whether it be lying, stealing, looking with lust (Jesus called that adultery of the heart in Matthew 5:27-30), hating someone, etc.
But if you are too proud to admit to your sins, just remember one thing: the first thing on the list of abominations in Proverbs 6:16-19 is a proud look. A prideful person has made an idol--himself--putting his own judgment of himself above that of God. The Bible repeats, "Everyone who is proud of heart is an abomination unto the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). Don't be a fool--repent of your sins today, no matter what they are.
The Bible says that "all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8) That's not a place I want to go, and yet I have to admit, I am a liar: I have told lies, that makes me eligible to go to Hell. Have you ever told a lie?
Revelation 21:8 doesn't just mention liars: it mentions "the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars..." Do you fit into any of those categories?
Who are the fearful? Well, remember, the Bible was not written in English, but in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Translation from one language to another is limited by the meanings in the words of the latter. The word translated "fearful" here specifically denotes someone who, when faced with calamity, refuses to trust the promises that God has made him. Specifically, I believe that this refers to those who deny God's provision for their souls in Jesus Christ. They live their lives in fear of their Lord, rather than in obedience to His Word, because they don't trust His promises. They call themselves Christians, but are actually "workers of iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23), "wicked and slothful servant[s]" (Matthew 25:14-30), who will join the rest in the Lake of Fire.
Who are the unbelieving? Quite simply those who reject the Gospel. They don't even pretend to be Christians, they don't humble themselves when presented with God's High and Holy Law, they just reject it. They, too, will received Eternal Justice on Judgment Day.
Who are the abominable? Now this is where most conservatives would take the time to point out homosexuality. Now, they are right in one thing: homosexuality is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13), but they are wrong in another, or, rather, incomplete: There are many things that are mentioned in Scripture as "an abomination"--just look at the entire chapter of Leviticus 18. Then go over to Proverbs 6:16-19. Read everywhere that the Bible speaks of idolatry. Or how about Proverbs 12:22? Why aren't these also included? We'll attempt to answer that later in the post.
Who are the murderers? One would think that would be obvious, but listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." First John 3:15 reiterates: "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
Who are the whoremongers? The Greek word translated "whoremongers" is pronounced "porneo," from which we get the word pornography, and it simply denotes any sexual relationship not in line with Genesis 2:24: "For this cause shall a man ... cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh." Notice, it does not say "spouse" or "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" but "wife." Those who disobey this priniciple, be they gay or straight, will have their part in the Lake of Fire.
Who are the sorcerers? Well, the Greek word translated "sorcerers" is pronounced "Pharmacaea" and simply means drug abuse. Why would God send drug abusers to Hell? Because they refuse His help. They put getting high above serving the God who gives them every breath that they take. By the way, getting high and getting drunk are one and the same. We just use different means (snorting/shooting/smoking versus drinking).
Who are the idolaters? Most people think of idolatry as bowing down before "false idols." I don't know where the term "false idols" came from, because, by definition, an idol is a false god. The term could even be contradictory to the meaning intended by the speaker: 1) Does this mean that there are "true idols" that we should bow down to? 2)Does this mean that these are not really idols? But enough of my diatribe on grammar, we're talking about going to Hell! Are you an idolater? Have you made a god to suit yourself, or do you worship the God who is? One can make an idol in his own mind (Ezekiel 14:3-4), a god who doesn't condemn him for his sins, but does condemn those who rebuke him for his sins.
Who are the liars? Everyone that has told a lie is a liar. Even if they are just historical liars, they are still liars nonetheless. And "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone."
Now, I said I would address this issue later, and now is later: Why don't conservatives focus on these other sins? Why, it's for the same reason that liberals decry any mention of sin--they are guilty of them and don't want to face the fact that they deserve to go to Hell.
The Bible says that almost every man will proclaim his own goodness (Proverbs 20:6). I have dished out the Good Person Test to at least 1000 people. Very rarely will anyone admit that his is a bad person, and only some Christians see themselves as truly evil people. Yet, this is what the Bible teaches, that "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). No one likes to admit that he himself deserves to go to Hell, and yet that is the hard truth of Christianity.
Jesus Himself said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Then He said this: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes to the Father except through Me." Therefore, if you are not a sinner, then you cannot enter Heaven.
But, wait a minute--Heaven isn't for sinners, is it? Well, not really. Jesus also said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5). But you have to be a sinner to repent. Doesn't matter what the sin is, you have to have done something that displeases God, and I'm sure that if you are honest with yourself, you will see that you have done something, whether it be lying, stealing, looking with lust (Jesus called that adultery of the heart in Matthew 5:27-30), hating someone, etc.
But if you are too proud to admit to your sins, just remember one thing: the first thing on the list of abominations in Proverbs 6:16-19 is a proud look. A prideful person has made an idol--himself--putting his own judgment of himself above that of God. The Bible repeats, "Everyone who is proud of heart is an abomination unto the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). Don't be a fool--repent of your sins today, no matter what they are.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Repent or Die
In this relativistic world, where everything is up to personal interpretation, there is a universal truth: Ten out of ten people die. No matter if you are rich or poor, wise or foolish, you are going to die. King Solomon said, Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all. So I said in my heart, “ As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me, and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “ This also is vanity.” For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
Solomon understood that one day, everything that we strive for will be unkindly taken from our hands by the merciless and unbreakable jaws of death. What is it you strive for? Isn’t there something more important?
Jesus said, “I tell you, that every idle word that a man shall speak, he will give an account thereof on the Day of Judgment.” After we die, we have to face the God who gives us every breath that we take, to give an account for how we have used those breaths. How will you fare?
Have you ever told a lie? The Bible says, “..and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”
Have you ever stolen anything (even if it was small)? The Bible declares that thieves are not allowed into Heaven.
Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust, you commit adultery in your heart, a violation of the Seventh Commandment for which God prescribed the death penalty.
Have you ever hated anyone? Jesus said that if you so much as insult someone, you will receive the same punishment as a murderer.
You see, if we trivialize God’s commandments, He could trivialize our breath. That would be a big deal for us, so we need to make God’s commandments a big deal. As such, there is not one of us who deserves to go to Heaven, for all of us have lies, stolen, lusted, and hated.
But we know that God is a loving God, as well as a just God. So, do you know what Just thing God did so that we would not have to go to Hell? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever will trust in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” If Jesus had not come down from Heaven and suffered and died for our sins, there would be no way for God to forgive us. But there’s more:
God is not going to merely give a blanket pardon to everybody. Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Jesus also said that on Judgment Day, many people would come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophecy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many wonderful works [in Your Name]?” and He said, “I will tell them, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity’”! God makes no exceptions for Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or Jews. If we do not forsake our sins, God will not forgive us. God will not allow sin into Heaven.
So repent, and trust Jesus today. You trusted in someone’s car to get you here, or you would not have ridden in it (whether it was your car, a friend’s car, a rental car, or a Metrolink car). Trust Jesus the same way. Jesus said, “If ye continue in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you have repented of your sins, then you will get you instructions from Heaven rather than continuing to get instructions from yourself. So read your Bible daily, and obey what you read. God will never fail to keep all of His promises.
Solomon understood that one day, everything that we strive for will be unkindly taken from our hands by the merciless and unbreakable jaws of death. What is it you strive for? Isn’t there something more important?
Jesus said, “I tell you, that every idle word that a man shall speak, he will give an account thereof on the Day of Judgment.” After we die, we have to face the God who gives us every breath that we take, to give an account for how we have used those breaths. How will you fare?
Have you ever told a lie? The Bible says, “..and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”
Have you ever stolen anything (even if it was small)? The Bible declares that thieves are not allowed into Heaven.
Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust, you commit adultery in your heart, a violation of the Seventh Commandment for which God prescribed the death penalty.
Have you ever hated anyone? Jesus said that if you so much as insult someone, you will receive the same punishment as a murderer.
You see, if we trivialize God’s commandments, He could trivialize our breath. That would be a big deal for us, so we need to make God’s commandments a big deal. As such, there is not one of us who deserves to go to Heaven, for all of us have lies, stolen, lusted, and hated.
But we know that God is a loving God, as well as a just God. So, do you know what Just thing God did so that we would not have to go to Hell? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever will trust in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” If Jesus had not come down from Heaven and suffered and died for our sins, there would be no way for God to forgive us. But there’s more:
God is not going to merely give a blanket pardon to everybody. Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Jesus also said that on Judgment Day, many people would come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophecy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many wonderful works [in Your Name]?” and He said, “I will tell them, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity’”! God makes no exceptions for Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or Jews. If we do not forsake our sins, God will not forgive us. God will not allow sin into Heaven.
So repent, and trust Jesus today. You trusted in someone’s car to get you here, or you would not have ridden in it (whether it was your car, a friend’s car, a rental car, or a Metrolink car). Trust Jesus the same way. Jesus said, “If ye continue in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you have repented of your sins, then you will get you instructions from Heaven rather than continuing to get instructions from yourself. So read your Bible daily, and obey what you read. God will never fail to keep all of His promises.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Science and the Bible
I get so tired of hearing people say that science has disproved the Bible. In what way? Why, the millions of years, they say. The Bible doesn't allow enough time for all the fossils to have formed.
Actually, it does (because it has a different, more reasonable mechanism for forming them), but that's another sermon. Here's the real kicker: why would anyone ever trust scientists over the Bible? The Bible has always been ahead of science:
1) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22).
2) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth hangs on nothing in outer space (Job 26:7).
3) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11).
4) The Bible was the first text on medical cleanliness that is mandated today (all throughout Leviticus).
When did science discover these things? Thousands of years and many unnecessary deaths later. So, how long are you going to wait for science to tell you to get right with God? The Bible is already doing it.
Revelation 21:8 warns, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." First Corinthians 6:9 warns us, "Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." First John 3:15 says, "He that hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
Jesus Himself said, "Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire....Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-30)
You say, "But who is not guilty of these things?"
My Friend, now you have begun to understand the necessity of Jesus of Nazareth and all that He claimed to be. He must be God in the flesh, because, as He said, "There is none good, but One, [and]that is God." (Matthew 19:17) That is why He had to die--for our sins, that Justice might be served and yet mercy extended to the wicked rebels in dire straits. You and I have been offered the awesome gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. Will we pass it by?
"But," you say,"I like my religion, my church, my life. I'm happy the way I am."
But, my friend, God is not happy with you, and that is a much bigger issue right now.
"I'll wait until I'm on my death bed."
My friend, you may not get a death bed.
Do you realize what you are saying? God is offering you reconciliation, but instead you say to Him, "God, I know that I have greatly offended You, even though with each breath I breathe out, You send another back to give me life. But I want to live my life that You gave me in my lusts. I will use up all the time I have here to serve myself, and I will give You nothing in return for Your gracious pardon at the end of my life. Just wait for me there, I'll repent before I die. But I just don't want to live in righteousness."
My friend, if you offered your enemy reconciliation, and he instead said to you, "When I get old and decrepit and useless, I'll apologize for the irreparable harm that I have caused you. In the meantime I will continue to do the things that I know displease you and will offend you up to that point. But don't worry, I'll be quite sincere when I apologize at that point." You would be outraged. You think that God feels any other way?
My friend, God may lose patience with you tonight. Don't put it off any longer. Get right with God today. Repent, and put your trust in the only provision He has made for you to be saved: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.
Actually, it does (because it has a different, more reasonable mechanism for forming them), but that's another sermon. Here's the real kicker: why would anyone ever trust scientists over the Bible? The Bible has always been ahead of science:
1) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22).
2) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth hangs on nothing in outer space (Job 26:7).
3) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11).
4) The Bible was the first text on medical cleanliness that is mandated today (all throughout Leviticus).
When did science discover these things? Thousands of years and many unnecessary deaths later. So, how long are you going to wait for science to tell you to get right with God? The Bible is already doing it.
Revelation 21:8 warns, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." First Corinthians 6:9 warns us, "Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." First John 3:15 says, "He that hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
Jesus Himself said, "Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire....Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-30)
You say, "But who is not guilty of these things?"
My Friend, now you have begun to understand the necessity of Jesus of Nazareth and all that He claimed to be. He must be God in the flesh, because, as He said, "There is none good, but One, [and]that is God." (Matthew 19:17) That is why He had to die--for our sins, that Justice might be served and yet mercy extended to the wicked rebels in dire straits. You and I have been offered the awesome gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. Will we pass it by?
"But," you say,"I like my religion, my church, my life. I'm happy the way I am."
But, my friend, God is not happy with you, and that is a much bigger issue right now.
"I'll wait until I'm on my death bed."
My friend, you may not get a death bed.
Do you realize what you are saying? God is offering you reconciliation, but instead you say to Him, "God, I know that I have greatly offended You, even though with each breath I breathe out, You send another back to give me life. But I want to live my life that You gave me in my lusts. I will use up all the time I have here to serve myself, and I will give You nothing in return for Your gracious pardon at the end of my life. Just wait for me there, I'll repent before I die. But I just don't want to live in righteousness."
My friend, if you offered your enemy reconciliation, and he instead said to you, "When I get old and decrepit and useless, I'll apologize for the irreparable harm that I have caused you. In the meantime I will continue to do the things that I know displease you and will offend you up to that point. But don't worry, I'll be quite sincere when I apologize at that point." You would be outraged. You think that God feels any other way?
My friend, God may lose patience with you tonight. Don't put it off any longer. Get right with God today. Repent, and put your trust in the only provision He has made for you to be saved: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.
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