Saturday, October 21, 2006

# 173: Bush's Deception

For the last year and a half, this blog ha been candidly telling how George W. Bush and cohorts are counterfeit Christians, and how it’s all about prestige and promoting Bush’s legacy as president.

In the October 16, 2006 issue of TIME Magazine is an article that every American should hear about: “Why a Christian in the White House Felt Betrayed.” This article was adopted from the book “Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction” by David Kuo, published by Free Press.

“A new memoir by David Kuo, former second-in-command of President Bush’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, has the White House on the defensive with its account of an Administration that mocked Evangelicals in private while using them at election time to bolster its support. In this exclusive adaptation from the book, Kuo writes about how his White House experience left him disillusioned about the role religion can play in politics.”

I now write only excerpts from this article. “. . . the President’s campaign promise of $8 billion a year in new funds for both religious and secular charities that help the poor. That money never materialized . . . the White House was so bad at helping them do good.” “He [Bush] interrupted, ‘Forget about all that. Money. They want money. How much money have we given them?’”

“When members of his senior staff mocked the plan as the ‘F---ing faith-based initiative' . . . When I heard White House staff privately deriding Evangelical Christians because they were so easily seduced by White House power, I raised an eyebrow but not a ruckus. We were the nice guys.”

“Today, however, I decided to choose honesty over niceness.”

“The President’s staff didn’t just bad-mouth the faith-based office behind closed doors. Their political indifference also kept us from getting the funding we need so badly.” “. . . after two years in office, we had actually spent less than 1% of what Bush had promised.” “It was one of those wonderful Washington assertions that is simultaneously accurate and deceptive and just confusing enough to defy opposition.”

“Christian conservatives trusted President Bush. After two years in the White House, I came to realize that regardless of where the president’s heart lay on the matter, the back-office Republican political machine was able to take Evangelicals for granted–indeed often viewing them with undisguised contempt–and still getting their votes. G.O.P. operatives trusted that the Christian conservatives would see the President more as their Pastor in Chief than anything else. Bush had long used the podium as a pulpit, telling voters that above all he was an evangelical Christian who had been saved from his drinking by Jesus and rebuilt his life around his faith. That inspiring story was carried throughout the country by a network of prominent evangelical pastors who had been quietly working since 1988 to recruit thousands of other pastors to join the Bush team. After the election, however, those same pastors became accomplices in their own deception by not demanding that the President’s actions in office match their electoral fervor.”

“This White House is certainly not the first Administration to milk religious groups for votes and then boot them back out to pasture. In his days as a notorious ‘hatchet man’ for President Richard M. Nixon, before he had allowed Jesus to transform his life, Chuck Colson used to oversee outreach to the religious community. ‘I arranged special briefings in the Roosevelt Room for religious leaders, ushered wide-eyed denominational leaders into the Oval Office for private sessions with the president,’ Colson later wrote. ‘Of all the groups I dealt with, I found religious leaders the most naive about politics. . . . Or, most worrisome of all, they may simply like to be around power.’”

“Now I am finding courage to speak out about God and politics and their dangerous dance. . . . But President George W. Bush is a politician and is ultimately no different from any other politician, content to use religion for electoral gain more than for good works.”

“. . . better if they [Evangelicals] looked at him [Bush] through the same coldly political lens with which he views them.”

Friday, October 20, 2006

# 172: Trust in The Lord

Even though Christianity is mainly derived from the New Testament, we can learn much from the Old Testament since it is chock-full of pertinent verses, especially on trust, concerning God, what we can expect from Him, and what He expects from us. Here is a powerful verse from Proverbs 3:5. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.” Here is the same verse from the “Living Bible”—even though it is sort of a paraphrase, it makes several interesting points—“Trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

I am certain there are several ways God desires His children to trust Him. Without a doubt, trust is something no one can gain overnight; it comes as familiarity increases. The best way to become familiar with the Lord God/Jesus Christ is from knowing His commands, how He reacted to various situations in the Christian Bible, and to some degree, experiencing the life of Jesus Christ. Therefore, becoming acquainted with New Testament Scripture and living a holy life are two of the best, if not the best, avenues to learn of God’s ways.

I am absolutely certain that the most important way God desires to be trusted is for us to believe what He commands and teaches throughout the Bible. Another aspect of trust is to have a good relationship with Him. A close relationship relies on a mutual trust of each other. We trust Jesus Christ to eventually bring us with Him into heaven. Once we have verbally/mentally made an oath (promise) to make Him our Lord (boss/owner) and Savior, to commit our entire lives to Him, He trusts us to obey and live as He commands. Of course, our trust in Jesus to bring us with Him will be of little or no value if we cannot be trusted to do our part.

Luke 16:10-11. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” These verses imply several things. First, it is imperative that we remain active in accomplishing the things that God trusted us to do while on earth. That will tell Him how we will act while in heaven. And second, this is just one verse which infers that you and I will have a free will in heaven. One of the most basic qualities of all life, earthly or heavenly, is a free will. Angels have a free will; that strongly suggests we will also. Many angels decided they wanted to do evil, so they became Satan’s cohorts. Check Revelation 12:7-9.

Even in our glorious bodies, God will not give us a free will that will not be able to disobey Him; otherwise it wouldn’t be free anymore. That is why it is extremely important that God can trust us in the here and now. What God does do is to take temptations out of heaven by vividly teaching us goodness and selfless love. Also, there will be little reason to disobey when everyone is smothered in Godly love.

Nevertheless, it seems there always will be a potential that we could disobey; to overcome that possibility, God only chooses those that proved while on earth that they wouldn’t disobey; of course, that doesn’t mean that while on earth, we won’t inadvertently (unintentionally) slip on occasion; that is where Christ has us covered. Check 1st John 2:1. That verse does not cover intentional or premeditated sin. If one fulfilled the trust to obey while in this dark world, how much easier and more blessed it will be to obey while in the presence of perfect love.

God giving us the opportunity to trust Him as to who He is and what He stands for is the foundation of our relationship. When someone, for whatever reason, doesn’t trust the Lord God, the Lord is mistakenly regarded as a heartless taskmaster. And when God isn’t able to trust a large group of people who simply call themselves Christians, they become a liability—and for good reason—to the cause of Jesus Christ. That is a difficulty He and a few of His friends are up against in these last days. That is the main reason for this blog.

Actually, there can be no bona fide kinship for either party when trust is not coupled with love. The big problem is that many people trust Jesus Christ as their savior while failing to fulfill their part of the arrangement. They take God’s Salvation for granted, regardless of what type of life they are living. That is not only disastrous for the individual, but in setting examples for others, it will make it devastating for others also. Remember, if you want to believe it or not, “We become like those we gaze at.”

Two of the most obvious signatures in this blog are Scriptural obedience and at the same time, exposing the holy bull that is passed off as truth by many organized churches, etc. The question remains: Can Christians be trusted to be truthful and trustworthy to Jesus Christ? Definitely, the answer is “Yes, but not many.” Slackers say our Salvation is in God’s hands. Yes and no. It is God’s privilege to choose holy people to be with Him for eternity, and it is our responsibility to make sure, by our lives of Godly belief which overflow with love and obedience, that He chooses us.

In summation, when we truly believe all that Jesus Christ did for us by His life and death on the cross, and follow that all-important belief by obedience to His commands, we can be absolutely certain and can place our complete trust in God that we will be, without a doubt, one of His chosen.

Isaiah 26:3. “You [the Lord] will keep in perfect peace him [you and I] whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you [the Lord].” What a great promise: PERFECT PEACE. Isn’t that what we are all seeking?

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

171: “. . . Overcome Evil With Good”

That is the command in Romans 12:21. The world is full of evil and is getting worse every day. How are Christians to be victorious over evil by engaging in good actions? That is the $64,000 question. First and foremost, we must continually make public outcries against specific acts of evil committed by those who say they are Christians.

By the way, the word “good,” which is used as a noun in the Bible, is incorrect English. The word “good” most often is used as an adjective, and very occasionally can be used as an adverb. Nevertheless, to conform with Romans 12:21, I will also occasionally use it as a noun.

The scary thing is that much of the world’s evil is being accepted as normal. Of course, we must make sure Christians don’t attempt to impose their Christian values on the evil that nonbelievers engage in. But when it comes to the evil that those who call themselves Christians participate in, it is our duty to expose that evil by showing—by our lives and words—that it is not acceptable according to New Testament standards.

The reason evil has become so rampant is because it accomplishes/gives something satisfying and needed in the empty lives of the perpetrators. The Bible predicts evil will increase in the last days, and therefore, we should not be surprised. For that reason, our good works may not affect the overall world picture to any great degree. Again, our job is not to condemn the evil works of the masses, because they are self- condemned; our responsibility is to concentrate on evil works of those who claim to be Christian and who then do evil in the name of Jesus Christ. Perfect examples of these fakes are public figures: Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, etc., and George Bush. They are a disgrace to the Christian religion.

Even though there is literally an infinite number of ways to commit evil acts, they can all be grouped into one category: All evil is contrary to what the New Testament teaches. Atheists aren’t concerned with what Scripture says, and so-called Christians disagree with what it teaches.

If and when a person’s life is NOT heading in the direction of desiring to experience the actual life of Jesus Christ (allowing Him to relive again, if even in a small way), by wholehearted devotion to Him and obedience to the Bible, then I truly understand why New Testament commands seem like the most ridiculous lifestyle imaginable, and seem totally foreign to our physical survival instincts.

Here is the reason why: Scripture is concerned with our spiritual survival; therefore, when a person desires to start heading in the direction of allowing Christ to live again in his/her body, then one must give special attention to his/her spiritual survival and place physical requirements and needs in second place; then and only then will seemingly laughable verses come to life. The next step is to have an earnest desire to put them into practice. That is a sure way of stamping evil out of one’s life, and even the evil in the lives of others who take on the name “Christian” but fail to understand the power evil has, especially when their minds are on seemingly innocent worldly matters.

This may be the most important verse in the Bible as a way of overcoming evil; it is found in Ephesians 6:12. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The reason it is so important is because, even though the Spirit we hopefully possess is much stronger than these evil influences (spirit), The Holy Spirit will do us little good if we Christians don’t obey God and remain in His good grace. With that said, we must become ACUTELY AWARE of all the evil forces that are, in one way or another, attempting to alienate us from our Savior—by trickery, deceit, and many other ways in which humans are inherently weak.

We are most venerable in areas that seem totally harmless, but have absolutely nothing to do with promoting the cause of Christ. Each person must judge for themselves exactly what these fun-type activities are. Once identified, then comes the difficult struggle of replacing them with something spiritually up-building. This type of self-examination must be ongoing. With so many activities in the world today that are promoted as “Christian,” we must not be deceived by these evil forces which, many times, do their work through unsaved people in the name of Christ.

Although genuine Christianity is available to everyone regardless of race, color, religion, etc., it is a secret society in that the inner workings of Christianity cannot be comprehended by outsiders: It/He must be experienced; this also includes nonbelievers who have claimed the Christian religion their entire life.

Every command has a specific reason for its presence in Scripture and acts as an intricate part of the whole. For example, all the verses in post # 170, plus hundreds of others, are one complete unit to accomplish a single purpose: love for God and neighbor, which includes the ability to avoid/overcome all kinds of evil, especially the prevalent feel-good evils in one’s life.

The reason electronic or mechanical equipment may not function as designed is because only one minute part is defective. Replace the part and all is well. The same is true with Christianity; when only one part is defective or inactive, the whole life is affected and therefore cannot function as a disciple of Christ. Only thing is, there may be many essential parts that are either being bypassed or are inactive. Then we wonder why Christianity is in the sad shape it is in. Even worse than that: People somehow settle for a dilapidated Christianity as normal, and criticize the few that are purring like kittens.

Much of the evil committed by religious people (doing what comes naturally) doesn’t seem bad, but has become normal and acceptable. And yet what seems normal makes a person’s Christianity impotent, and of no value to Christ or self. Therefore, I truly expect and understand why a few readers of this blog send in derogatory comments. Still, it is absolutely necessary to openly uncover evil aspects of Christianity that are usually swept under the rug; they are the kind that poke slackers and fakes where it hurts.

Some people think evil is things like the war on terror, all the atrocities happening because of Bush’s Iraq war, the corruption in our government and other overtly evil acts throughout the world.

But there is a much more ubiquitous evil that will send billions to hell: not taking Christianity as serious business, but as a casual part of their life. Many of them are thinking, “ Leave me alone with all your absurd Bible verses; I have been a church-going Christian all my life, so bug off with all this stupid stuff you write.”

The sad and dangerous part of that situation is that, in some cases, it might be easier to change the color of one’s skin than to change what one believes concerning spiritual matters. That is a barrier this blog has been attempting to breach, and if we are not successful, to a large degree, I understand. We must always remember that few will be chosen. Above and beyond my devotion and obedience to My Lord Jesus Christ, my meager part of overcoming evil with good is to clearly display the truth as described in the New Testament.

Some may ask, “What’s in it for you [the author]?” The satisfaction of knowing, hopefully, that no one’s blood will be on my hands on Judgment Day. In fact, I couldn’t stop what I am doing even if I wanted to. My work for Christ is the major part of my life. I would desire a heinous death for myself if somehow I couldn’t continue showing and telling of what the New Testament expected of all people who claim to be Christians. That does not exclude nonbelievers who desire to join the small ranks of true believers.

In summation, in order for believers not to be overcome by evil, we must fight tooth and nail with maximum effort—in whatever way God leads us—to destroy the works of the devil in disguise as Christians, even ourselves; any passive non-action will never work. There are millions who are being deceived, mostly without their knowledge, thinking they have the right to call themselves Christians for whatever reason; they continue to soil the precious name of Jesus Christ.

One of the best ways to fight evil is for every person who claims to be a genuine Christian to read the New Testament every day until it becomes an intricate part of our lives; just as important, we need to then let our lives bring those holy words to life. Better advice than that you will find nowhere. I fervently pray that God will abundantly bless all who make this endeavor their holy grail. Amen.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

#170: Crimes in Christ's Name: Exposed

The main thrust in this complete blog is to expose what organized churches are presenting as genuine Christianity. Along with that, it clearly displays how one must live in order to comply with what is commanded by Jesus Christ in the New Testament: against the backdrop that most Christian religions claim their theology is authentic. I challenge any and all religions and individuals to compare their beliefs against the 60-some New Testament verses in this particular post. These verses are the ones the clergy per se don’t adhere to, and do not desire the members of their churches to even know they exist.

Of course, when challenged on these verses, the clergy most likely has a ready-made defense, by watering them down so as to make them impotent, show how they do not apply to our modern culture, or some other mealy-mouth reason to exclude them from their teaching.

I have already published this post several times on this blog, and believe it is important enough to reiterate by presenting it again. To say the least, this section is shocking, and yet there are another several dozen hard-core verses I do not bring to light at this time.

No one can avoid living according to these verses and claim to be a Bible-believing Christian. If they do, they will only be wasting their time, money and devotion on a cause that will lead anywhere but the presence of Almighty God. It is not an easy thing to live as Christ dictates; in fact, it will be the most challenging and unnatural life according to human standards.

If the Christian religion did decide to implement these hard-edged verses, I personally guarantee the vast majority of churches would collapse for lack of membership. Once people are accustomed to living an easy life in the name of Christianity, it would be extremely distasteful, if not impossible, to live as the New Testament requires.

Of course, many 'prosperity' churches, etc. rely on the Old Testament to shore-up their version of Christianity. As I mentioned in post 169, the Old Testament was a totally different dispensation: Their reward was not heavenly but earthly. I recommend you read that post also, if not many more. I cover a variety of hot-button issues that are, at the very least, controversial.

As you read these hard-edged verses, don’t scowl at me for compiling them in one section, but if you must, sneer at the author (Jesus Christ). If you don’t like what you are reading, frown at me for my emphasis on certain verses or the comments I make after some. Just remember, these verses are taken from the instruction book that teaches how to live life at its best, and is accredited by the One who created us. I did not alter any, but copied them verbatim (word for word).

Conspiracy of Silence This blog is a repeat of # 127 with a few small changes; it is that important.

Jesus Christ is going to take off His gloves, roll up His sleeves, and spare no punches as He exposes the irreparable and deadly damage organized religion per se has done to Him and His cause. This is audaciously said because He himself will make His case by using only verses from His New Testament. Even though most of what is written is a repeat of what already has been said elsewhere in “Religion’s Crime Against God,” it contains much more bold and descriptive language.

The Christian clergy are the main culprits; they forbid these upcoming verses by remaining silent on their behalf; that is a conspiracy. But that does not excuse the laity who naively believe what is preached or not preached from their pulpit. The laymen/women believe they have fulfilled their weekly duty as Christians simply by their obedience to the command in Hebrews 10:25: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. . . .”

I am certain that if a majority of those church-going hypocrites were to become sincere about their devotion to God, they would spend time learning what the New Testament actually teaches/commands and not take the word of the money- and number-hungry “professionals.” They can’t teach what is written in Scripture with or without any kind of passionate intensity; if they did, many who go to church only for the joyride would quickly leave. Christ will vividly display over 60 verses that require everyone who claims to be a Christian to make a maximum effort to obey these commands without leaning on modern-day alibis.

First of all, we must always remember that Christianity consists of two distinct parts. The first all-important part, God’s doing, is passive in that Christians simply must believe (with child-like faith) what was accomplished for them by God through Jesus Christ. If that passive belief which gives Salvation is GENUINE, it will lead to the second major part, man’s/woman’s duty, which is an active obedience to what the New Testament commands, including ALL of the seemingly secluded, hard-edged verses. Again, our part of Christianity is not an option but an obligation. Repeating, obedience to these verses gives no one Salvation; this obedience must be a RESULT which authenticates genuine Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. When this section is read, it will unequivocally demonstrate who are and who are not real Christians. Of course, many can/will easily deny the charges the New Testaments makes and just go on living as they have been taught since who-knows-when, by you-know-who.

Caution: The following section may be extremely disturbing to those who feel they are Bible-believing Christians, but at the same time, they may not be familiar with what the New Testament teaches. The reason being, many of the upcoming hard-edged verses, never before seen by some, are the ones church leaders don’t want anyone to know about. It will be difficult for some to believe they really come from the New Testament. Therefore, since these verses are forbidden (hidden by silence), reader's discretion is advised. All verses are taken from the New International Version of the New Testament.

1st Corinthians 15:58. “. . . Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. . . .”

Luke 13:24. “Make EVERY EFFORT to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” [emphasis added].

2nd Peter 3:14. “. . . make every effort to be found SPOTLESS, blameless and at peace with him.” [emphasis added].

Romans 14:19. “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.”

1st John 3:9. “No one who is born of God will continue to sin.”

Philippians 2:5. “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus.”

Luke 12:33. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”

1st John 2:6. “Whoever claims to live in him MUST walk as Jesus did.” [emphasis added].

Luke 16:15. “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”

Luke 1:53. “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”

John 16:33. “In this world you will have trouble.”

James 2:5. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him?”

1st John 3:6. “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”

Luke 10:27. “He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.’” [emphasis added]. Prerequisite—We must love God with our all in order to have eternal life. How does one know if he/she truly loves God? The answer is below.

1st John 5:3. “This is love for God; to obey his commands.”

1st Corinthians 16:22. “If anyone does not love the Lord [displayed by obedience to all He commands] a curse be on him.” [emphasis added].

2nd Corinthians 13:5. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless of course, you fail the test?” No cheating.

Matthew 19:16. “Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ . . . 21: Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. THEN COME, FOLLOW ME.’” [emphasis added]–There is a prerequisite before anyone can follow Christ."

Luke 12:33. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Luke 17:6. “He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.’”

Philippians 2:3. “Consider others better than yourselves.”

John 3:36. "Whoever rejects the son [as displayed by disobedience and the way one lives] will not see life, for God’s WRATH remains on him,” [emphasis added]. As we can see, God has good reasons to get angry. This is a sobering verse, which means: All who don't believe or do believe in God but reject Jesus Christ have a price over their heads: God's wrath.

Matthew 10:34. “I did not come to bring peace but a sword . . .” 36: “a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.”

Ephesians 5:1. “Be imitators of God. . . .”

Galatians 5:14. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Luke 14:33. “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Is this a farcical command?

1st Corinthians 10:24. “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”

1st John2:6. “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

1st Corinthians 11:1 (the apostle Paul is speaking). “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” There are several more verses that in essence say the exact same thing.

Matthew 5:24. “Be perfect.”

Matthew 19:23. “. . . I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

1st Corinthians 15:2. “By this gospel you are saved, IF you HOLD FIRMLY to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” [emphasis added]. Where is eternal security (once saved, always saved)?

Luke 6:20. “Blessed are you who are poor. . . .” 24: “But woe to you who are rich.” Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition. The meaning of rich: 1) having more than enough of material possessions. There are many other verses in the New Testament where Christ NEVER has a good word to say about the rich, but always bad-mouths them. If you don’t believe that Christ never has a good word for the rich or wealthy, prove me wrong with the New Testament. I welcome your challenge.

2nd Corinthians 13:11. “Aim for perfection.”

Luke 9:23. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself.”

Colossians 3:2. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

1st Thessalonians 5:17. “. . . pray continually . . .” Is this possible?

James 4:4. “. . . Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

1st Peter 1:4. “Be holy, because I am Holy.”

Luke 11:23. “He who is not with me is against me . . .”

Luke 14:26. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple.”

Matthew 10:37. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; . . .”

1st Peter 2:21. “. . . Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps,”

Mark 13:13. “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

2nd Timothy 3:12. “In fact, EVERYONE who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” [emphasis added]. Does that mean even in America, where we have freedom of religion?

1st Corinthians 15:19. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” What should Christians be doing that would make people pity them? Definitely not what they are doing in this modern culture. Do you personally know any Christians that you pity?

Luke 6:26. “Woe when all men speak well of you.”

Matthew 17:20. “. . . if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Luke 19:27 (Christ speaking). “But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of me.” Well, excuse me. I thought you loved everyone—am I being factitious?

Luke 12:49-51. “I have come to bring fire on earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! . . . Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”

2nd Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” [a superhuman spiritual being].

Luke 18:8, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The answer is clear; since we don't see any mountains being moved or other such things being done by so-called Christians, the answer is no. Most likely, Christ will not find much, if any, faith on earth. Oh, but you may say, “I am saved, born again, and filled with the Spirit.” You think so? Does this post prove your holiness?

Luke 12:19. “And, I will say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. . . .’”

Matthew 7:19. “Every tree (“Christian”) that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Not by what they say. [emphasis added].

Matthew 5:11. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you.”

Matthew 10:23. “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” Is that the reason the USA is the most powerful “christian” nation in the world? Either we are wrong or the Bible is wrong.

Mark 4:19. “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

Obedience: The remaining verses will be for those who downplay the importance of obedience.

2nd John 1:6. “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands.”

Acts 5:32. “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God will give to those who obey him.”

Romans 15:18. “. . . leading the gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done–. . .”

Romans 16:26. “. . . by the commands of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him.”

Hebrews 5:9. “. . .he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”

1st Peter 4:17. “. . . what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

1st John 2:3. “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.”

1st John 3:24. “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them.”

Revelation 14:12. “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.”

The New Testament tells a sobering story of what real Christianity was meant to be. How could what is now called “christianity” get so far from the what the Bible teaches? Answer: unholy men who desire prestige, power and financial gain.

Only those who are or desire to be genuine, Bible-believing Christians will make EVERY EFFORT to adhere to these Scriptures. If the New Testament doesn’t tell what Christianity consists of, what does? Remember, all humans are flawed; therefore, what we teach is flawed, including this author. Stick with the Holy Scripture and you will never go wrong.

# 169: Christianity as Seen by Other Religions

Is it important for us to be concerned about what other religions in the rest of the world think about American Christians? Absolutely. Even more importantly, how do they perceive Jesus Christ? We Christians are commanded to make Christ our paradigm. Therefore, for those of us who know what is expected of us, it is imperative that our lives openly display what Jesus is/was like. Do we do that? I am ashamed to say that, the unequivocal answer is no.

There are many reasons why we don’t live up to what Jesus Christ required of his followers via the New Testament. I am certain it is a disgrace to Jesus Christ and many genuine Christians as to what is being passed off as Christianity. Even worse than that, there are several thousand varieties of Christianity in America alone. No doubt, most groups are guilty of turning a blind eye on some crucial verses and emphasizing those that are pleasant and easier to implement. That attitude is prevalent in the U.S.; therefore, the theme of this blog is to expose Religion’s Crime Against God.

As I mentioned in the last post, many people, especially Muslims, equate America with Christianity since it is the dominant religion here. But, since everyone in this country has the freedom to worship as they please, there are many others that practice a variety of religions in America. Therefore, since Christians are the majority, religions outside of the U.S. think all the immoral and ungodly things that go on in America are being done, sanctioned, or condoned by the silence of Christians, which is, in a large part, true.

Let me start with the garbage that is ubiquitous on American television. How can anyone who claims to a Christian tolerate such immoral and useless stuff? That is how other religions see Christians. Just look at all the illicit sex that is going on, especially in Las Vegas (Sin City); actually, everywhere in America. Their thinking goes like this: “Is that what Christians do?” Las Vegas is the fastest-growing city in America. Does that tell them something? Then there is all the alcohol that is being consumed, which is a waste of money and creates future health problems and lingering personal difficulties. The most troubling thing is, How can the majority of college students spend the weekends partying until the wee hours of the morning? Many of the students, especially girls, who go to colleges in cities away from their home town leave as virgins and come home with a degree as sluts. The sad thing is that many of these kids come from Christian homes. Do their parents know what type of life they are living on campus? I won’t even mention all the illicit and mind-altering drugs that a large group of American Christians—adults and students—are hooked on.

On another note, other religions see us as the most materialistic and greedy people on this planet. They see us as warmongering, power- grabbing Christians, especially since the Iraq war. It is a shame, but this list can go on and on. Let's not forget all the sports Christians are engaged in. Does God receive any glory whatsoever from all the attention sports receives? It is a disgrace that God doesn’t have as enthusiastic a following as sports has. Would He sanction interest in sports as a Godly activity? Don’t answer that question.

This is the kind of stuff the American Christians engage in on a regular basis. Since we are seen as engaging in all these inordinate practices, some religions tolerate our actions; then you wonder why some, especially Muslims, desire to destroy that immoral and ungodly religion called Christianity.

If these non-Christian religions were given copies of the New Testament in their own languages, they would quickly see what a spiritually logical religion Christianity is. But if one looks at that book through a materialistic viewpoint, that book teaches the road to becoming insane. 2nd Corinthians 5:13. “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God . . .”

The Christian Old Testament and the first part of the Jewish Torah are almost identical. The main difference is that the Jewish religious community does not accept Jesus Christ as the promise Messiah. They believe Jesus Christ was a fake and that most of the New Testament is nothing more than a fabrication.

If one was to look throughout the complete Old Testament, they would not find one verse that promised the nation of Israel eternity in heaven. They believe that when a person died/dies, that was/is the end of everything. Psalms 49:16-20. “So do not be dismayed when evil men grow rich and build their lovely homes. For when they die they carry nothing with them. Their honor will not follow them. Though a man calls himself happy all through his life–and the world loudly applauds success–yet in the end he dies like everyone else and enters ETERNAL DARKNESS. For man with all his pomp must die like an animal.” [ Emphasis added—the Living Bible]. There are many other verses that say the same. Their rewards were in this world (they were promised a land flowing with milk and honey, the land of Canaan, where the 12 tribes of Israel lived for quite some time).

Since that was/is one of the main themes in the Old Testament, one can see why the Jews live as they do: a desire for earthly power and wealth. Then, when Jesus came on the scene, He came to fulfill/give the spiritual meaning of what the Old Testament taught. Read the fifth chapter of Matthew. His teaching in that chapter was extremely radical. Who could abide with that type of teaching 2,000 years ago, and still today? The New Testament is full of Jesus constantly bad-mouthing wealth and prosperity, and substituting the earthly goodies for a promise of heaven (real wealth) to those that believe in Him. For that reason, one can understand why the Jews believed and still believe that Jesus was/is the false Messiah (Christ) and that Christianity is a religion for fools. All through their history, the nation of Israel was, and, still is, waiting for their Christ that would deliver them from their enemies.

The Jews have even more evidence of Jesus Christ being a false Messiah. Look at the type of ungodly lives people are living who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. The Jews say, “If He was the true Messiah, He would not allow all these evil things to go on in His name.” They truly are making a point there, although genuine Christians know otherwise.

Jews are playing on both sides of the fence: They renounce the Christian religion as stupid, yet eagerly accept all the money big business/retailers make during the Santa Claus season, etc. And the Israeli Jews accept the money that is donated to their cause–be what it may—given mostly by Evangelical Christians in America.

What can genuine American Christians do to alleviate this misconception of how Americans present Christianity and display what it really is? Not very much. Is that negative talk? No, it is realistic talk. There is one thing a few of us can do; regardless of how senseless genuine Christianity seems through the eyes of the world, we can live as Jesus Christ taught. Remember His words, “My kingdom is not of this world.” The implication is that the world was a foreign country to Him. And if we claim to be part of His kingdom, we should also live life here as if we are foreigners. No doubt, that will not change the world's opinion of Christianity, but that is not the full responsibility of the few that are chosen.

We are so concerned about global warming, and we should be, but an anonymous blogger commented in the last post that the world is getting darker (spiritually) and we can do little to lighten it up. But that does not mean we should slouch on our eternal job, but pray to God that He gives us a passionate intensity—the type the world has not yet seen—to let the world know that in this dark world, He is still active behind the scenes. And as it gets darker, we must maintain our resolve to keep our little lights of holiness, Godliness and goodness continually shining. Amen.