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IT IS DIFFICULT FOR CHRISTIANS with unsaved loved ones, especially if you are a parent. As Christians we know that there is only one way to God: God’s Way. There is no earning your way to heaven, no endearing yourself to God, no “I’m not as bad as others” or “I’ve never killed anyone”, and most of all there is no “I’m good enough for heaven” or “I deserve to go to heaven”.
All such reasoning puts us first, as if it is us, i.e. you and me, who is the focus. There is no us, there is no you and me; there is only God. God is central to everything. God is the Great King, the Master of Everything, Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Sovereign Lord by Whom All Things Exist and Remain. By what standard do “we” think we will, or should, be judged? Our own? Really! Why?
There isn’t a consistent standard by which we judge ourselves, after all we all make excuses and justify ourselves and the things we’ve done. So tell me, whose standard is right? Joe Blogs down the road? Standards, Laws, and Customs of Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, India, or Iran? What a joke! As if any of these countries, or the social standards, laws, and customs therein are perfect ... let alone its people. How is it then that many a person will justify themselves if asked, and think God will, or should, let them go to His heaven!
Or what of atheists who mock God? Do you think that God will accept them into his heaven because they tell the truth (as far as they believe it) and likewise haven’t killed anyone? Isn’t this the standard that most set? Why should God accept those who mock Him, those who blaspheme the King of the Universe? Why? Because they put forth great sounding logical arguments against the idea or notion of God and were honest in stating their beliefs?
It saddens me that discussions with many people, and even loved ones, in the modern Western social environment of today, and stating one’s Christian faith, beliefs, and points of views are ridiculed, and Christians berated as being unloving, discriminating, bigots. It is astounding that everyone can have any opinion, be allowed to express it, except if you’re a Christian – because then you’re intolerant.
A Hindu can have his belief, and strictly adhere to it, likewise the Buddhist, the Muslim, and the Pastafarian (yes, there is such a thing), or the myriad of others; but say you’re a Christian and you are viewed as being intolerant. Doesn’t matter what these other religions believe and preach, Christians are the intolerant ones.
And then there are the atheists (particularly the evolutionary atheists) who BELIEVE they have a monopoly on the truth, who ridicule those who don’t hold to their beliefs, especially Christians, and quip that religions, especially Christianity, are intolerant.
Their spokespersons on television, and on documentary films, their high priests standing in the pulpits of universities DEMAND that religion be thrown out, and have no qualms ridiculing students of Christian faith, crying that we, not they, are intolerant. Hypocrites!
It is interesting that bigotry is defined as “Intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself” and many say that Christians are bigots, but somehow atheists are not. Hypocrites! Intolerance is “Unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behaviour that differs from one’s own”, so yet again, Christians are intolerant but atheists are not. Hypocrites! The problem is that most people know these words, even use these words, but have NO IDEA what these words actually mean. The very people crying out and claiming Christians are intolerant and bigots (including many in mainstream media) are that themselves; the difference being they’re ignorant hypocrites as well.
It’s sad when family likewise says this about you, or belittle your opinion (irrespective of the subject) because you’re a Christian, as if that means you’re a simpleton, or an ignoramus. Interesting that everyone today is allowed an opinion or perspective, except if you’re a Christian, because then you should be either ignored or shouted down because YOU are a bigot and intolerant. Hypocrites!
There are those that cry out “separation of church and state” and have no idea what they’re talking about. Even the very definition of what this statement means is different depending on what country you live in. In Australia, the separation of Church and State comes from the Constitution, which states,
The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.
Nowhere does the Australian Constitution say that a person having an opinion, a religious one – particularly a Christian one, or being a Christian, means that you cannot be in politics. But the atheist who BELIEVES God doesn’t exist – according to their own theology – is what: allowed to hold to their BELIEFS and be in politics? Hypocrites!
Consider a video broadcast on an evening news report of a Logan City councillor (and candidate in the 2016 local government elections) speaking to the Labor party mayoral candidate (the later posting on his Facebook page which is where the media sourced it from), “…I think people see the separation between church and government and they don’t want to see churches running the city, particularly wacko churches like Dunamis [church].”
Not only does this councillor for the city of Logan (in Queensland, Australia) not know what the Australian Constitution says, he obviously doesn’t want any bigoted, intolerant Christians elected to government (even if it is local government, rather than at state or federal level). I wonder what he thinks of people of other faiths running for government: does he call Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus ‘wackos’ too? Could you imagine the outcry if he did!
It’s amazing that in our multicultural inclusive Western societies everyone seems to be allowed to have an opinion, except if you’re Christian, a Bible believing Christian that is. Because if you express your beliefs – in some cases even in general conversation with friends and family – you are accused, not of having great conviction, but of being a bigot and being intolerant.
When did expressing one’s Christian convictions become illegal, or morally and socially repugnant? I can certainly see the day coming upon us, in the West, and even here in Australia, when, family members betray their Christian parents, siblings, or children. I imagine this would be even more prevalent or relevant for those who have come to faith in Christ from other religions.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-22)
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:32-39)
Many a topic is taboo today ... but only, of course, if you take the Biblical Christian standpoint, because then you are “phobic”: homophobic, islamophobic, et al.
There are many phobias, that is, fears: claustrophobia – the fear of confined spaces; arachnophobia – the fear of spiders, etc. The fear I have is coulrophobia – the fear of clowns. Well, not really, I just get annoyed at the clowns who prattle on with impunity on topics in which they are obviously ignorant, yet defend their ignorance based on no knowledge and no facts, and criticise others who have an opinion based on specific reasoning and facts.
One cannot have a discussion on homosexuality or Islam (just to pick two specific topics) without the words homophobe or islamophobe being bandied around. It doesn’t matter that one isn’t afraid of, or fearful of, these things, but rather believe they are either just plain wrong, or detrimental to Western society. These terms are thrown at you to keep you from objectively discussing the topic at hand, and attempting to get you to personally defend yourself instead. (A tactic that works if one isn’t aware of what is happening).
It doesn’t matter that one says that homosexuality is wrong because a, b, and c (an objective statement) because it is interpreted as being a personal attack on one Mr/Miss/Ms X , some nice homosexual (and they do exist) that the other person knows, is a friend or family of (which is a subjective perspective). It doesn’t matter that one says that Islam is wrong, a concern, or even evil because x, y, and z (objective statements about the religion), because it is interpreted as being a personal attack on some nice Muslim (and they do exist) that the other person knows, works with, is a relative of, or who has assisted them (again, subjective). You can say that theft is wrong and no one jumps up and down accusing you of personally attacking someone they know who just happens to be a thief; or you can say that murder is wrong and no one will assume you are talking about this person or that. Or to make a more general comparison, there are those that take issue with contact sports such as boxing, rugby league and gridiron (an objective statement), but no one thinks for a second that such criticism was a personal attack on one of its players (which would be subjective). But when it comes to homosexuality and Islam, forget it, no objective discussion is allowed.
It is today’s Western inclusive world that calls evil good and good evil. Where the Bible and Biblical Christianity gave rise to Western freedom and democracy, that very freedom and democracy has been usurped by those who want it to now mean no law, or rather no law of God. They would see all semblance of Christian foundation torn asunder. We see the opening verses of Psalm 2 being fulfilled in our day.
“Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” (Psalm 2:1-3)
But let us read the rest of the Psalm,
“He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger. And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.
I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘ You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware.’” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:4-12)
They will not stand for God’s laws; will not stand to have anyone tell them they are wrong, will not accept your opinion, let alone rebuke. The “tolerant” are intolerant of any opinion other than their own. And what is their opinion, everything is acceptable – except Christianity and the Bible.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:18 - 2:1)
Man may not worship creation like those in ancient times, they may not bow down in reverential worship to idols of wood, bronze, and gold, but they bow down and worship “evolution” and its forms of ancient “lineages”, branches of the evolutionary tree with its “form of corruptible man” and “birds” and “four-footed animals,” and “crawling creatures” that they BELIEVE we are descendants of. “No, no, there is no God,” they say, but all praise belongs to the amazing, marvellous, and much lauded “evolution”, no, wait, I mean: Evolution (I should capitalise the “E” and give this random, impersonal process, which is often personified in statements such as “Evolution did this,” or “Evolution did that”, its due respect and honour).
Some of the staunchest critics are children of Christian parents. Having grown up and now old enough to make their own opinions, usually influenced by worldly friends and the seemingly intelligent arguments of “education”, their Christian parents are viewed no longer loving, but critical; no longer caring, but offensive, even if they are still loved. The world is allowed its opinions, but Christians are not. The world can justify itself openly and publicly, but room for Christianity to do the same is denied.
Some may say that this article is critical, unloving, or even un- Christian, but don’t worry, no evolutionary atheists were offended by this article, let alone its criticisms and Biblical warnings. The unbelievers didn’t get past the first paragraph.
Or perchance some did continue on to the end. I can hear their criticisms now, about how bigoted and intolerant I am, and that people like me ought to be silenced. Say it again you hypocritical intolerant bigots masquerading as open-minded all- embracing individuals! Tell me again how I’m close-minded but you are open-minded. Tell me how I need to change and be like you in order to be open-minded. You ignorant hypocrites!
So, they can go ahead and continue to criticise and belittle, I’m not surprised by them. But, their mockery and blasphemy of God, their rejection of God and His Salvation, He will remember.
I hope you consider what you’ve read, and then truly reflect on the question, “Why would God send people to hell?” Yes, the “good” neighbour, acquaintance, colleague, or even friend, might never have killed anyone, and was a nice person ... but when it comes to God did they NOT want to know? NOT want to hear it? NOT want to consider the eternal ramifications? AREN’T THEY WITHOUT EXCUSE!
