The “remaking”
of Jesus is not
just some
harmless
campaign to make
God's Word (the
Bible) more
palatable for
those who are
looking for
“meaning” or for
“purpose” in
their lives. It
is a concise,
direct and
planned attack
on Christianity
and on the
teachings of our
Lord Jesus
Christ. This
attack is taking
place in our
churches, our
colleges and
even in
Congress.
How many times
have you heard
someone remark,
“My God will not
send me to
hell...” or “God
is love...” and
this is
frequently
followed up by
some disparaging
remark about
those parts of
God's Word that
some find
offensive, such
as the fact that
there are
consequences for
sin, or that
there will be a
time when all
are judged?
Romans
1:20 tells
us, “For
the invisible
things of him
from the
creation of the
world are
clearly seen,
being understood
by the things
that are made,
even his eternal
power and
Godhead; so that
they are without
excuse.”
We also know
that without
God, we are
unworthy and we
are all sinners.
Only through His
grace are we
given salvation,
Psalm 14:1
“..
The fool
hath said in his
heart, There is
no God. They are
corrupt, they
have done
abominable
works, there is
none that doeth
good.” Psalm
14:2 “The LORD
looked down from
heaven upon the
children of men,
to see if there
were any that
did understand,
and seek God.”
Psalm
14:3 “They
are all gone
aside, they are
all together
become filthy:
there is none
that doeth good,
no, not one.”
God reminds
us that we all
will come short
of perfection
without His
grace, Romans
3:23 “For all
have sinned, and
come short of
the glory of
God;”
and the
consequences of
sin are death.
Romans 5:12 “Wherefore,
as by one man
sin entered into
the world, and
death by sin;
and so death
passed upon all
men, for that
all have
sinned.”
Does ignoring
these facts make
them untrue?
Many falsely
believe that
Jesus' loving
nature renders
him incapable of
eternally
damning anyone.
Our society
doesn't want to
ever deal with
the consequences
of their
choices...now or
ever. But, that
is flawed logic
because like it
or not, all are
accountable.
So, how is it
that so many
“Christians”
don't seem to
understand that
God is not a
little cherub,
with wings and a
bow, floating
around in space?
Could it
be that they
don't take the
time to study
His Word,
are not familiar
with His Word
and therefore
don't KNOW?
Are
pastors today
teaching ALL of
the Bible?
Will
those sitting in
the pews in
those churches
be held
accountable for
what they do not
know? The answer
to the last
three questions
is YES! Every
person will
answer for their
actions and
choices, and
they will answer
to the God who
created the
universe, and
all that is.
Many people are
aware that the
phrase,
“Separation of
church and
state” do not
appear anywhere
in the
Constitution of
the United
States of
America. But,
many believe it
does. Recently,
Speaker of the
House, Nancy
Pelosi, was
quoted as
saying,
“...we have to
give voice to
what that means
in terms of
public policy
that would be in
keeping with the
values of 'the
word'. The Word.
Isn't it a
beautiful word
when you think
of it? It just
covers
everything. The
Word.”
Pelosi was
speaking about
how it is our
responsibility
to provide for
those in need or
those “deemed”
in need and that
we should do so
by taking from
others (taxing,
regulatory
legislation,
etc.) and giving
to others. She
says her
“favorite”
scripture is,
“The Bible tells
us in the Old
Testament,
'to minister to
the needs of
God's creation
is an act of
worship. To
ignore those
needs is to
dishonor the God
who made us.' “
I'm not
sure which Bible
Pelosi is
studying but it
certainly is NOT
the same version
as the one I've
studied! That
saying appears
nowhere in the
Old Testament,
nor the New
Testament. How
many people have
heard her say
this and never
knew of her
deception?
If we
don't know the
truth, how can
we know the
truth from a lie
or deception?
We
cannot.
The “remaking”
of Jesus
includes the
Ecumenical
Movement which
is the precursor
to the New World
Religion. Many
mainstream
denominations
and their
leaders are
embracing this
“interfaith
doctrine” with
zealousness.
They
believe that we
all are “God's
children” (we
have that
option, to be
sure), for the
higher good of
everyone, we
should show
“unity” and join
with those of
all religions
because, after
all “we worship
the same god.”
This is a
blatant lie.
This movement is
endorsed by many
so-called
Christians.
Ecumenicity or
ecumenism is the
practice of
promoting
cooperation or
better
understanding
among different
religions.
Christians are
warned about
false prophets,
doctrines, and
the best
protection we
have to keep
from being
misled is to
know God's Word.
Does God tell us
to hold hands
with those who
worship Allah?
What about
Buddha? How are
we to share the
good news if we
are busy
building bridges
to other faiths?
Many
“progressives”
in this country
have claimed and
continue to
claim that Jesus
was a “liberal.”
Modern
society has
often painted
Jesus as a very
“soft,” even
effeminate
person. Jesus
teaches us to be
followers of
peace and to
turn the other
cheek when we
are reviled or
insulted (Matt
5:9, 38-39).
Peacemaker and
pacifist are not
the same.
Anything Jesus
taught was
totally
consistent with
the laws which
God had already
established
including the
laws against
theft, envy and
covetousness (Exodus
20:15, 17).
These are
destroyers of
the soul.
God's word tells
us we should
help the whole
person, not
distribute
handouts. Unless
we provide
charity as the
Gospel directs,
we are only
sending a person
to a hopeless
future. Is it
possible to be a
faithful
Christian and
still follow the
principles of
the modern
Democratic
Party? This is
not to suggest
that there are
not genuine
Christians who
happen to be
Democrats. The
Democratic Party
has lost the
Christian vote
because it
doesn't stand
for Godly
principles. How
can we give our
allegiance to
Christ and at
the same time
follow an
organization
which openly
promotes
homosexuality,
abortion and
many other
policies that
openly defy
God's Word.
According
to II John
2:9 to
support these is
to be a partaker
of them. Another
good question
may be how can
we attend a
church that
openly puts
those same
people in a
leadership
position? This
compromises the
entire
congregation of
that
establishment.
In no way is
this an
endorsement of
the Republican
Party. It is
true that the
GOP has more
consistently
addressed issues
that concern
Christians.
Disregarding the
poor can never
be excused.
Caring for the
poor and needy
is the most
frequently
repeated command
in the Bible.
How we address
this issue
displays our
faith – whether
it is genuine or
not (James
2:14-17). If
we neglect the
poor, God will
not accept our
worship (Amos
5:21-24). He
will not hear
our prayers (Proverbs
21:13), and
we will
ultimately be
judged severely
(Amos 6:4-7).
Poverty can
never be
defeated through
human means,
political or
otherwise. There
are government
programs that
have helped
people during
hard times and
have helped make
lives better.
But, in some
cases, these
programs have
proven to be
nothing more
than political
grandstanding.
Caring for the
needy is the
work of God, and
God's work must
be done in God's
way.
Some have
misinterpreted
Jesus'
compassion for
the poor to be a
form of
Socialism or
even Communism.
The truth is,
however, that
private property
and free
enterprise have
a biblical
basis. It is
good to remember
that Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob
were all wealthy
men, made rich
by the blessing
of God (Genesis
13:12, 26:14,
33:5). This
can also be seen
by those in the
Old Testament
such as Joseph (Genesis
41:57),
Solomon (1
Kings 3:13),
Daniel (Daniel
6:28), and
many others.
If Jesus were,
as some teach,
indiscriminately
opposed to
wealth and
prosperity, it
seems that He
neglected to
read His own
Scriptures.
The Hebrew
Scriptures Jesus
believed and
cherished taught
that from the
beginning God
gave man
property to tend
and care for (Genesis
1:26, 2:15).
The Ten
Commandments
reinforces these
property rights
by settling
strict laws
against theft
and covetousness
(Exodus
20:15, 17).
God takes
pleasure in the
prosperity of
His servant (Psalm
35:27),
rewards hard
work and
ingenuity (Proverbs
10:4) and
declares that to
enjoy the fruits
of our labors is
a gift from Him
(Ecclesiastes
3:13, 5:19).
Jesus' future
millennial reign
will be a time
in which every
person will sit
down on their
own property
under their own
“vine and fig
tree” (Micah
4:14).
Jesus was not
poor, and He did
not uphold
poverty as an
ideal.
Unbiblical ideas
about money
(equating
poverty with
humility and
spirituality)
has kept
countless
believers from
the fruitful,
benevolent lives
God desires for
all of us. No
matter about the
pious cliches,
there is nothing
humble nor
spiritual about
watching those
you love go
hungry or cold.
Prosperity is
more than money.
That is why it
is important to
not only help
the poor but
also teach them
how to help
themselves. As
we all have
heard, give a
man a fish and
he can eat for a
day. Teach him
to fish and he
can eat for a
lifetime. This
is the practical
approach that is
the center of
Biblical welfare
and charity
toward others.
God did not set
up a welfare
state for His
people. It was a
free market
economy in which
people could
make as much
money as they
wanted to,
provided they
did it within
the framework of
God's covenants
(Deuteronomy
8:18). Their
tax system was
not a wealth
redistribution
scheme. The
Bible gives us
examples of how
excessive
taxation can
have disastrous
results. The
breakup of the
Kingdom of
Israel into the
Kingdoms of
Israel and Judah
following the
death of Solomon
is a good
example of this.
It is directly
attributed to
heavy taxation (1
Kings 12:4,
Nehemiah 5:4, II
Kings 23:35).
For His covenant
people, God
established what
we would call a
flat tax system.
An equal
percentage was
required of
every Israelite,
rich or poor.
God's primary
means of
financial
provision is the
avenue of work (Ephesians
6:5-7, II
Thessalonians
3:10) and
ancient Israel
was no
exception.
A study
of the
harvesting of
crops shows us
that what wasn't
gathered by the
farmer was left
for those less
fortunate. They
would come pick
up the remainder
for their
families (Leviticus
19:9, 23:22,
Deuteronomy
24:19-22).
All forms of
welfare required
responsibilities
from the person
or persons who
received it.
Today, the same
principles we
saw in the Old
Testament
remain. We must
remember that
need, in and of
itself, does not
move God. God is
moved when we
step out in
faith to receive
His provision.
He wants us to
depend upon Him
for everything.
The church's
primary mission
is to win the
lost and to make
disciples and
all programs
including
charity are
aimed toward
this goal. We
must be good
stewards of the
financial
resources that
God gives us.
There are many
needs in this
lost world. None
of us can do it
all but we all
can do
something.
Jesus' words are
still true for
His followers in
today's world: “Freely
you have
received, freely
give.”
Matthew 10:8.
“To whom
much is given,
much is
required.”
Luke 12:48
We will
be held
accountable for
how we respond
to the hungry,
the sick, those
in prison and
those who are
lost. “Depart,
ye cursed, into
everlasting
fire. For I was
hungry, and ye
fed me not...In
as much as you
did not do it
for the least of
these, you did
it not for me...”
Matthew
25:41-46.
We have great
opportunities to
glorify our
Heavenly Father
today. We can
feed the hungry,
reach out to
those in prison,
speak for
victims of
persecution and
oppression,
defend unborn
children and do
good wherever
and whenever we
have the
opportunity. By
doing this, the
name of Jesus
will be
glorified.
Labels such as
“conservative”
and “liberal” or
“progressive”
will lose their
significance.
But we must know
God's Word, we
must be ready to
give an account
for our faith at
any time. We
must get the
wonderful
message of God's
love to those
lost in this
world for our
time grows
short.
“Ye are
the light of the
world. A city
that is set on
an hill cannot
be hid. Neither
do men light a
candle, and put
it under a
bushel, but on a
candlestick; and
it giveth light
unto all that
are in the
house. Let your
light so shine
before men, that
they may see
your good works,
and glorify your
Father which is
in heaven.
(Matthew
5:14-16).