Now all has been heard
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
I can speak forever on why I know there is a God and the most ardent atheist will not believe me. However I am hoping that there are some people out there that are reading these blog posts, that at least consider what I am saying. People who will read at least the New Testament and do consider what is said.
Becoming a Christian ultimately an act of faith. Not necessarily blind faith. Because the Bible as a whole presents to its readers facts about God. It then asks you to believe them or not.
God give each and every person a freewill to believe in Him or not the choice is always in the hands of the individual.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
It is up to you the reader to decide for yourself how important Christianity is.
Please think about it.
Saturday, 5 September 2015
Thursday, 3 September 2015
Christs ambassadors?
Christ’s ambassadors?
The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
I write this to Christians but I present it here for all to read. Knowing it’s a controversial topic among Christians.
Question to Christians from me a Christian of over forty years. Are you a true ambassador for Christ?
Are you offering to the world around you the olive branch of reconciliation?
Over the last few days I’ve heard on the news of a woman in a clerks office in the United States refusing to issue marriage licences to a gay couple on the grounds she believes it is morally wrong.
While I agree that she has the right to her belief that same sex marriage is morally wrong. This woman is not in a church. She is in a civil secular position and is required to obey the law.
She and I believe any Christian in a government position must obey the law even if they find it morally wrong. If they find laws that they must administer morally wrong perhaps they should not be in that position.
Remember it was the apostle Paul who said,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
Romans 13:1-5.
Keep in mind that Paul wrote this when the emperor Nero was in power an emperor who burned Christians alive among other atrocities. Yet the apostle still wrote,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Sometimes I think Christians in North America and particularly those in the United States suffer from too much freedom and rights.
They claim “THEIR RIGHTS” at the top of their voice. Yet fail to see others in the secular democracy that they live in have also been given rights.
And yes those rights might conflict with the moral views of Christians but then that has been happening since the day Christ was born.
The apostles lived with the fact that the Roman Empire in which they lived had is some cases vastly different moral view than they had. Yet not once do I see anywhere in the New Testament the apostles speaking out against the Roman government.
The apostles offered the gospel of the Prince of Peace to the world. They never yelled “I have my rights.”
Tony Campolo the American evangelist wrote,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”
Tony Campolo.
I do not believe Christians have the right to prevent others from exercising their rights in a secular democracy. Quite the contrary they should be standing up for the rights of all people. Because in standing up for the rights of all people we are also standing up for our own.
Please think about it.
The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
I write this to Christians but I present it here for all to read. Knowing it’s a controversial topic among Christians.
Question to Christians from me a Christian of over forty years. Are you a true ambassador for Christ?
Are you offering to the world around you the olive branch of reconciliation?
Over the last few days I’ve heard on the news of a woman in a clerks office in the United States refusing to issue marriage licences to a gay couple on the grounds she believes it is morally wrong.
While I agree that she has the right to her belief that same sex marriage is morally wrong. This woman is not in a church. She is in a civil secular position and is required to obey the law.
She and I believe any Christian in a government position must obey the law even if they find it morally wrong. If they find laws that they must administer morally wrong perhaps they should not be in that position.
Remember it was the apostle Paul who said,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
Romans 13:1-5.
Keep in mind that Paul wrote this when the emperor Nero was in power an emperor who burned Christians alive among other atrocities. Yet the apostle still wrote,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Sometimes I think Christians in North America and particularly those in the United States suffer from too much freedom and rights.
They claim “THEIR RIGHTS” at the top of their voice. Yet fail to see others in the secular democracy that they live in have also been given rights.
And yes those rights might conflict with the moral views of Christians but then that has been happening since the day Christ was born.
The apostles lived with the fact that the Roman Empire in which they lived had is some cases vastly different moral view than they had. Yet not once do I see anywhere in the New Testament the apostles speaking out against the Roman government.
The apostles offered the gospel of the Prince of Peace to the world. They never yelled “I have my rights.”
Tony Campolo the American evangelist wrote,
“We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or another when it comes to eternity. What we are obligated to do is to tell people about Jesus, and that's what I do.”
Tony Campolo.
I do not believe Christians have the right to prevent others from exercising their rights in a secular democracy. Quite the contrary they should be standing up for the rights of all people. Because in standing up for the rights of all people we are also standing up for our own.
Please think about it.
On God
On God
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
As I look around me from my perch in Canada I see a world that is slowly turning from God and His ideals. There are many out there that say God dose not exist. They say that this life is all we have. If so what a waste of a soul.
To live just a few seconds in the eternity of time is to me not worth it. Especially in the kind of world we live in with all its problems. For me there has to be more.
I truly believe there is a God who made the universe and everything in it. A God who created man to have fellowship with him. A God who knew that for man to truly have fellowship with Him in a meaningful way had to have a freewill.
That freewill however is a two way street. In giving man a freewill God gave man the ability to believe in Him of not. That’s the beauty of having a free will. We can choose to believe what we want to.
For me I see God’s handiwork all around, everything from the majesty of the galaxies to the precision of the smallest subatomic particles.
I see God’s handiwork in the flowers and the living world around me.
I am reminded by science that our world is at just the right distance from the sun to produce life as we know it. That even the distant stars and planets are positioned in such away as to help life exist on this planet we call home.
I cannot believe that this is all by chance. For me there has to be a God who created it all. A God who offers me and all who would believe in him eternal life in heaven a place far from the problems of this world.
A God who gives us a choice. Jesus saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
Therefor the choice is yours dear reader. You can believe in God or your can reject Him. For as C. S. Lewis states,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
Please think about it.
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
As I look around me from my perch in Canada I see a world that is slowly turning from God and His ideals. There are many out there that say God dose not exist. They say that this life is all we have. If so what a waste of a soul.
To live just a few seconds in the eternity of time is to me not worth it. Especially in the kind of world we live in with all its problems. For me there has to be more.
I truly believe there is a God who made the universe and everything in it. A God who created man to have fellowship with him. A God who knew that for man to truly have fellowship with Him in a meaningful way had to have a freewill.
That freewill however is a two way street. In giving man a freewill God gave man the ability to believe in Him of not. That’s the beauty of having a free will. We can choose to believe what we want to.
For me I see God’s handiwork all around, everything from the majesty of the galaxies to the precision of the smallest subatomic particles.
I see God’s handiwork in the flowers and the living world around me.
I am reminded by science that our world is at just the right distance from the sun to produce life as we know it. That even the distant stars and planets are positioned in such away as to help life exist on this planet we call home.
I cannot believe that this is all by chance. For me there has to be a God who created it all. A God who offers me and all who would believe in him eternal life in heaven a place far from the problems of this world.
A God who gives us a choice. Jesus saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
Therefor the choice is yours dear reader. You can believe in God or your can reject Him. For as C. S. Lewis states,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
Please think about it.
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Meaning in Life
Meaning in Life
The writer of Ecclesiastes looks at life and states
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
If you think about it, it’s a pretty depressing look at life.
Sometimes I think our young people here in the west and particularly here in North America look at life like that. Especially those who go to join the terrorist groups.
Those who go to join terrorist groups it seems are not satisfied with the consumer society we have in the west. They seem to see no meaning in life here.
I’d go as far as saying those who are experimenting or using drugs full time are doing so because life for them lacks meaning.
My brother an atheist said once, “life is short and he who has all the toys in the end wins.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Because when life ends all the trinkets bobbles and beads, all the riches you’ve amassed in your life goes to someone else. You came into this world with nothing and you leave with nothing. Only what you’ve done for God will last.
Increasingly our society in the west is turning away from God. Our society in the west doesn’t seem to have any great noble causes to stand up for.
My fathers generation stood up to the oppression of Nazism. They stood for and died for a noble cause. The rights and freedom of mankind.
Since world war two however we living in North America and Europe have lived in peace a peace that perhaps is not all it’s cracked up to be.
While we enjoy un precedented freedom, our society has embraced consumerism with both hands and to a degree there is nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with having a nice house, car, and other things. The thing is, that things, have become god’s.
Do we really need another $500.00 smart phone every time the latest becomes available? Do we need a $200 pair or running shoes? Is there any need for the latest car with all the bells and whistles?
I think a lot of the reason many turn away from western society and to groups like Islamic State is because they are disillusioned with what western society has to offer. Materialism is a cold god.
To my mind western society as good as it is, fails because it has turned to “things” to make people happy, something that has never worked.
Christianity here in North America in particular is also failing the younger generation.
As I listen to many evangelist in the media they it seems are spouting doom and gloom or the so called “do’s and don’t’s” doctrine of Christianity. A very unappealing and frankly incorrect version of Christ’s teachings.
Christianity to my mind is not doom and gloom and it definitely is not “do’s and don’ts”.
Christianity correctly practiced is a faith of action a faith that shows love and understanding to the people around us even our enemies.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink....”
Romans 12:18-20a
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”
Matthew 5:43-46.
This is something terrorist groups are not doing.
James the brother of Christ urges Christians to do good works,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
James 2:14-18.
Christians around the world today are doing those good works. They are standing up for the oppressed, feeding the hungry and helping the sick. Sadly it is not something seen in the media all that often. Helping the sick, the poor and the disadvantaged of society doesn’t make headlines like a suicide bomber.
To those who might be reading this blog who are looking for meaning and a cause to follow I would urge them to look to Christianity. To ignore the doom and gloom evangelist. To ignore the evangelist that portray Christianity as do’s and don’t’s and look at the core values of the Christian faith. Love for God, your neighbour, even your enemy.
There are many Christian organizations out there that are helping the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and they are doing it without resorting to a force and the gun.
I know for a fact this is true. My son and some of his friends take time every year from their jobs to work around the world building orphanages, schools and doing other essential things.
Additionally there are many Christian youth and adults that give there entire life to working to better the lives of others in all parts of the world. They do so quietly and without fanfare.
It is very rewarding and has eternal consequences.
Please think about it.
The writer of Ecclesiastes looks at life and states
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
If you think about it, it’s a pretty depressing look at life.
Sometimes I think our young people here in the west and particularly here in North America look at life like that. Especially those who go to join the terrorist groups.
Those who go to join terrorist groups it seems are not satisfied with the consumer society we have in the west. They seem to see no meaning in life here.
I’d go as far as saying those who are experimenting or using drugs full time are doing so because life for them lacks meaning.
My brother an atheist said once, “life is short and he who has all the toys in the end wins.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Because when life ends all the trinkets bobbles and beads, all the riches you’ve amassed in your life goes to someone else. You came into this world with nothing and you leave with nothing. Only what you’ve done for God will last.
Increasingly our society in the west is turning away from God. Our society in the west doesn’t seem to have any great noble causes to stand up for.
My fathers generation stood up to the oppression of Nazism. They stood for and died for a noble cause. The rights and freedom of mankind.
Since world war two however we living in North America and Europe have lived in peace a peace that perhaps is not all it’s cracked up to be.
While we enjoy un precedented freedom, our society has embraced consumerism with both hands and to a degree there is nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with having a nice house, car, and other things. The thing is, that things, have become god’s.
Do we really need another $500.00 smart phone every time the latest becomes available? Do we need a $200 pair or running shoes? Is there any need for the latest car with all the bells and whistles?
I think a lot of the reason many turn away from western society and to groups like Islamic State is because they are disillusioned with what western society has to offer. Materialism is a cold god.
To my mind western society as good as it is, fails because it has turned to “things” to make people happy, something that has never worked.
Christianity here in North America in particular is also failing the younger generation.
As I listen to many evangelist in the media they it seems are spouting doom and gloom or the so called “do’s and don’t’s” doctrine of Christianity. A very unappealing and frankly incorrect version of Christ’s teachings.
Christianity to my mind is not doom and gloom and it definitely is not “do’s and don’ts”.
Christianity correctly practiced is a faith of action a faith that shows love and understanding to the people around us even our enemies.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink....”
Romans 12:18-20a
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”
Matthew 5:43-46.
This is something terrorist groups are not doing.
James the brother of Christ urges Christians to do good works,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
James 2:14-18.
Christians around the world today are doing those good works. They are standing up for the oppressed, feeding the hungry and helping the sick. Sadly it is not something seen in the media all that often. Helping the sick, the poor and the disadvantaged of society doesn’t make headlines like a suicide bomber.
To those who might be reading this blog who are looking for meaning and a cause to follow I would urge them to look to Christianity. To ignore the doom and gloom evangelist. To ignore the evangelist that portray Christianity as do’s and don’t’s and look at the core values of the Christian faith. Love for God, your neighbour, even your enemy.
There are many Christian organizations out there that are helping the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and they are doing it without resorting to a force and the gun.
I know for a fact this is true. My son and some of his friends take time every year from their jobs to work around the world building orphanages, schools and doing other essential things.
Additionally there are many Christian youth and adults that give there entire life to working to better the lives of others in all parts of the world. They do so quietly and without fanfare.
It is very rewarding and has eternal consequences.
Please think about it.
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
True love and the message of Christ
True love and the message of Christ
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Someone has said that we as Christians should be expressing the Love of Christ to the world. Showing the unconditional Love of God. We shouldn’t be telling a contemporary audience that they have sin in their life. That Jesus is the only way to heaven.
For me as a Christian not telling people they have sin in their life that needs dealing with or that Jesus is the only way to heaven is not showing love.
The apostle Paul in the above quote expresses what love is. Love is also telling the truth to the person you love.
The New Testament makes it clear that
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23.
The apostle John states,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell people this.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for our life. That can be everything from a so called ‘white lie’ to committing a theft or murdering someone all are sins. Sin is simply falling short of what God want’s for our life. And as humans we all have our failings and fall short of God’s ideal.
This is an admission we need to admit directly to God.
Jesus also made it clear that He is the only way to heaven. Jesus said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
For me not to tell this to someone, is to me at least lying by omission.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
This to me is a truth that must be spoken to all I know and all who will listen to me.
For me to do anything less is not showing love.
Please think about it.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Someone has said that we as Christians should be expressing the Love of Christ to the world. Showing the unconditional Love of God. We shouldn’t be telling a contemporary audience that they have sin in their life. That Jesus is the only way to heaven.
For me as a Christian not telling people they have sin in their life that needs dealing with or that Jesus is the only way to heaven is not showing love.
The apostle Paul in the above quote expresses what love is. Love is also telling the truth to the person you love.
The New Testament makes it clear that
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23.
The apostle John states,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell people this.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for our life. That can be everything from a so called ‘white lie’ to committing a theft or murdering someone all are sins. Sin is simply falling short of what God want’s for our life. And as humans we all have our failings and fall short of God’s ideal.
This is an admission we need to admit directly to God.
Jesus also made it clear that He is the only way to heaven. Jesus said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6.
For me not to tell this to someone, is to me at least lying by omission.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
This to me is a truth that must be spoken to all I know and all who will listen to me.
For me to do anything less is not showing love.
Please think about it.
Monday, 31 August 2015
The Christian Message
The Christian message
Every so often I like to make clear to people the way I believe you get to heaven. This is one of those times.
The Bible also makes it clear how we get to heaven. Still it come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for.
Jesus said,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18
Ephesians stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
Christians believe that it is God who reached down to mankind to show him the way to heaven because it is impossible for mankind to reach God any other way. We cannot live lives good enough or holy enough to get to heaven on our own.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23,
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
Isaiah telling us,
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
Isaiah 64:6
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
We need to admit our short falls and sin to God. We need to ask Him to help us live lives that are acceptable to God.
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30.
The decision ultimately however is yours. Salvation is an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1.
Please think about it.
Every so often I like to make clear to people the way I believe you get to heaven. This is one of those times.
The Bible also makes it clear how we get to heaven. Still it come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for.
Jesus said,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18
Ephesians stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
Christians believe that it is God who reached down to mankind to show him the way to heaven because it is impossible for mankind to reach God any other way. We cannot live lives good enough or holy enough to get to heaven on our own.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23,
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
Isaiah telling us,
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
Isaiah 64:6
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
We need to admit our short falls and sin to God. We need to ask Him to help us live lives that are acceptable to God.
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30.
The decision ultimately however is yours. Salvation is an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1.
Please think about it.
Sunday, 30 August 2015
A declaration
A declaration
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Words from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America July 4 1776.
Noble words. Words much of the world aspire to.
Words while not from the Bible echo it’s sentiments.
Under God all men are equal. They have a freewill. That freewill allows them to believe in God or not. To do with their life as they wish. To follow a path they feel is right for them even if it is contrary to what God wishes.
Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society. Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
Abba Hillel Silver.
One of those rights is to reject God.
As a Christian I have no right to force my beliefs on anyone. All I can do is present what I believe to people. It is their right to accept or reject it.
God it is true wants all people everywhere to turn to Him. To have a personal relationship with Him. But He wants them to come into that relationship of their own freewill. A person forced to make a decision will not necessarily make a sincere decision.
I as a Christian believe that we must make our decision in this life where we will spend eternity. As a result I feel I am obligated to tell the world about Jesus.
Perhaps the best message ever presented to non-Christians was presented by the Apostle Paul while in Athens. A place in the ancient world where people were free to think as they wished and exchanged views on just about everything.
The Book of acts records,
“So he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”
Acts 17:17-34.
That message is as important today as it was when Paul spoke it. It is a message for all people of all ages.
Please think about it.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Words from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America July 4 1776.
Noble words. Words much of the world aspire to.
Words while not from the Bible echo it’s sentiments.
Under God all men are equal. They have a freewill. That freewill allows them to believe in God or not. To do with their life as they wish. To follow a path they feel is right for them even if it is contrary to what God wishes.
Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society. Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
Abba Hillel Silver.
One of those rights is to reject God.
As a Christian I have no right to force my beliefs on anyone. All I can do is present what I believe to people. It is their right to accept or reject it.
God it is true wants all people everywhere to turn to Him. To have a personal relationship with Him. But He wants them to come into that relationship of their own freewill. A person forced to make a decision will not necessarily make a sincere decision.
I as a Christian believe that we must make our decision in this life where we will spend eternity. As a result I feel I am obligated to tell the world about Jesus.
Perhaps the best message ever presented to non-Christians was presented by the Apostle Paul while in Athens. A place in the ancient world where people were free to think as they wished and exchanged views on just about everything.
The Book of acts records,
“So he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”
Acts 17:17-34.
That message is as important today as it was when Paul spoke it. It is a message for all people of all ages.
Please think about it.
Saturday, 29 August 2015
The Universe, God and You
The Universe, God & you
“The grandeur of the Universe is always commensurate with the grandeur of the soul that surveys it.”
Henrich Heine
The Bible says,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1.
Job without the benefit of modern science said,
“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.”
Job 26:7
The Psalmist wrote,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
For me there is a God who created the universe and everything in it. He made it orderly and that order proves there is a God.
Mathematicians, physicist, astronomers, and scientist of all types realize there is an order. Mathematics proves the order. Using math science has been able to discover everything from planets orbiting distant stars, to the smallest subatomic particle.
I cannot believe this order simply happened randomly.
Additionally when we look at moral values of people around the world. The basic moral values of do not kill do not steal and so forth are common values. These values have existed for millennia in all societies world wide. This to, to me proves there is a God who placed in the hearts and minds of all men these moral values.
What to me however is more amazing is the God that created the universe actually came and entered His creation in the form of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of John recording,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-4, 12-14.
This I know is a remarkable statement. A belief held only by Christians. The God of creation, almighty, all powerful God, chose to enter the universe, the world that he created.
Its quite a statement but if not true it destroys the Christian faith because Christians believe that God took a small part of his infiniteness made it corporeal and entered the world. Not only that He did it to reconcile man to Himself.
In other words God reached down to the man. He reached down I believe to give each and every person a choice.
When God created man He had already gave man a freewill and for that will to be truly free it had to include the ability to believe there is a God or not to believe.
Choosing not to believe in God and falling short of what God would have for your life is what is referred to as sinning. And since we are as human beings far from prefect we all sin.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23,
That’s why Jesus came. He came to show each and every person how far He would go to reconcile man to himself.
If Jesus had not come we would have had to follow closely the laws laid down in the Old Testament. However Jesus came to be the Saviour of mankind.
Not only that but if Jesus had not entered this world we on the day we stand before God to be judged could I believe honestly say to God, “you don’t understand what it is to be human, because all you have ever known is absolute power.”
However since Jesus came to the world and lived life as an ordinary man. We cannot do that.
Jesus understands fully what it is to be a man. He experienced the mundane things like the sun and rain against his skin, he attended at least one wedding that we know of. He experienced the love of family and friends, temptation, the fleeting glory of fame as a great teacher. At the same time he experienced the wrath of his enemies who tried him in what amounted to a kangaroo court and passed him on to the secular Roman authorities.
Authorities who found no wrong in what he was doing, yet for political expediency had him brutally flogged and put to death on a cross.
This is the Jesus we all will one day stand before and be judged, because death did not hold Him. Jesus rose from the dead walked briefly on this earth again then ascended to be with God the Father. Where he will all one day stand before him as either Judge or Saviour.
Until that day we all have a choice to make. The gospel of John records the choice Jesus himself gave us when he said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
The choice dear reader is yours. C. S. Lewis said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
Please think about it.
“The grandeur of the Universe is always commensurate with the grandeur of the soul that surveys it.”
Henrich Heine
The Bible says,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1.
Job without the benefit of modern science said,
“He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.”
Job 26:7
The Psalmist wrote,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
For me there is a God who created the universe and everything in it. He made it orderly and that order proves there is a God.
Mathematicians, physicist, astronomers, and scientist of all types realize there is an order. Mathematics proves the order. Using math science has been able to discover everything from planets orbiting distant stars, to the smallest subatomic particle.
I cannot believe this order simply happened randomly.
Additionally when we look at moral values of people around the world. The basic moral values of do not kill do not steal and so forth are common values. These values have existed for millennia in all societies world wide. This to, to me proves there is a God who placed in the hearts and minds of all men these moral values.
What to me however is more amazing is the God that created the universe actually came and entered His creation in the form of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of John recording,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-4, 12-14.
This I know is a remarkable statement. A belief held only by Christians. The God of creation, almighty, all powerful God, chose to enter the universe, the world that he created.
Its quite a statement but if not true it destroys the Christian faith because Christians believe that God took a small part of his infiniteness made it corporeal and entered the world. Not only that He did it to reconcile man to Himself.
In other words God reached down to the man. He reached down I believe to give each and every person a choice.
When God created man He had already gave man a freewill and for that will to be truly free it had to include the ability to believe there is a God or not to believe.
Choosing not to believe in God and falling short of what God would have for your life is what is referred to as sinning. And since we are as human beings far from prefect we all sin.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23,
That’s why Jesus came. He came to show each and every person how far He would go to reconcile man to himself.
If Jesus had not come we would have had to follow closely the laws laid down in the Old Testament. However Jesus came to be the Saviour of mankind.
Not only that but if Jesus had not entered this world we on the day we stand before God to be judged could I believe honestly say to God, “you don’t understand what it is to be human, because all you have ever known is absolute power.”
However since Jesus came to the world and lived life as an ordinary man. We cannot do that.
Jesus understands fully what it is to be a man. He experienced the mundane things like the sun and rain against his skin, he attended at least one wedding that we know of. He experienced the love of family and friends, temptation, the fleeting glory of fame as a great teacher. At the same time he experienced the wrath of his enemies who tried him in what amounted to a kangaroo court and passed him on to the secular Roman authorities.
Authorities who found no wrong in what he was doing, yet for political expediency had him brutally flogged and put to death on a cross.
This is the Jesus we all will one day stand before and be judged, because death did not hold Him. Jesus rose from the dead walked briefly on this earth again then ascended to be with God the Father. Where he will all one day stand before him as either Judge or Saviour.
Until that day we all have a choice to make. The gospel of John records the choice Jesus himself gave us when he said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
The choice dear reader is yours. C. S. Lewis said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
Please think about it.
Friday, 28 August 2015
A Universal Truth
A universal truth
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12.
This is one thing Christian and non-Christian can I believe agree on. If everyone treated others the way they would want to be treated this world would be a much better place to live in.
Anne Frank a young girl living in hiding from the Nazis in Holland during world war two wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank.
Love and kindness are what makes the world a better place. Unfortunately Anne Frank experienced the opposite of kindness, hate. She was betrayed and died in one of Hitler’s concentration camps.
Around the world today there seems to be a lack of love. We see it in the extreme with the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. We see it on the streets of North American cities with the rise of gun violence and murders.
We see it also to a lesser degree when politicians fail to help the most vulnerable of our society.
We see it when we as individuals fail to do all we can do to help others. When we fail to show love.
The apostle Paul wrote what to be is the best definition of love. Something all people everywhere can identify with. He wrote,
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is the one thing we all appreciate. Love is the one thing we should be showing to others at all times in word and most especially in deed.
Do you practice this kind of love?
Please think about it.
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12.
This is one thing Christian and non-Christian can I believe agree on. If everyone treated others the way they would want to be treated this world would be a much better place to live in.
Anne Frank a young girl living in hiding from the Nazis in Holland during world war two wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank.
Love and kindness are what makes the world a better place. Unfortunately Anne Frank experienced the opposite of kindness, hate. She was betrayed and died in one of Hitler’s concentration camps.
Around the world today there seems to be a lack of love. We see it in the extreme with the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. We see it on the streets of North American cities with the rise of gun violence and murders.
We see it also to a lesser degree when politicians fail to help the most vulnerable of our society.
We see it when we as individuals fail to do all we can do to help others. When we fail to show love.
The apostle Paul wrote what to be is the best definition of love. Something all people everywhere can identify with. He wrote,
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is the one thing we all appreciate. Love is the one thing we should be showing to others at all times in word and most especially in deed.
Do you practice this kind of love?
Please think about it.
Thursday, 27 August 2015
An Explanation
An explanation
Someone pointed out that I from time to time mention when I speak to Christians or write my blogs to Christians that I speak of what as been called a “fundamental truth” an obvious truth. Thus I am asked why write such obvious truths to Christians.
The fact is a good percentage of those who attend church or who call themselves Christians don’t believe the fundamentals of Christianity. I know of several ministers that deny the deity of Christ among other things. They to me are not Christians, because you cannot deny the deity of Christ and be a Christian.
I know of others who are out there protesting against everything they disagree with, wishing to restrict the rights of others. This was something Christ and the apostles never did. Christians that protest in a democracy to restrict the rights of others need to read the Bible more carefully. It tells us,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18.
We cannot live at peace with everyone if we are protesting against someone’s rights.
Thus I write to express what I believe makes one a Christian. The apostles creed while not written by the apostles dose express the basics of Christianity when it says,
APOSTLES' CREED
"I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."
Amen.
*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places
I believe as the Apostle Paul did when he wrote,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
I also believe the writer of the book of Hebrews who said,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6b.
I believe the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24
I believe the words of the Apostle John who wrote,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10.
John also said,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
John 1:12,13
John also wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-4, 12-14
God actually entered this world because I believe because if he didn’t we could perhaps quite justly say to Him, “you don’t understand what it is to be human.” you have only experienced absolute power.
With God in the form of Jesus Christ, entering his creation to experience all it is to be human we cannot on the day he will judge us stand be for Him and say that He doesn’t understand.
Christians also believe one very crucial statement made by Jesus who said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
Please think about it.
Someone pointed out that I from time to time mention when I speak to Christians or write my blogs to Christians that I speak of what as been called a “fundamental truth” an obvious truth. Thus I am asked why write such obvious truths to Christians.
The fact is a good percentage of those who attend church or who call themselves Christians don’t believe the fundamentals of Christianity. I know of several ministers that deny the deity of Christ among other things. They to me are not Christians, because you cannot deny the deity of Christ and be a Christian.
I know of others who are out there protesting against everything they disagree with, wishing to restrict the rights of others. This was something Christ and the apostles never did. Christians that protest in a democracy to restrict the rights of others need to read the Bible more carefully. It tells us,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18.
We cannot live at peace with everyone if we are protesting against someone’s rights.
Thus I write to express what I believe makes one a Christian. The apostles creed while not written by the apostles dose express the basics of Christianity when it says,
APOSTLES' CREED
"I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."
Amen.
*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places
I believe as the Apostle Paul did when he wrote,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9
I also believe the writer of the book of Hebrews who said,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
...“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6b.
I believe the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24
I believe the words of the Apostle John who wrote,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10.
John also said,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
John 1:12,13
John also wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-4, 12-14
God actually entered this world because I believe because if he didn’t we could perhaps quite justly say to Him, “you don’t understand what it is to be human.” you have only experienced absolute power.
With God in the form of Jesus Christ, entering his creation to experience all it is to be human we cannot on the day he will judge us stand be for Him and say that He doesn’t understand.
Christians also believe one very crucial statement made by Jesus who said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
Please think about it.
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
An unknown known God
An unknown known God
“The Jesus of the Scripture transcends all nations and calls all nations into judgment.”
American evangelist Tony Campolo
I as a Christian believe that not only every nation but every individual will be called to judgement. I believe that we will stand before God and asked to give account for our lives.
The Apostle Paul while in Athens was asked to speak about his beliefs by a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. The book of acts records,
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."
Acts 17:17-34
The choice for you the reader is the same today as it was that day in Athens. It is a call to repent of ones sins and turn to God.
The apostle John wrote,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10
So the Choice is yours, you can either believe that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind or you can reject Jesus.
Please think about it.
“The Jesus of the Scripture transcends all nations and calls all nations into judgment.”
American evangelist Tony Campolo
I as a Christian believe that not only every nation but every individual will be called to judgement. I believe that we will stand before God and asked to give account for our lives.
The Apostle Paul while in Athens was asked to speak about his beliefs by a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. The book of acts records,
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."
Acts 17:17-34
The choice for you the reader is the same today as it was that day in Athens. It is a call to repent of ones sins and turn to God.
The apostle John wrote,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10
So the Choice is yours, you can either believe that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind or you can reject Jesus.
Please think about it.
Tuesday, 25 August 2015
The Christianity I know
The Christianity I know
Tony Campolo the American evangelist wrote,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed.”
Tony Campolo
I a Christian admit all too many people calling themselves Christians these days in North America are protesting against things. They are cementing in the minds of non-believers that Christianity is a religion of “do not’s”.
In protesting against the rights of someone in a secular democracy such as we have in the west these people are at the very least being perceived as intolerant bigots.
This is not the Christianity I know.
Christianity to me is God reaching down to mankind and saying “I love you. Let me show you the way to heaven.”
Jesus met with people of every strata in every circumstance of the society in which he lived. And even though He was the Christ and had the right to judge, he did not judge anyone while on this earth. Nor should Christians.
As a Christian I believe that Christians should be showing presenting the love of God to both our neighbour and our enemy that is what Jesus told us to do. He said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Matthew 5:43,44.
When asked the question,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40.
This is what Christians are called to do.
Also because Christians are showing the love of God we would be remiss in our duty if we didn’t in Love present the warning God gave to all people everywhere. The warning Jesus spoke recorded by the apostle John.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
This is the fundamental belief of Christians. We believe everyone must believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. The Saviour of mankind. That each person must come into a personal relationship with Jesus in order to get to heaven.
As Christians we are told to present this belief, not force it on anyone. Simply give each person the choice to believe it or not.
God gave each and every person a freewill to choose what they believe and the path of their life even if it is to reject Him.
So dear reader the choice is yours.
Please think about it.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist wrote,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed.”
Tony Campolo
I a Christian admit all too many people calling themselves Christians these days in North America are protesting against things. They are cementing in the minds of non-believers that Christianity is a religion of “do not’s”.
In protesting against the rights of someone in a secular democracy such as we have in the west these people are at the very least being perceived as intolerant bigots.
This is not the Christianity I know.
Christianity to me is God reaching down to mankind and saying “I love you. Let me show you the way to heaven.”
Jesus met with people of every strata in every circumstance of the society in which he lived. And even though He was the Christ and had the right to judge, he did not judge anyone while on this earth. Nor should Christians.
As a Christian I believe that Christians should be showing presenting the love of God to both our neighbour and our enemy that is what Jesus told us to do. He said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Matthew 5:43,44.
When asked the question,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40.
This is what Christians are called to do.
Also because Christians are showing the love of God we would be remiss in our duty if we didn’t in Love present the warning God gave to all people everywhere. The warning Jesus spoke recorded by the apostle John.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”.
John 3:16-18.
This is the fundamental belief of Christians. We believe everyone must believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. The Saviour of mankind. That each person must come into a personal relationship with Jesus in order to get to heaven.
As Christians we are told to present this belief, not force it on anyone. Simply give each person the choice to believe it or not.
God gave each and every person a freewill to choose what they believe and the path of their life even if it is to reject Him.
So dear reader the choice is yours.
Please think about it.
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