It seems right but is it?
The writer of Proverbs states,
Jesus said,
It is I believe very possible for someone to consider themselves a Christian and are not. I say this because I heard an interesting sermon. It pointed out that Christianity is in danger of becoming part of the culture of the country particularly in the United States and Canada.
Mahatma Gandhi once said,
When I hear of people calling themselves Christians who go to court for the right not to serve homosexuals in their business, I ask myself are they truly Christians. When I hear people calling themselves Christians and wanting to restrict the rights of any lawful group that is doing no harm, I ask myself are they Christian.
Do Christians in a secular democracy such as the United States and Canada have the right to impose their beliefs and judge those who are not Christians?
The apostle Paul wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1Corinthians 5:12,13
Should Christians be demanding that same sex marriage be banned? Should Christians try to restrict the rights of other religious groups just because we disagree with them? Should Christians seek to restrict immigration allowing only groups they agree with into the country?
Billy Graham the great American evangelist once said,
Did not Jesus associate with everyone, the Samaritan woman, Roman soldiers even tax collectors.
Matthew’s gospel records,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
The Pharisees would not sit down with people they thought were sinners. As a result I would imagine as today they would turn people away from God.
I’ve been a Christian in excess of forty years now and the one thing various non-Christians have said to me over the years is, “why should I become a Christian. I live a better life than them. The ‘Christians’ I know are intolerant”
I’ve heard many times Christians being called bigots. Sadly many times they are right. Many calling themselves Christians are intolerant and bigoted.
Jesus and the apostles lived in a society that was far from Christian morally. It was a multicultural mix of people some practising what to them would have been morally reprehensible behaviour. Yet they never spoke against it.
They never spoke against it because they knew, they had the answer to changing the world around and pointing people to heaven.
Billy Graham said,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham.
We as Christian need to be very carful in what we say and do because people are looking at us. The apostle Peter said,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Jesus told us to love God, love our neighbour, and even love our enemy. That to my way of thinking means love everyone.
As true Christians we must be willing to interact with anyone no matter their faith, their lifestyle or there position in life without judging them. This is what Jesus and the apostles did. In doing so they won souls for Christ.
Are you doing this?
Please think about it
The writer of Proverbs states,
“There is a way that seems right to a man
but in the end it leads to death.”
Proverbs 14:12.
I am writing this directly to Christians with the intent to get them to look at their relationship to Christ.Jesus said,
“Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly,
‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Matthew 7:22,23.
If you claim to be Christian will you hear the above words of Jesus? I think many claiming to be Christians be they in the pulpit or in the pew will hear those words.It is I believe very possible for someone to consider themselves a Christian and are not. I say this because I heard an interesting sermon. It pointed out that Christianity is in danger of becoming part of the culture of the country particularly in the United States and Canada.
Mahatma Gandhi once said,
Jesus is ideal and wonderful,
but you Christians
- you are not like him.
Mahatma Gandhi.
Even though Gandhi said those words decades ago he is right. Many calling themselves Christians today are not anything like Jesus.When I hear of people calling themselves Christians who go to court for the right not to serve homosexuals in their business, I ask myself are they truly Christians. When I hear people calling themselves Christians and wanting to restrict the rights of any lawful group that is doing no harm, I ask myself are they Christian.
Do Christians in a secular democracy such as the United States and Canada have the right to impose their beliefs and judge those who are not Christians?
The apostle Paul wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1Corinthians 5:12,13
Should Christians be demanding that same sex marriage be banned? Should Christians try to restrict the rights of other religious groups just because we disagree with them? Should Christians seek to restrict immigration allowing only groups they agree with into the country?
Billy Graham the great American evangelist once said,
“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,
God’s job to judge
and my job to love,”
Billy Graham
If we claim to be Christians we need to heed what the apostle Paul and indeed Billy Graham said.Did not Jesus associate with everyone, the Samaritan woman, Roman soldiers even tax collectors.
Matthew’s gospel records,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13.
The Pharisees would not sit down with people they thought were sinners. As a result I would imagine as today they would turn people away from God.
I’ve been a Christian in excess of forty years now and the one thing various non-Christians have said to me over the years is, “why should I become a Christian. I live a better life than them. The ‘Christians’ I know are intolerant”
I’ve heard many times Christians being called bigots. Sadly many times they are right. Many calling themselves Christians are intolerant and bigoted.
Jesus and the apostles lived in a society that was far from Christian morally. It was a multicultural mix of people some practising what to them would have been morally reprehensible behaviour. Yet they never spoke against it.
They never spoke against it because they knew, they had the answer to changing the world around and pointing people to heaven.
Billy Graham said,
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham.
We as Christian need to be very carful in what we say and do because people are looking at us. The apostle Peter said,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Jesus told us to love God, love our neighbour, and even love our enemy. That to my way of thinking means love everyone.
As true Christians we must be willing to interact with anyone no matter their faith, their lifestyle or there position in life without judging them. This is what Jesus and the apostles did. In doing so they won souls for Christ.
Are you doing this?
Please think about it
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