tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91592720097722931452024-03-12T19:59:11.451-06:00not yet a martyrTurtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159272009772293145.post-16107678440665089132009-02-16T00:19:00.003-07:002009-02-18T15:09:45.430-07:00Why Christians don't consider Mormons to be 'Christians'.<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Why most Christians do not believe Mormons are Christians. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Before I start this note, I want to inform any of my Mormon friends that this is not meant as an attack against you or your beliefs. I am simply trying to state the facts. I Do Not want you to get angry and bitter towards me as you read this. I just want you to peacefully consider what I have to say. You may not agree with it, but at least you will start to understand why you are often not accepted in 'Christian' circles.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">I have spend half my life living in different locations in Utah. I love Mormons, and I would like to think I understand them pretty well. One thing about Mormons is they have what a man I knew called a 'persecution complex'. (Many Christians have this to, it's not something unique to the Mormon faith.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">The persecution complex is basically this. When a group of people is so used to people attacking their faith, they perceive any outside source talking about their faith as an attack. Again, I am not trying to do that. So if you are Mormon and reading this, please put your fists down. 'I ain't here ta fight ya,' just to help you understand some of the differences between our religions. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">If you are Christian, I want you to know that I do not want you quoting me later, in an attempt to attack a Mormon. Such an attitude would be bad, and I don't want my words to be used as a weapon for you. However, if you wish to quote me in a peaceful talk or debate, feel free to do so.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">With that said... Let me answer a question so many of my Mormon friends ask me. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"Why don't you Christians consider us to be Christians too?" </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">I want you to fully understand me, and I have no mastery of the English Language, so this will take me a bit of time to say. Please be patient with me. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">'Why' you ask? To be frank, your beliefs do not match the definition of a Christian. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Now wait a minute! I can guess what you are going to say next. ("But we believe in Christ too!") Don't worry, I will try to address that later. But first, please allow me to quote C.S. Lewis, a well known Christian author as he talks about definitions. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">" Far deeper objections may be felt-and have been expressed- against my</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> use of the word Christian to mean one who accepts the common doctrines of</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Christianity. People ask: "Who are you, to lay down who is, and who is not a</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Christian?" or "May not many a man who cannot believe these doctrines be far</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> more truly a Christian, far closer to the spirit of Christ, than some who</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> do?" Now this objection is in one sense very right, very charitable, very</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> spiritual, very sensitive. It has every amiable quality except that of being</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> useful. We simply cannot, without disaster, use language as these objectors</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> want us to use it. I will try to make this clear by the history of another,</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> and very much less important, word.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />The word gentleman originally meant something recognisable; one who had</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> a coat of arms and some landed property. When you called someone "a</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> gentleman" you were not paying him a compliment, but merely stating a fact.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> If you said he was not "a gentleman" you were not insulting him, but giving</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> information. There was no contradiction in saying that John was a liar and a</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> gentleman; any more than there now is in saying that James is a fool and an</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> M.A. But then there came people who said-so rightly, charitably,</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> spiritually, sensitively, so anything but usefully-"Ah, but surely the</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> important thing about a gentleman is not the coat of arms and the land, but</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> the behaviour? Surely he is the true gentleman who behaves as a gentleman</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">should? Surely in that sense Edward is far more truly a gentleman than</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> John?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> They meant well. To be honourable and courteous and brave is of course</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> a far better thing than to have a coat of arms. But it is not the same</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> thing. Worse still, it is not a thing everyone will agree about. To call a</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> man "a gentleman" in this new, refined sense, becomes, in fact, not a way of</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> giving information about him, but a way of praising him: to deny that he is</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> "a gentleman" becomes simply a way of insulting him. When a word ceases to</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> be a term of description and becomes merely a term of praise, it no longer</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> tells you facts about the object: it only tells you about the speaker's</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> attitude to that object. (A "nice" meal only means a meal the speaker</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> likes.)</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />A gentleman, once it has been spiritualised and refined out of its old</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> coarse, objective sense, means hardly more than a man whom the speaker</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> likes. As a result, gentleman is now a useless word. We had lots of terms of</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> approval already, so it was not needed for that use; on the other hand if</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> anyone (say, in a historical work) wants to use it in its old sense, he</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> cannot do so without explanations. It has been spoiled for that purpose.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Now if once we allow people to start spiritualising and refining, or as</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> they might say "deepening," the sense of the word Christian, it too will</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> speedily become a useless word." </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">So lets use Lewis' definition of a Christian. That means a Christian would be a person who accepts and believes the common doctrines of Christianity. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Ok. So what are those? Ha. Like I am going to write all those down. I doubt I would even be able to. If you want to view what is accepted as those doctrines, you should read the The Westminster Confession Of Faith.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/westminster_conf_of_faith.html</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Lets just look at a few major doctrinal things that Christians believe in. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">The trinity. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Christians believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. So do Mormons. But this is the part that separates them. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">-Mormons believe the three individuals are totally separate. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">-Christians believe the three are one. Three persons, one God.The three together make up God, and individually they are God. Now this is very hard to explain. Literally hundreds of thousands of books have been written on this subject. God is infinitely complex, and this just goes to show it. If you have questions on the trinity, ask me.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Another doctrine Christians believe in is that there are no other Gods but one. God, the one and only. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Now you might be thinking this conflicts with the Trinity, but it does not. As previously stated, the trinity is three persons in one. Together they make up God. Yes, hard to understand. Christians believe outside the Godhead (3-in1) there is no other God. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">The Mormon belief is that (if you are good, and follow God) you can become a God. (however, they do not believe you can become God the Father, there is only one God the Father.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Obviously the beliefs are different. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Saved by Grace. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Now this is a tricky topic for me to address. Both Christians and Mormons will tell you that you are saved by grace. And both mean it, but they have different definitions of this 'saved by grace' thing. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">-The Christian 'saved by grace' is basically defined this way. If you have been saved (i.e. repented and placed your trust in Christ) from the wrath of God, you have been saved not by your own merit, worth, or anything you have done. That is, nothing you have done or could do could possibly have saved you. You are saved by the grace of Christ alone. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">-The Mormon 'saved by grace' is much more complex. I will describe it in a way that was explained to me by a Mormon friend and a member of the Quarm of the 70. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">What they said to me was this, "Salvation is a gift by the grace of God, let me phrase it this way. You are saved by Grace, and by works. But this is not a contradiction. For this analogy, lets say salvation was like crossing a bridge. You cross that bridge, you are saved. Now stepping on the start of this bridge is only by the Grace of God. Gods grace lets you get started. Now on this bridge are some gates you must pass through. These gates are works. They please God, and after passing these gates, you can now enter heaven." </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Am I understandable to you? (If I am not, then I apologize, as previously stated, I am not a master of words) Basically it is this. Gods gracious enough to let you work toward heaven. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">This is also really is a very complex and interesting belief. However you can probably see how it differs with the Christian belief in 'no works at all can save you'.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">These are just three of the many differences between the two beliefs. (Note: I am not saying in here who is right or wrong. I am just stating what the typical beliefs are, and how they differ.)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">So we see that they are different. Let me summarize what I have stated thus far. Why can't Mormons be called Christians? Because they do not match the definition of a Christian. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">There are many similarities, its true. But just because a man casts a shadow, and a tree casts a shadow, that does not make a man a tree. Even if the man has apples in his armpits, he is still a man. He does not have bark, he has no roots, and he does not grow leaves. These are some of the things that define a tree. The differences between the two are what makes one a man, and one a tree. In the same way, the differences between the doctrines of Christians and the doctrines of Mormons are what make them what they are.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Are you following me here? Or have I lost you at this point? </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">I am sorry if I have lost you. I do have trouble turning thoughts into coherent sentences. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Let me lastly point out one last thing. If we get rid of all the doctrines, and simply say a Christian is someone who believes in Christ, then this still poses a problem. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">That problem is this, the two religions do not believe in the same Christ. What? Yeah, I said that. Now before you go for my throat, let me explain. (again, I am not trying to attack, but if I sound like I am to you, I apologize.)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Say a man said he believed in Joseph Smith, and you said you believed in Joseph Smith.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">This man then tells you that the Joseph Smith he believes in did not die in Carthage Illinois. Rather his Joseph Smith sailed to India and converted to the Hindu belief. And then the man tells you that he follows that Joseph Smiths Hindu beliefs. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Now would you say that man believes in the same Joseph Smith as you? </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">No. That Joseph Smith went places, said things, and did things you don't believe he did. They are two different people. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">In the same way the Christ the Mormons believe in, went places, said things, did things, and over all was an entirely different 'person' than the Christ Christians believe in. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">The two are trusting in entirely different Christs for their salvation. </span>Turtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159272009772293145.post-37196792866565357542008-11-08T03:14:00.002-07:002008-11-08T03:27:06.725-07:00A punch of Theology.<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">A punch of Theology.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />Lets take a minute, and interview four men, from your main religions.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">The reporter comes up to the Orthodox Jew and asks "Sir, if you died tonight, where would you go?"</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Well, I'd go to Paradise" -says the Orthodox Jew. </span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Why?" -reporter</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"I am a righteous man, I do good works, I study his law, love his law, feed upon his law. I am a righteous man." - Orthodox Jew.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Ok, I understand that. Ok.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Muslim, if you died right now, where would you go?" - reporter</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"I would go to paradise." - Muslim</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Why?" - reporter</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Because I love the Koran, I have made all the pilgrimages, I make the daily prayers, I give alms to the poor, I am a righteous man." - Muslim</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Ok, I understand that.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> Mormon, if you died right now, where would you go?" - reporter</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"What a good question Mr. Reporter, I would go to the Celestial kingdom." - Mormon</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Why?" - reporter</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"I am a righteous man. I received the ordinances and covenants in the post-mortal spirit world, I obey the LDS laws and ordinances, I listen to the teachings of God, I am a righteous man." - Mormon</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Ok, Ok. I understand that." - reporter</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />*the reporter turns to the True Christian*</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Christian, if you died today, where would you go?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Heaven." - Christian</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"Why?" - reporter</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Well.., I was born in sin, and in sin did my mother conceive me. I have broken every law that God has ever given. Thoroughly found unrighteous and lacking in merit and worth. I deserve the deepest darkest judgment of..."</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />The reporter cuts in and says "Stop! The other guys I understand, they say they are going to Heaven because they deserve to go to heaven. God owes them. God is their debtor. They've proved themselves worthy. God must give them heaven. But you I don't understand! Your telling me with joy that your going to heaven, but then your telling me you have no merit or worth to go there. How are you going to heaven?"</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">And the Christian smiles and say " Because I am going to heaven based upon the merit and worth of another, Jesus Christ My Lord!"<br /><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Now of those four people, who gives glory to God, and who gives glory to men?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">You see that? This is not about Us. This is not about our morality and our goodness. This is about Him!</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Are you seeing a difference?<br />Do you start to understand now why Christianity stands apart from any other religion.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Do you really think you could ever be good enough to get into heaven?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Every other religion is based upon this lie. By good works you can earn your own salvation.<br /><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">All men are under the fierce wrath and justice of God because their vile wickedness.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Let me get into detail a bit about mankind. Your think your righteous? Then follow me in this brief look at mankind.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Genesis 6:5</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">I like the way Paul Washer phrases it, something along the lines of this...</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">If I could pull out your heart right now, if I could take every thought you have ever had, from your</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> first waking moment until this very hour. If I could take every thought you have ever had, not just your deeds, but your thoughts. And put those thoughts on a video. Then show that video to a room full of your closest friends, you would run out of that room screaming. Because you have thought things so wicked, and so perverted you could not even share them with your closest friend. As a matter of fact, if your friend knew some of the thoughts you had against him, he would no longer be your friend.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />And I do not know that because I am a prophet, I know that because its what the scriptures say, and I know that like you I too am a man.</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">You would spend ever ounce of energy to hide from everyone in that room what has gone through your mind just in the last hour.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />Don't tell me scriptures not right when it talks about All men having sinned because all men are sinners.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Genesis 8:21</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth."<br /><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">This could mean evil from childhood. Evil, from a babe. Imagine for a moment you have an 18 month old baby in your arms. And that baby sees the shiny watch on your wrist, and he grabs for the watch. And you pull his hand away and say 'No', he begins to cry and move about in your arms. He reaches for the watch again, you grab his hand and say 'No'. He begins to scream and cry. He reaches for the watch again, you say 'No'. He begins to frail his arms even in the direction of your face!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">I submit to you, that if that 18 month old baby had the strength of an 18 year old man he would slaughter you there where you stand, rip the watch off your arm, and walk across your bloody body, out the door without feeling an ounce of remorse.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Men are Evil.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />You see, here is another thing you need to understand. Hitler was not an anomaly. Hitler was not a phenomenon. Hitler was what everyone on this earth has the potential of being. And not only tha</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">t, you need to understand even in all the wickedness of Hitler, Hitler was still restrained by the common grace of God. And You need to know this, that if it were not for the common grace of God restraining you in your unconverted state you would make Hitler look like a choir boy!</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">What we do not understand is what scripture teaches about men. Men are Evil.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />You say "Well I don't agree." That's because you've grabbed enough Christianity to stand, but you don't believe the Bible. The scriptures testimony against You... and all men, is that we are born with evil and we are evil.(Psalms 51:5)</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />Let me ask you another question. Do you have to teach a child to lie? Do you have to teach a child to be self centered, or to be selfish? Do you have to teach a child to steal? Do you have to teach a child violence? They learn that on their own. Set them free, discipline them not, and see what you have in ten years. A Monster! Why? Because what the bible tells us is absolutely true!<br /><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">And we turn away, we try not to listen, we plug our ears. You scream "I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it!" In the same way that a person dieing of a terrible disease is in total denial and says "I don't want to hear it!" But by plugging your ears and turning away, you block yourself from any remedy.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Do you still consider </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">yourself to be a good person? Well the bible has a test for you if you do.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Let me ask you a few more questions, and I want you to mentally answer these with as much honesty and you can. Think about them. Ponder them and mull them over.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">1. Have you ever told a lie?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">2. If you have, what does that make you? A liar correct? You say 'No, I am not a liar!' Well let me ask this then... How many lies does it take to make you a liar? Ten and a big stamp swings from the sky and splats 'liar' on your forehead? No. It only takes one murder to become a murderer, in the same way, it only takes one lie to become a liar.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">3. Have you ever stolen anything? (no matter the value. Even something really small.)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">4. If you have, what does that make you? A thief.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">5. The bible says it is wrong to murder, but Jesus said that to Hate someone is to commit Murder in your heart. Have you ever done that?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />6. The bible says that to commit adultery is a sin. Jesus said in Matthew chapter five, that to look with Lust is to commit adultery in your heart. Have you ever done that?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />This test, its called the 10 commandments. I only took you through 4 of those ten! Do you think you can pass the test? If your honest with yourself, you know that you cant even pass those four.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">I believe that if your as honest as possible with yourself, you will admit to being a lying, thieving, adulterer and murderer at heart.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">These ten commandments are Gods standard and law. Now if God judges you by that standard, do you think you would go to Heaven or Hell?</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">If you say Heaven, let me ask you 'why?' Do you think God should let murderers, liars, thiefs, and adulterers into heaven?<br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">No.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />Let me put it like this, imagine your in a court house, and a man is on trial. This man has confessed to raping and murdering 36 young girls. And he turns to the judge and says "sir, I know your a very loving and righteous judge. So I'm going to ask you to forgive me and let me go free."</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Do you think that judge is going to let that man go free? No. The judge will say it is because I am righteous that I am sending you to jail for wh</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">at you have done!</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">God is the Judge of all the universe, and he will do right.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">1 John 1:10</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />The bible calls all men haters of God, and enemies of God. You say "But I have loved God ever since I was a little child." No. You loved an image of god that you created with your own mind, and you loved what you made. But if someone were to come to you and pointed out the God of scripture(such as I am doing now), you would have said "I could never love a God like that!"</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />"That's not my God." No. Its not. But it is the God of scripture.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">A man who will not accept his illness can not be healed. A man who does not have all his hopes crushed in regard to his own self righteousness, merit, and worth can not turn to Christ. </span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">We must realize that we are destitute, and there is only one savior, and his name is Jesus.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">One of the first things you need to understand is that the Gospel does not begin with man. It begins with God. Who God is, the whole thing of the Gospel, judgment, Heaven and Hell all comes back to the righteous character of God.</span><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">And what people do not seem to understand, because it is rarely put forth in the gospel today is this... Everything revolves around this one thing. If God is Just, he can not forgive man. A judge must do righteously. God is the judge of all the earth, and he will do right. The problem is Man has sinned. Man must die. Man is under the wrath of God. The punishment for breaking even one of Gods commandments is an eternity in hell. Jesus our loving savior taught that in John chapter 3.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">The only way for a Just God to be able to forgive wicked men is to first satisfy his own justice and appease his wrath. And he has done that through the death of his </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">only begotten son. So many people today have this silly idea that the Romans and the Jews beating up Jesus resulted in payment for our sins. Yet they do not realize that our sins were paid for on that tree because when Christ was on that tree, He bore the guilt of his people, he stood in their law place, he became a curse in their place. And then the Father crushed him under the full force of his own wrath.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Someone had to die under the wrath of God. And Christ did that, and his resurrection proves it.</span><br /><br /> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Don't think I will even ask you to make Jesus lord of your life. That's the most preposterous thing I could ever tell you to do. Jesus Christ is Lord of your Life. whether you serve him or not. Whether you bless him, curse him, hate him, or love him. He is the lord of your life. Because God has given him a name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow and confess him as Lord. Some of you shall bow out of the grace that has been given to you. And others will bow because your knee-caps will be broken by the one who rules the nations with a rod of iron. And I'll not apologize for this God of the bible.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">I come from a long line of men, most of the buried, but all of them well received in glory. Who thinks not about the opinions of men, or the way the rest of the evangelical community is going walk. I want you to know there is a God in Heaven. And he is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor. And he Demands such from you. And he has made it possible in his glory, in his love for you to come to him. And he crys out 'All who are thirsty, come and drink. All who are hungry come and eat. Why do you spend your money on that which will not satisfy. Come and drink from Me he</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> says. Wine an</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">d Milk, based upon the sure mercies of David I will treat you good.'</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">He commands everyone in this roo</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">m to</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> Repent of their sins and believe the gospel. To seek him while he may be found." - Paul</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> Wash</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">er</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Now lets take a look at this Love of God.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br />By now either your bu</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuFNnhm81v5Os4DXRHXUz_0GLE3uqBqK2PgHS8jK0aYnxdeU6vS6A7pD3LuSbYc3wS9I3ODo1aAsKMxanC-b2ygynYecEJEojL4KGv0jK7DwN4sW0-bODXRF_1Xixh2u1h0Hlh_gDxy0Q/s1600-h/10a.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuFNnhm81v5Os4DXRHXUz_0GLE3uqBqK2PgHS8jK0aYnxdeU6vS6A7pD3LuSbYc3wS9I3ODo1aAsKMxanC-b2ygynYecEJEojL4KGv0jK7DwN4sW0-bODXRF_1Xixh2u1h0Hlh_gDxy0Q/s320/10a.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266228281837348674" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">rning with anger at reading</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> this, or you are convicted by the spirit. The law of God is working </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">on you</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">r h</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">e</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">art. You r</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">ealize n</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">ow that you are a wretched sinner. Nothing ahead of you but Hell.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Once again I want to say</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> this...</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> do you know what God did for you so you would not have to spend an eternity i</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">n He</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">ll?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">He sen</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">t</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> his one and only son Jesus Christ as a perfect sacrifice for your sins.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Someone had to die under the wrath of God. His law was broken, and the punishment is eternal death in Hell. So Christ died</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> in your place! What then do you have to do to receive this salvation Christ paid for?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br />You need to turn to Christ and give him your whole life. Everything. Trust him for your salvation, and you need </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">to repent of y</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">our sins. That means to turn away from your sins. Th</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">e </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">moment you do that, you will pass from death into life. And you will receive the gift of Gods everlasting life. </span>Turtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159272009772293145.post-44748595040045956942008-11-05T00:08:00.002-07:002008-11-05T00:09:00.161-07:00Here is a nice little poem I came across. I quite like it. <br /><br />PABLUM FROM THE PIT<br />By: Dr. Michael Brown, PhD<br /><br />Koochey, koochey, koochey coo!<br />God loves me and God loves you!<br />Smile sinner, don’t be sad.<br />God’s not angry, He’s not mad<br />Even when you leave the path<br />There’s no hell and there’s no wrath<br />So don’t you fear, just do your best<br />Judgment Day won’t be a test<br />God sees you’re heart and that’s enough<br />The Judgment seat won’t be that tough<br />For you can’t sin away His grace<br />Or take that smile from His face<br />God is love and love is good<br />He’ll treat you like you think He should<br />Just trust me sinner to the end<br />My name is Satan, I’m your friend.Turtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159272009772293145.post-67974283160066167742008-10-21T13:45:00.000-06:002008-10-21T13:47:41.095-06:00Study of Nahum<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Nahum. (here we go. This is going to be long.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The book is set 20 to 100 years after Jonah.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Nineveh has returned to its sin, and God (who is slow to anger) is not happy.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Nahum is basically sent in to call them toward repentance. They do not listen, so the book describes (very graphically) how God unleashes his wrath upon the people of Nineveh.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >I always found it weird that I could not find Nineveh on any maps, until I read this book. No, it will not be on any maps after what God did to them for their sin.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Now I have heard it said that "Oh, thats just the Old Testament God." on things like this, but does that mean they are different Gods? Does not the bible say there is but One God?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >I have also heard the argument that God changed.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Oh how foolish, does not the word of God say that he changes not!? You can not improve on God, and it is against the nature of God to change from what is absolute good.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >No, the church in America has for some reason rejected these attributes of God because they are not politically correct.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >They dont show the 'God of Love' that people want to have.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Instead they show a vision of a God of wrath, anger, hatred, Justice, and Holiness.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The American church has a tendency to focus too much on the Love and Mercy of God which is truely very important! but you should not just focus on one small aspect of God and deny the rest. We tune out what makes us uncomfortable.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >What effect does it have on the church when we do this?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Lets take a few looks...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >When we deny these aspects of God, then we fail to understand passages in the bible.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Where it says we are to Fear the Lord, all of a sudden we see God as too loving for us to fear, so we change that verse and say it means we are to Respect the Lord. Look at verses that talk about Fear of the Lord in Hebrew, and it turns out the word they use is "Fear", not "respect." Yes, you are to respect the Lord, but you are also told to Fear him.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >This is the God who has the power to Cast People Into Hell for eternity.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Speaking of Hell, that is another aspect of God that we often fail to understand. If we only look at the love, then we think 'How can a loving God send people to Hell?'</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >So people change it a bit, they start thinking things like God wont send people to hell, or God will only send the truly bad people to Hell.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >They do not understand that God will only send the truly bad people to hell, but all of mankind is truly bad!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The bible says even our Good works are as filthy rags. (Isa. 64:6)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Thats the polite version. You want to know what the unedited version is? The true translation of that verse is that all of our good works are as used menstrual rags.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Not just blah, but a total eewww. Gross and disgusting. You wouldn't want to touch those good works with a ten foot pole.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Why is this? Because the vast majority of our good works are done with evil intentions. We do good works for men to see, to gain praise and glory, and to gain approval. Often men try to do good works to try and gain salvation.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >We are so self centered. So sinful. Man has not only denied that God will send the 'bad people' to hell, but Man has tried to justify himself, saying that he is not bad. Others are.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >No. Mankind is sinful. You want proof, let me ask you, do you have to teach a child to lie? To quote Paul Washer, "Do you have to teach a child to be greedy? How about to be vicious to other children? No. They learn that on their own.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Set them free, Discipline a child not, and see what you have in ten years. A monster! "</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Genesis 6:5</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Why is this so important? Why am I so concerned about telling you of the wickedness of man? Because a man who does accept his illness can not be healed. A man who continues to trust in his own self righteousness for salvation can not be saved.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The book of Nahum is not only about the wickedness of Nineveh, but it should be seen as a warning to the world.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The main message is this.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Man is Evil, and God is Just. If Man does not Repent and turn to God, then God will destroy them.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Nahum says once again if man does not repent, and does not trust God, then God is Just to destroy them.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Now we seem to have a problem. We see how wicked man truely is. And we are starting to see how Just God is.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >God is the Judge of the universe, and on judgment day, we see that his Holiness and righteousness makes it so that he can not let a man off the hook.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Once again, I am going to quote Paul Washer...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >"What people do not understand is this... If God is just, He can not forgive men. Its the same as if someone slaughters your entire family, and you caught them and turned them over to the police. The police handed them over to a judge. And the judge said 'I'm a very loving Judge, so I'm going to let this man go free."</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >You would cry out for justice, you would write the congress, call your senator, you would be on the 6:00 news saying there's a judge more vile on the bench then the men he sets free. A judge must do righteously.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >God is the Judge of all the earth, and he will do right.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The problem is, Man has sinned, man must die. Man is under the wrath of God, Jesus our loving savior taught that in John chapter 3. The only way for a Just God to forgive wicked men is to first satisfy his own justice and appease his wrath. And he has done that through the death of his son."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >If all you take away from Nahum is that Nineveh was bad, and God didn't like that, then you have been paying no attention to the scriptures.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Now, after seeing these aspects of God, we should take a look at the mercy and love of God. How much Greater is his mercy when we see how wicked and deserving of wrath we are? How much greater his love when we see how undeserving of it we are!</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Oh let us not ignore these important aspects of God. For to ignore them is to deny the Power, Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice of our Lord. But more, its to deny his love and mercy.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDFpiLOX6Bs&feature=related" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span>http://www.youtube.com/wat</span><wbr><span class="word_break"></span><span>ch?v=rDFpiLOX6Bs&feature=r</span><wbr><span class="word_break"></span>elated</a>Turtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9159272009772293145.post-7031879889328306722008-10-21T13:42:00.000-06:002008-10-21T13:44:44.572-06:00Self Confession...<span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">As a christian, I strive to be more like Christ. It is not in any way easy. </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Here is a large thing I struggle with. I write this not just so you know, but more as apologies toward you, the readers. </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> I strive for significance. I try to be the most powerful, the wisest, the most 'christian' in my church. I apologize for that. Truly, it is pride in my life. I want people to look up at me, but I am doing it in such a way that I am looking down on people. If you feel I have looked down on you, then for that I am sorry. </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> I feel that sometimes I am the man on the street corner praying. Praying in the open, seeking the reward of the public, and the praises of the people. </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> The man who gives in the open, the man who "practices righteousness before men, to be noticed by them". That is so often me. </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Boasting of my own works, and seeking the praises of others. </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Can you imagine that? Boasting of works? Works? Read Isiah 64:6, and it will tell you that all our good works are as filthy rags. Or, to take a more literal and blunt meaning, as menstrual rags. Thats not just ewww, its downright nasty. That puts a whole new meaning on the term 'filthy rags' doesn't it? </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> So why then do I brag of my 'fitly rags'? Oh, look at me, I am such a good christian, I have This Big of a pile of gross. Check it out, and tell me what you think? </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Right about now, the logical thinker would ask "Why Justin, do you write this? Are you seeking recognition? Bragging of your Christianity, flaunting that you are such a good christian by pointing out your bad?" </span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Maybe. I dont know. If you get that impression, please say so. If you want to point out where you think I am in the wrong as a Christian, you may do that also. If you want to complement me on my filthy rags... I dont need that.</span>Turtle_Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12957751664449442355noreply@blogger.com0