I got up early this morning preparing
to go on a long walk. As I was still waking up to my cup of coffee, I
turned on Fox News. One thing they talked about was President Obama
likening Catholics and Evangelical Christians to “Extremists”.
The first thing that came to mind is how Muslim terrorists are also
labeled “Extremist” . The truth is that both of those ideas are
absolutely false.
Ages ago, back when I was a Catholic in High School, one of the required courses was “Comparative Religions” where we studied the doctrines of several religions around the world and compared them to Christianity. One absolute belief in the Muslim faith is that it is good to kill a Christian and in doing so one obtains a certainty of going to heaven. This cannot be taken out of the Muslim Doctrine as it is a pillar of the Muslim religion.
In calling a Muslim terrorist an extremist is like calling a football player who refuses to break any of the rules of the game an extremist. They are not extremist in any way. They just believe what their book tells them. They follow the rules. Very simple. As far as all the other Muslims who do not agree with the idea of killing Christians, they are not practicing their faith. It is like calling a football player a great player who feels that clipping, pass interference, or unnecessary roughness are OK to do in a game because everybody knows that all the rules of football are old fashion or more simply, they just don't like the rules. They take the fun out of it.
Now to the Christian faith. Here are a
few basic teachings from the Bible:
- Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
- Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness
- "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
- But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
- Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
So are the scriptures referring to
sexual immorality or homosexuality just old fashion? Are churches who
intentionally elevate outwardly sexually immoral people to high
places in their church really practicing the Christian Faith? Is how
our society says that living together and having sex outside of
marriage is an archaic idea?
I tell you the truth, millions of
people who call themselves
Christian practice those things daily without any feeling
whatsoever of how sinful they are. They believe that what they are
doing is perfectly fine and they encourage others who call themselves
Christian to do the same because “We all know that the Bible is old
fashioned” when it comes to sexual morality.
Let me remind you “Not everyone who
says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only
he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
So what if you are caught up in these
things and cant seem to find a way to stop yourself. You wish you
could change your lifestyle but find you continue to return to your
old ways time and time again? Let me encourage you. Non of us are
perfect. I can say that about myself. We all struggle with old sins. Remember this - the battle
to change your life into one of holiness is not your job. A scripture
somewhere says that the battle belongs to the Lord. It also says that God began the good work in you, transforming you, and it is God who will do the work until He determines it to be completed. How many times did Israel turn circles in the desert before they were allowed in the promised land? God eventually said they were ready and led them in.
So what must you do? The apostles asked
the same thing:
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God
requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to
believe in the one he has sent."
That is it. Believe. Very simple. If
you have a problem with believing then ask for Jesus' help:
Because we believe what the Bible says should we be called
“extremist”? I say not. We are nothing more than followers of
Christ. Those “Christians” who don't believe everything in the bible are not believers. Its all or nothing. If you
don't believe me, well – that is not my problem. Let me remind
you again:
“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord,
Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven.”
What is the will of our Father in
heaven – to believe in the one He has sent. And that means to
believe every word He said.
As followers of Christ, should we go
around pointing out other peoples sin? Should we proclaim that
homosexuals are sinners and going to Hell? My answer is absolutely not! Christ died for their
sins too. Gods love for them has never changed. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to convict them
and draw them to Christ. Jesus gave us these commands:
“He asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most
important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus,
"is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this:
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater
than these."
Whether or not our neighbor is an enemy
of God, we are to love them. This unconditional love may be what
opens their heart to be drawn to our Fathers love. How many times in
the bible did Jesus forgive those who sinned? How many times did He
go to their homes and dine with them. Don't forget, we were once
active in many of the same practices. How many times in our Christian walk have we sinned and have been forgiven? Christ found us
and has not stopped forming us into His image. Let's love
our neighbors, include them in our activities, and leave the work of drawing them to God up to God.
This is not extremism. It is simply loving God and loving others.
Blessings,
Tom
