Category: ThinkAbout

Part 2 – The reader must make their own determination as to what is true or not true. I am not disparaging any religious system or ideology, nor seeking to draw any conclusions.   

Hinduism started around 2000 BC. In it, everyone is part of the universal god who has many manifestations. Jesus is one of many sons of God and He is not God, nor a savior, and His death does not achieve forgiveness of our sins. Reincarnation is essential to eventually “get it right” and one day “enter god.”   

Buddhism is more recent than Hinduism, starting around 580 BC, and does not recognize any special god, nor role for Jesus. He was simply an enlightened teacher. Salvation is achieved by the eightfold path and reaching Nirvana. Salvation is freedom from earthy desire and pain.

Islam started about 600 AD and is very similar to Judaism but worships a different god who is “one” and not anyone’s father, nor part of a trinity. The religion holds that Jesus is one of many prophets. Salvation is achieved by doing more good works than bad works (the scales), or else by martyrdom.  

Mormon religion started about 1800. Religion believes that God is a created being who was once a man, and that he had relations with another spirit being and was the father of Jesus and His brother Lucifer. Jesus’ death will not save us. Salvation is in large part by works and adherence to many religious practices. There are many “holy books” that are to be adhered to in addition to the Bible. Salvation is by good works and Jesus is one of several Gods, as all will one day be.

The Jehovah’s witnesses started around 1870 and use a different Bible than mainstream Christians. It is called the New World Bible and has many differences, most prominently is that Jesus is not God and there is no trinity. Salvation is by works and is earned.    

New Age theology is based upon eastern mysticism and is a mixture of writings from many religions. Gaining momentum in the 1970s, everything and all persons are gods in this theology. Jesus is not our savior and you achieve salvation after several rounds of reincarnation if needed, and bad karma must outweigh good karma.

Many Jewish people do not accept Jesus as their Messiah and many Christians do not accept the “Jewish parts” of the Bible.

There are many other denominations and religions we could discuss. Shifting gears to other ideas and influences…

Evolution enters the picture in the 1800s. Actually, this is an old idea which pre-dates Charles Darwin by a long period. Evolution is very much in opposition to the Bible and pretty much seeks to destroy the creation narrative. If creation is not true, then what else in the Bible is not true, right? Evolution is also in large part responsible for people like Hitler, etc believing (the terrible lie) that certain races were/are superior to others. This is related to Hitler’s horrifying treatment of the Jewish people and the subsequent supposed justification of slavery on the parts of many others. Evolution also leads into socialism and communism. Typically, communism and socialism seek to diminish religion and the family because they are competitors to the government’s full control and authority.

Recently there has been much awareness of extra-terrestrials, UFOs, and out of body experiences via alien abductions and visitations. It can be noted that many who have routinely “been abducted” testify that after calling out the name of Jesus – the abductions stopped! This implies demonic origin. Additionally, intergalactic space flight is likely impossible based upon estimates of time and space between our planet and the far reaches of the universe. The laws of physics, which presumably apply to the entire universe, seem to limit us to the speed of light. Going beyond that speed essentially causes physical distortion and would destroy a spacecraft. I do allow however for the possibility of technology enabling “warp drive” – though not deemed possible at this point. This would be a game changer. It is likely however that most sightings are advanced, classified earth craft developed by various countries.     

Then of course there is always the religion of prosperity. Money is the odds-on favorite replacement for God as it yields the illusion of safety and security. As people become more interested in the things of the world and possessions, the desire for God diminishes. Indeed, the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Prosperity as opposed to persecution is the greater enemy to the pursuit of God.   

Enter also the law of the land and governmental decrees. In the U.S., the Supreme Court in the 1960s outlawed prayer in schools, Bible reading, and the teaching or display of the 10 commandments. This was justified by a gross misinterpretation of the constitutional clauses which were intended to forbid the establishment of any one national religion and to prevent the denial of free expression of religion. This of course resulted in ensuring that young people would grow up without hearing about God or morality in schools, thus leaving it to the parents to teach them if so desired. The nature of crime in and out of school since those decisions were taken is a testament to the deleterious effect they had on society. Further decisions approving abortion on demand and celebrating immoral practices added to the breakdown of the societal moral fabric.  

Then there is the profound overemphasis on God’s gift of sex. Rather than the expression of love within a marriage, sex is now the main aspect of many lives. The expression of sexual lust appears to know few boundaries. Pornography has polluted the concept of womanhood in the minds of many young men, and “hook ups” are encouraged/endorsed in schools and on TV – “just maybe take precautions”. The incredible value of a woman as a human being with many talents including inclinations to love, support and raise the family is ignored in favor of being the object of errant sexual drives. Whether they are the President of the United States, or a homemaker (likely just as hard and probably more important), their contributions are unique and irreplaceable. Young men are not taught to respect young women.  

The destruction of history and principles embraced by this nation’s founders is on the rise. We can see everywhere that God is being removed from the public square and all evidences of sacrifice and morality as bedrocks of our society are being eliminated. “Everyone should do what seems right in their own eyes”, seems to be the mantra of the age in which we live. Media and tech companies seek to muzzle conservative and religious expression.

There are dozens of initiatives that seek the destruction of and adherence to the Judeo-Christian theology, the family, the nation, and basic morality. The obvious question is “who is behind this and why?” I suppose there are many actors actually. No human would be capable or smart enough to do it all. Who is responsible and why?

MAYBE FOR A FUTURE ENTRY … let me know if you are interested.

PART 1 – The purpose of this article is to cause people to think critically about their eternal destinies. What are you believing about God, and why?

DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a criticism of any creed or religion. It is simply a statement of facts regarding the beliefs of some of the major religions and denominations. The reader must draw conclusions on their own if applicable.

The manuscript, archeological and prophetic evidences supporting the Old and New Testaments is by far more extensive than that of any other religious book.

The Judeo-Christian story starts in the Garden of Eden where man rebelled against God the creator. Sin entered the world and a rift developed between mankind and God. The story takes shape when God visits Abraham around 2000 BC and tells him he is to be the father of many nations. From his seed will come a people who will produce the savior of the whole world. The Savior will reconcile God and man once again.

Abraham’s seed through whom the promise would come into the world was the Hebrew nation and the God/man produced within it – Jesus Christ. God establishes the Hebrew nation by delivering them from slavery in Egypt and giving them His laws at Mt Sinai – teaching them how to live with their new found freedom from slavery. If they followed His law, they would be blessed and would live eternally with God. When they failed, they were to offer an innocent animal as ceremonial payment for their sin.    

Once the law was given, leaders were appointed who eventually began to manipulate people and truth, as men in authority often do. “Teachers” began to add and subtract from Gods holy law. The law of God is good and was given to set apart the Hebrew (eventually Jewish) nation from the rest of the world. Religious leaders added restrictions and tightened the law to where it is/was almost unlivable. It became a burden too great to bear. Interpreting the law became a full-time job for teachers of the law, and a standard too strict to bear for the people attempting to follow it.

In the fullness of time, God brought forth the promised Messiah – Jesus. God sent His son to be the Messiah of Israel and the WHOLE world (no one is excluded), and to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law, thereby reconciling God to man. In Christian theology, this is the seminal act in history that changes everything for mankind. God’s plan was that people should follow His law, yet their righteousness would come only by faith in Jesus Christ. The sacrificing of animals would be replaced by the sacrifice of the once for all “Lamb of God Who would take away the sin of the whole world”. The Bible tells us that “if righteousness could be obtained by the works of the law, then Christ would have died in vain”.

In Christian theology, the point is that salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and it is a gift from God Himself. It cannot be earned. It also cannot be mocked – so we don’t need to ask “if I believe, can I just live anyway I want to?” Once internalized by a true believer, this “gospel” truth should result in obedience to God from a heart of love. Jesus is God incarnate and as such He is the only sacrifice suitable to wash away our sins and make us right with God. His uniqueness as savior and His God-hood is essential to this story. This is the gospel.

The theology of trusting in Christ for salvation no matter how many times we fail and submitting to God’s law was universally embraced by the early Christians until about 325 AD at the Nicene conference. At this point many other forces entered the picture and began to distort the basic concept that Christ completed (not eliminated) Judaism. So, the picture was complete. People should honor their maker by following His laws in Torah and living a holy life according to scripture with the guidance of the Holy Spirit – placing their entire trust in Jesus who delivered total reconciliation to a perfect God through His eternal sacrifice and the forgiveness of sin.

If this gospel is true, it follows that the enemy of our souls would seek to destroy or distort the simple message in order to lead people away from it. We have already seen how the religious leaders abused Gods law and authority by making the law impossible to obey. Now we will see other leaders abuse what Christ came to do. A new religion called “Christianity” was formed and eventually Judaism was all but kicked out of the picture by the Christian “church fathers”. Eventually while Christians embraced Christ, they eliminated previous Hebrew practices, while adding other traditions of men. The Jewish language, God’s Biblical laws, the holy festivals, etc were basically thrown out and we were left with Pagan replacements such as Christmas and Easter and other sacraments as well as the worship of other (deceased) people.   

Christianity started many denominations, developed many theologies and basically “replaced” all aspects of Judaism in the eyes of much of Christendom. At least it thought it did. As a result, great hatred of Jews was kindled and the two religions separated. Even Martin Luther of the reformation was very anti-Semitic, believing that the Jews killed Jesus and should be hated.

There is fighting amongst denominations and false teachings abound. There are literally dozens of religions, denominations and cults that sprang up as a result of man’s desire to change what God had done. The gospel eventually came to be about what God could do for us, rather than a lifetime commitment to God on our parts.

Maybe it is the spirit of overachieving religious leaders that seeks to control people, or to make complicated that which is simple. I will outline a few of the more noteworthy developments introduced into the world, beyond “Pharisaic” Judaism and “false” Christianity which might serve the purpose of moving people away from the original message. You will note a kernel of truth in almost all of these initiatives, which makes them particularly enticing to the masses. You be the judge. UNTIL THE NEXT ENTRY….

Gal 4 v 1-7 (KJV) – Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ² But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. ³ Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ⁴ But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁶ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ⁷ Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

This post is very much a paraphrase of another excellent John MacArthur sermon about the Assurance of the Believer. The gospel is not ambiguous as are most of the false religions. The gospel states that every human being is a sinner and will experience the judgment of God at the appointed time if a remedy is not found. We can do nothing to change this on our own. The proof that we are all sinners is that we die! The penalty for sin, according to scripture is death.

The good news is that God loves the world and loves sinners, and he provided deliverance for us in the form of the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ. The question to be discussed in this sermon from Pastor John is How can we be sure that Christ is The Savior and can save me? Well, according to scripture and many witnesses, He died and rose from the dead. He took the wrath of God on Himself willingly – God was satisfied – and He raised Jesus from the dead.

Now – How can WE be certain that WE have received salvation? Many people lack the assurance of their salvation! What are some of the reasons we lack this assurance?

1. We see paltry or no result to our efforts as Christians! We believe that we are making no impact.
2. We see inconsistency in our life and our desires.
3. We struggle with indwelling sin.
4. We neglect worship, fellowship and prayer on occasion.

So, if we are saved, how can we be sure? Eph 1:13 (KJV) says: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”. He gives us His Holy Spirit upon salvation! The evidence of salvation of course is the fruit of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, meekness and self-control.

God has predestined us and chosen us into His family from satan’s family and we are protected there by His Holy Spirit. This only happens because of Christ. The Holy Spirit shows us the blessings God has given us, He leads us, He instructs us, and He convicts and comforts us.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. But how can I be certain I am really adopted and in Christ?  Gal 4:6 says that we are adopted and we cry Abba father!

In your darkest hour, do you cry out to your daddy in heaven to save you? By His spirit we cry Abba (daddy) Father.

So, in sum, when we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit and He protects us and leads us. He also causes us to cry out to our father in heaven when we are in distress.

The Holy Spirit Is your inner guarantee that you are a child of God. Be assured that you have been chosen and predestined if you see the Holy Spirit in your life.   

I thought I would take a crack at this one, since it appears to be the one question that throws so many people off, and even discourages them from believing. In writing this I will be borrowing ideas from Pastor John MacArthur, Dr Michael Heiser, Dr Frank Turek and many others I have encountered over the years.

First off let me say while I will provide some interesting and useful insights, I will stop woefully short of satisfying some of the readers who may have suffered enormous loss and pain. This article in no way seeks to explain away or diminish your pain. There is very little that can be said when someone loses a child, a loved one, perhaps a whole family, or experiences some other gut-wrenching, life changing experience. May God be with you and give you His comfort to see your way through.

The reasons for allowing things like the holocaust or many other unexplainably horrific events are known only to God. We are well within our God given rights to ask Him WHY he allowed them when these things happen. But ultimately the answer may not come this side of heaven. We might end up receiving the answer that Job received after his tragedies, which is found in Job Chapter 38 and subsequent. Sometimes we won’t understand ‘just yet’.  

There are some who say that God is not in control of evil and He is not in any way responsible for some of these things. As Pastor John MacArthur points out – God is either in control of evil, or evil is in control of God – which of course would be very problematic. God must be sovereign, or we have little to hope for with any certainty in this life, or the next. While God does not cause, nor did He create evil, He certainly allowed it to enter the world and He frequently triumphs over it. God is only good, and those who choose against Him essentially create evil.

Having said these things, let’s look at some of the reasons evil exists in the world. Principally God created us in His image. He desires that all should choose Him freely and act according to His plan. Yet this ‘essential’ free will, which enables us to truly love God, has become the source of most of the world’s evils, as people and nations continually choose to hurt and destroy one another. Bad choices are made daily, such as to deliberately hurt others, or to perhaps drive while drunk, or to take an overdose, etc etc.  These choices have consequences for everyone. Some have suggested that God should not have created anyone who He knew would do evil. Some theologians in response to that criticism, believe that God limits His foreknowledge of what exactly all people would choose. While this is not a very widely held belief, it does provide comfort and may explain a lot if true. We should consider this.

In fact, as a result of man’s choices in the Garden of Eden, this has become a fallen world. We see everything from car wrecks to cancer, tumbleweeds to tornadoes, earaches to earthquakes, and hiccups to hurricanes. Of course, it is very tragic when people get caught in these events.

In Luke 13:1-5 states the words of Jesus, which I list here to point out that evil things according to Jesus can happen to anyone. “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” In other words, in my view, Jesus is saying that often even innocent people “perish”. These people did not bring these events upon themselves.

Jesus further states in John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The Bible tells us there are evil spiritual beings that rule over territories. They are called powers and principalities in high places and they exert great influence over willing participants in these geographical areas. Paul alludes to these beings as demonic and to be avoided. For a full and well supported treatise on the effect of ruling sub-powers in this world you might look at the book, The Unseen Realm by Dr Michael Heiser. Your eyes will surely be opened and you will see the destructive nature, even today, of these beings. Ever notice how some countries are so dark and desolate?

Switching gears a bit, we see that God allows suffering in our lives in some cases for our spiritual growth and to bring us closer to Him. Times of difficulty will undoubtedly reveal parts of ourselves that we were not aware of. Referencing Job, we see that his trials were meant to demonstrate his faithfulness in the face of enormous loss, which he neither caused nor deserved. When he remained faithful in spite of the loss of his family and livelihood, he demonstrated to himself and God that his love for God was not solely based upon the copious blessings he received.

Charles Stanley points out that God allows physical pain into our lives in many cases to teach us to avoid certain activities or to stop doing something harmful. He uses the example of a broken kneecap and how that pain will teach us to get it treated rather than to ignore it, allowing it to get worse. Emotionally, the pain of sin, guilt and shame which comes as a result of disobedience will serve to discourage us from continuing on in these activities.

Pain and suffering also drive us closer to God if we allow it. People are normally much more interested in seeking God when they are in need of His comfort. Suffering also equips believers, as Charles Stanley points out, to help others going through challenges and difficulties. Finally, it causes us to focus on the next life as our hope of peace and joy, and to do what is necessary to obtain eternal life.  

Is 57:1-2 (ESV) states “The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart, devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; 2 he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.” Another reason why God may allow the untimely or unexpected death of loved ones may be found in this passage. In this world with all of its troubles and perils – both present and no doubt future – we can see that those who leave us and enter into their heavenly rest are far better off than we. Most of our grieving in death is really for ourselves who are left behind in any case.  

John MacArthur asks “is God more glorious or less glorious as a result of evil”? The answer is obvious. When the Lord conquers evil, He is glorified. God the father even sent His only begotten son to this planet to become a man and to suffer a horrible death that we might believe in Him and live eternally. One can only imagine the depth and fullness of pain and sorrow that the Father and the Son felt during the time of the crucifixion. As normal people can feel great pain and suffering, how much greater was the grief and sorrow of God the father and God the Son during that time of separation when Christ was subjected to mankind’s folly and cruelty. God knows what it is like to lose a son.

In some cases anyway, even those who have suffered great loss may realize and be thankful for the many, many times God has no doubt protected us all from far worse tragedies. We are likely protected countless times per day by our gracious God. At difficult times I have learned to tell myself not to ask “why me”, but rather “why not me”.

God often “pays back” those who suffer enormously with blessing and comfort. He promises to bring good from the evil caused by satan. He causes things to work for our good and often restores several fold the losses we experience, especially if we remain open and attentive during our pain and sorrow, rather than allowing bitterness to drive us away from Him.

In conclusion I remind the reader that your pain cannot be explained away, and this article would never seek to do so. Some of these sorrows can be explained only by God on the day when we meet Him. In the meantime, it is wise to:

1. Keep your heart soft toward God and don’t get bitter. As Peter once said “Lord to whom would we turn, only you have the words of eternal life”.
2. Stay “prayed up” each day by citing Psalm 91 and other protective passages of scripture out loud, and using the “sword of the spirit which is the word of God.”
3. Find healing or other appropriate verses as needed and speak them out loud.
4. Avoid doing things that invite danger if possible and use all known safety precautions. Don’t presume upon God.
5. Avoid saying or doing things that may open spiritual doors to the enemy. The court of heaven is populated by the “accuser of the brethren” which is satan who accuses us and looks for legal openings to harm us, and the Lord Jesus Who is our advocate and defender with God the father. For more on this concept see some of the books on the legal aspects of heaven by Robert Henderson.
6. FINALLY, NEVER EVER blame yourself when something negative happens. Do what you can, but the rain will always fall on the just and the unjust – according to King Solomon. You are likely not responsible for these things happening and you must not feel guilt and shame on top of everything else. It does no good. Give it all to God.

Lastly when bad things happen – remember GOD IS NOT PUNISHING YOU! Your sin has been handled at the cross when it was placed upon your savior. So do not think evil events are God punishing you.

Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” King James Version (KJV)

It is said that FEAR is the most powerful and destructive of the demonic forces. Have you noticed in your life how many times you did not do something because you were afraid of the consequences? Or how many times you did do something stupid (to hide your mistake) after having done something stupid, also because you were afraid of the consequences? I am sure that almost everyone is guilty of one or both of these errors in their lives. In both cases it is the fear of man that that prevents you from moving into your destiny, or the fear of man that prevents you from following God’s plan. Sometimes the consequences are minimal, but sometimes they last a lifetime. Remember to follow God and do it His way – and leave all the results to Him. If you are in a hole, stop digging. The way out – is UP.