Tuesday, October 10, 2017

An Evil Shell Game

An Evil Shell Game by Bill Wilson

There is a lot of rage in this country. I hear it a lot in Christian circles. People are angry about a lot of things. Sometimes that anger turns to judgment against others. A whole lot of judgment going on. The NFL is getting a lot of judgment. The President is helping fuel that fire.

But while he is attacking the NFL and its players, the DC swamp is not getting drained-no repeal of socialist healthcare; no tax reform; no illegal immigration reform. The list seems to grow. But a whole lot of people are angry, especially conservative Christians. We are goaded everyday. The godless left is on attack. I submit that this is a shell game by satan, using anger-generating events to deter us from our mission. We need to focus.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 says, "For what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? do not you judge them that are within? But God judges them that are outside." In direct speak, it means that it's not our business to judge those who do not know the gospel by our standards.

That's why we are exhorted, even commanded, to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey what the Lord has commanded us. We must find ways to make Christianity relevant. It has been tainted to be identified with political ideals, when in reality, the political ideals should be identified with Christianity, foundationally centered on God's love and love for one another.
The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:17-19, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-14, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Jesus said in Matthew 24:23, "Then if any man shall say unto you Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not." Our national identity and, more importantly, our personal salvation is diluted tremendously if we, as Peter put it, "scarcely be saved."

If America's preachers are so intent on preaching/teaching a self indulgent, extra Biblical and emotional version of the Christ, then what Christ are we following--the real Son of God, crucified and risen, for our sins, or some humanist version of Christ that fits a social or political extra-biblical gospel?

It is here, not on the national policy front, that we as a people have lost our identity. Our identity is in Christ, and he has set before us a mission. Let's not play the satan's shell game.
 
 

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