the basic message #E211
11/7/03
As we go about our daily lives, there should be one question on our mind without ever ceasing. The question is: "Am I going to Heaven or Hell?" It seems like many of our modern pastors have somehow talked the congregation out of worrying about this anymore, and quite frankly, I'm concerned. How the pulpiteers can shake hands and smile while saying, "Just love Jesus and everything will be fine", makes me cringe. Perhaps I should clarify that, because a total love of Jesus will indeed deliver you safe and sound to Heaven, but how many of the flock do indeed love Jesus totally?
Anyone who has read any of my material will see a common thread running through almost everything I write. That thread is largely composed of 2 ingredients: discipline and repentance. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jesus died for our sins, but Jesus doesn't need to be crucified all over again by reckless lifestyles that reject his fundamental teaching. I must concede to one flaw in my doctrine, that being that I can't tell you just how good you have to be to enter Heaven. "Oh, but John, no one is good enough to enter Heaven- only through the Blood of Jesus can we enter Heaven." On that, we can agree. Where we probably disagree is what Jesus intended his blood to cover. Let's go down a simple list:
Does the Blood of Jesus cover envy? Does the Blood of Jesus cover lying? Does the Blood of Jesus cover stealing? Does the Blood of Jesus cover killing someone?
You might begin with answering "yes" on the first item, and that would probably be right, but what about lying? Wouldn't you agree that there are different types of lies? Try this scenario: "Honey, does this dress make my butt look big?" Now how many husbands would answer, "Yeah baby, it really does"? That might be considered a "white lie" that Jesus would likely wipe away without much thought. Now try this one on for size: "Honey, why are you running so late today?", to which the husband answers, "I had to work late." That's fine if he really worked late, but if his friends talked him into going to a topless bar after work, Jesus isn't a happy camper. Actually Jesus is unhappy for at least two reasons: The man lied, plus he went to a place where a Christian shouldn't be. If we really dug into the story some more, we'd probably find that he committed many other sins, including lusting after the "entertainers".
We tend to believe we fully understand the sin of stealing, but do we? For you guys who work in industrial plants- do you have any WD40 or other products at home that came from the plant? "Oh, but that's just a couple of bucks." Oh, so if the value is low enough, it's not stealing? The most wide-spread theft in America today is time theft. How so? It's simple- our employers pay us to work a prescribed number of hours for them- simple, right? How many "good Christians" get paid for 40 hours and really worked 40 hours? Make no mistake, friends, when a Christian goofs-off instead of working, that's theft, pure and simple.
What about killing someone- does the Blood of Jesus cover that? I think the answer to that is much more complex than might be imagined. Sometimes people put themselves in harms-way, greatly increasing the chance that they might be forced to be in a life or death situation. If, for instance, the guy that goes to the topless bar gets into a fight with another patron that is likely drunk, and the fight escalates to a point of someone pulling a knife or gun, what could be the result? Jesus might say, "You shouldn't have been there in the first place", and how might we try to argue our way out of that? Some folks think that capital punishment is justified killing, citing the Old Testament directive, "If a man sheds another man's blood, his blood must be shed." Okay, if we're going to really adhere to that rule, we're going to have to execute the executioner that has executed the wrong man or woman. We're all quite sure now that with DNA evidence enabling death row prisoners to be released, we have certainly executed the wrong man at least once. Think about that- who will answer to God for the murder of a person innocent of the crime they were executed for. What about war? Since we've been in Iraq, I've heard quite a few Christian radio commentators talk about Iraq being a "just war". I fail to see how they've made that determination, but that's okay, since the American public doesn't need much coaxing to launch into the battle. I just read the news a few minutes ago to learn another US helicopter was taken down by a missile. Tell the children of the crew of that helicopter that it's a "just war". What ever happened to Iraq being a "two-week war"? Read some of the books of the Old Testament that illustrate how God used the enemy to humble "his people". In many cases God's people got stomped in the ground by so-called "ungodly enemies". Although George Bush has stated that he has no evidence to connect Saddam to the WTC incident, the average American just wants to have our military crush someone. That's what happens when we can't find the real enemy (Bin Laden). How many innocent people have died in Iraq? Men like D. James Kennedy quickly dismiss that question as "ridiculous" in view of how many people Saddam has murdered. So, Mr. Kennedy, have you renounced the long-standing Christian principle that two wrongs don't make a right?
I could go on for many more pages, if not volumes on this subject, but one thing is clear to me: those who "get it" will get it, and those who want to rationalize and duck their responsibility will continue to do so. Free will can be a dangerous thing for people who mistakenly believe they are Christians. For the adults reading this, you have the right to sentence yourself to Hell, but if you're a parent, please give your child the benefit of understanding true Christianity that might well prevent them from joining you. Thank you.