God Is Right
Good Morning,
In our soft culture, the emphasis is on "be nice" and "live and let live" (unless, of course, you are the media and are dealing with a terrible threat like Sara Palin; then you can be ugly without limits.) These "we've gotta be nice to the world” believers have forgotten so much of what the Bible says. Remember, we have a timeless Book. Our Bible is good for all cultures, all ages, and all political landscapes.
In the book of 1 Timothy, notice the blunt and cold definitions of doctrinal error Timothy uses:
1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
vs. 2 “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
vs. 3 “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
Paul is warning Timothy that there would come a time (in the "later times”) when wrong would be taught by religious people as if it were correct. Paul called them "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” (I Timothy 4:1)
What horrid belief could this be? Could it be human sacrifice or worse? No. An example of doctrine of devils is when a religion pushes celibacy or vegetarianism. We all know that Catholic priests are not supposed to marry, and that Seventh Day Adventists and others do not believe in eating meat. For some reason, we do not call these groups "seducing spirits" — but God does. God is always right and should always be trusted. Although we do not understand some of the things He says, we can believe Him and trust that the One Who created everything is worthy of our faith and trust.
John had no problem calling some religious leaders vipers.
Matthew 3:7 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
The important thought in this passage is that accepting everyone and giving everyone his little vote of approval is biblical nonsense. In America, we certainly provide religious freedom, but Christians need not act as if the ideas of others are acceptable and correct. We do not need to say silly things such as, "We can all be right,” or, "All faiths lead to Heaven.” God makes it very clear that one doctrine is right and one is wrong. The permissive, accepting world around us is more satanic than most of us actually believe.
If we adopt this mentality, we will start thinking that if two men want to get married, that is their business, or if a gal wants to abort her child, that is her right. Yet, an expression of such an idea six weeks after the child is born would never be acceptable (at least society has not reached that point yet). So why allow it six weeks before the child is born? While I was in college, I met a guy who was of the Baha'i faith. He assured me that his religion accepts all religious leaders and embrace all faiths. Yet, he wanted everyone to join his church, worship in their building, etc. If all of the other religions were okay, then why not leave us all alone? Why try to convert us all? He told me a picture of Jesus, as well as of many other great religious leaders, hung on the wall at his church. I assured him that Jesus was either the only God and only One Who could save, or He was a lying lunatic unworthy of anyone following His teaching.
Acts 4:12 "...there is none other name under Heaven... whereby we must be saved.”
John 14:6 “…I am the way the truth and the life: no man come the into the Father, but by me.”
The Bible is clear of God's love for all mankind. The Scripture is equally clear that there is only one God, there is only one way to Heaven, and that there is only one Saviour. God offers no lateral movement. God is narrow-minded; right typically is. No doctor will say, "Sure, the choice is yours. You may go to the witch doctor or visit the shaman; however, we will use CT scans and antibiotics. Everyone is going to find health in their own way." Could you see a mechanic telling someone, "Sure, I think you need new brake pads, but if you feel better without them, I'm sure your opinion is right."
People in government agencies think they have the right to say what is acceptable or not. The members of the EPA think they have the right to determine what is dangerous or not. The FDA workers have no problem telling us one medicine is safe while another is not; yet they all have been proven wrong over and over. When God wrote the Bible, He wrote it as Lord of all, King of Kings, Sovereign of the universe, Creator, and one day destroyer of all planets and even atmosphere. God is right, all the time, in every situation, in every culture, and in every form of human government. God and the Bible are right, all the time. God is right and the Bible is right — when it is popular or when it is banned as hate literature. When the Lord returns in the end, He will make no apologies for what He said, for Who He is, nor for what He did. He is God.
We are to be kind to all, but we need not act as though all beliefs are acceptable, nor are we required to act as if politically correct actions are truly correct. We are accountable to one Book, to One God, and to One Saviour. The opinions of others really do not matter.
Pastor