Posted by Pastor Tim email me at ( - my user name - )@believersbay.com
on November 2, 2009, 1:26 pm
(John 15:18-19 NIV) "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. {19} If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
In a world that boasts tolerance there is still one acceptable prejudice; religious bigotry. The goal of this global policy seems to be to eliminate any religious view that espouses any form of rejection or exclusion by calling it a hateful act.
Controlling religious expression has been popular since man learned how to express his views of God. When God created humanity he did so to the exclusion of other beings. Satan and his rebellious crew looked on while God created lesser beings and elevated them above angels. God made obedient angels servants of these lesser beings and even God became their servant!
This was God’s way of teaching the universe. It watched as God displayed his wrath against those who rebelled. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living angry God! The entire universe must have been cringing. Just as siblings tend to be fearful when their brother or sister is punished everyone must have wondered who would get it next.
God created man then man fell and became a sinful creature just like Satan. Everyone knew that punishment would follow. Instead, God became man’s servant, died for his sins, rose from the grave and joined His Spirit to man’s spirit. Everyone sat up and took notice. It was new. It was different. It was unusual. Most of all it was impossible. They knew that something was being taught and they wanted to know all about it.
Satan raged. Not only had he lost the highest position of any created being in the universe, now he felt he was being mocked. The least significant being capable of intelligent thought was being elevated to a position higher than what he had ever possessed.
What God was teaching, of course, was that his primary nature was love. He gave us the freedom to worship. God freely offered love to everyone but he also offered punishment to those who would reject his offer of love. Modern churches teach us that God offers unconditional love. You won’t find the word unconditional anywhere in the bible. God loves us but he also warns us against sinning. God clearly foretells of severe eternal punishment for those who reject his love. If we live a lifestyle that rejects his love does he still love us? No. We are free to worship or to not worship.
(Psalms 5:5-7 NIV) The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. {6} You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. {7} But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.
Sharing the Love of God with Common Sense
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