News has come through of the death of actor Peter O'Toole. It is well known that this person was an atheist (fool - Psalm 14 v1) and one hopes that, before he died, he came to his senses and repented of his unbelief while accepting Jesus as his personal Saviour. It is possible even for wicked men like O'Toole to repent on their deathbeds; however, it is rare - most people die as they live, without Christ and heading straight into the torments of Hell.
Last month I wrote an article about a number of famous atheists who proudly boasted about their folly but have passed into eternity and found out that they were wrong all along. O'Toole can be added to that list.
This man lived a particularly sinful life and was known as a "Hell raiser"; he blatantly rejected God in the way he lived but has now had to give account to the God he denied for that debauched life. Another such vile person was Oliver Reed who was also a known drunkard and died "in action" during a drunken bout.
If O'Toole didn't repent then he will have all eternity to bitterly regret his sinful life and unbelief. I have no doubt that the atheists who regularly read this blog will sneer with contempt as they read this but the Christians will have the last laugh. It is we Christians who will be rejoicing in eternity while those who didn't know Jesus as Lord and Saviour will endure a dreadful penalty for their rebellion.
God is indeed merciful to those who turn to Him at the last minute - a case in point being the dying thief who expressed faith in Christ even as he was suffering a horrible death on a cross; a condemned criminal was the first man saved!
If any atheists are reading this then I would commend to you the mercy of God - you must repent while there is still time; you must throw yourself on God's mercy and plead with Jesus to cleanse you from your sin by His precious blood. I urge you not to make the mistake that millions have made and rejected God even at the last moment of life.
The Bible clearly teaches that faith in Jesus as Lord and Saviour is the only way to Heaven and the only way to avoid the torments of Hell.
Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life; no-one comes to the Father but by me" John 14 v 6
Monday, 16 December 2013
Friday, 13 December 2013
Mandela worship is blasphemy
It is a week now since Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, passed into eternity (one hopes that he made his peace with God through faith in Christ beforehand) and the worship of this man continues unabated. There are even people claiming a similarity between him and The Lord Jesus Christ, which is not only absurd but blasphemous.
When considering making such comparisons we need to bear in mind 3 facts about the Lord Jesus viz.
1. He was (and is) the only begotten Son of God.
2. He lived a perfect and sinless life.
3. He died as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and rose again.
No human being, no matter our great, can justly claim to be the Son of God or to have lived a sinless life. Moreover, only the Lord Jesus died for our sins and rose again.
It is right to respect the memory of Mandela. After 27 years in prison for terrorist offenses he could easily have sought revenge on the whites; one word from him and the black majority could have massacred the whites. However, to his credit he sought reconciliation, not revenge. In this he did exhibit Christ-like qualities that we should acknowledge. However, to compare him to Christ is hugely blasphemous and sinful. Moreover, people who do this (like a local MP Roger Gale) need to repent of it.
In the annals of history there are many people who make their mark for all sorts of reasons. People like Martin Luther King (who despite his obvious sincerity in combatting racism was a serial adulterer), Mother Teresa (who gave dedicated her life to helping the poor - shame about the idolatry of Mary worship) and many other politicians and philanthropists have done a lot of good in the world. However, all these people were just men and women who were far from perfect, and needed salvation through faith in Christ.
It is so easy to put people on a pedestal and worship them, but the only person who ever lived that is worthy of worship is the Lord Jesus Christ.
In closing I would urge all those who are giving Mandela all this adulation to calm down and remember that he was just a man, he was NOT divine. That honour belongs only to The LORD Jesus Christ.
"...and Thomas answered and said unto Him (Christ) "My Lord and my God" John 20 v 28
When considering making such comparisons we need to bear in mind 3 facts about the Lord Jesus viz.
1. He was (and is) the only begotten Son of God.
2. He lived a perfect and sinless life.
3. He died as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and rose again.
No human being, no matter our great, can justly claim to be the Son of God or to have lived a sinless life. Moreover, only the Lord Jesus died for our sins and rose again.
It is right to respect the memory of Mandela. After 27 years in prison for terrorist offenses he could easily have sought revenge on the whites; one word from him and the black majority could have massacred the whites. However, to his credit he sought reconciliation, not revenge. In this he did exhibit Christ-like qualities that we should acknowledge. However, to compare him to Christ is hugely blasphemous and sinful. Moreover, people who do this (like a local MP Roger Gale) need to repent of it.
In the annals of history there are many people who make their mark for all sorts of reasons. People like Martin Luther King (who despite his obvious sincerity in combatting racism was a serial adulterer), Mother Teresa (who gave dedicated her life to helping the poor - shame about the idolatry of Mary worship) and many other politicians and philanthropists have done a lot of good in the world. However, all these people were just men and women who were far from perfect, and needed salvation through faith in Christ.
It is so easy to put people on a pedestal and worship them, but the only person who ever lived that is worthy of worship is the Lord Jesus Christ.
In closing I would urge all those who are giving Mandela all this adulation to calm down and remember that he was just a man, he was NOT divine. That honour belongs only to The LORD Jesus Christ.
"...and Thomas answered and said unto Him (Christ) "My Lord and my God" John 20 v 28
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Christmas evangelism
We all know that Jesus was not really born on Dec 25 but it does no harm to set aside a day to remember His birth and the reason He came (to save us from our sins). Moreover, this time of year provides us with excellent opportunities to "spread the Word" and tell people about Him.
In my street evangelism this month I intend to use a tract entitled "Why bother with Jesus this Christmas". This has 5 headings as follows:
1. He is a real person.
The Christmas story is not just a nice story for the kids. The events we relate actually happened. There really was a Jesus who came to this Earth as God in human form. As one put it "our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man". The Bible says: "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" - John 1 v 14.
2. He was born of a virgin.
Jesus was not conceived in the usual way. A miracle occurred that enabled Mary to conceive even though she had not "been with a man". If we allow for a supreme being called "God" we must allow that He is able to suspend the usual laws of nature to facilitate His purposes. As the Bible says "With God nothing shall be impossible" - Luke 1 v 37.
3. He died for our sins.
Jesus performed many miracles, including raising dead people, and taught many wonderful truths. However, the main reason He came was so that He could die as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. As the Bible puts it "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" - 1st John 2 v 2.
4. He came back from the dead.
Jesus told His followers that He would rise again 3 days after His death, and He did just that. The evidence for the resurrection of Christ is compelling. (Frank Morrison set out to write a book disproving the resurrection, but when he sifted through the evidence he ended up becoming a Christian!). The Bible says "Christ died for our sins.........and rose again" 1st Corinthians 15 v 3-4.
5. He is the ONLY way to Heaven.
In John 14 v 6 Jesus stated the following: "I am the way, the truth and the life, NO-ONE comes to the Father but through me". This is an absolute statement - in order to be right with God, and get to Heaven, we must repent of our sins and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. What about those who have never heard? God is sovereign; He will ensure that all those elected, according to foreknowledge, will hear the Gospel and be saved.
Let us boldly declare these truths to the people around us so that, at the time we remember Jesus' birth many would be Born Again to newness of life.
In my street evangelism this month I intend to use a tract entitled "Why bother with Jesus this Christmas". This has 5 headings as follows:
1. He is a real person.
The Christmas story is not just a nice story for the kids. The events we relate actually happened. There really was a Jesus who came to this Earth as God in human form. As one put it "our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man". The Bible says: "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" - John 1 v 14.
2. He was born of a virgin.
Jesus was not conceived in the usual way. A miracle occurred that enabled Mary to conceive even though she had not "been with a man". If we allow for a supreme being called "God" we must allow that He is able to suspend the usual laws of nature to facilitate His purposes. As the Bible says "With God nothing shall be impossible" - Luke 1 v 37.
3. He died for our sins.
Jesus performed many miracles, including raising dead people, and taught many wonderful truths. However, the main reason He came was so that He could die as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. As the Bible puts it "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" - 1st John 2 v 2.
4. He came back from the dead.
Jesus told His followers that He would rise again 3 days after His death, and He did just that. The evidence for the resurrection of Christ is compelling. (Frank Morrison set out to write a book disproving the resurrection, but when he sifted through the evidence he ended up becoming a Christian!). The Bible says "Christ died for our sins.........and rose again" 1st Corinthians 15 v 3-4.
5. He is the ONLY way to Heaven.
In John 14 v 6 Jesus stated the following: "I am the way, the truth and the life, NO-ONE comes to the Father but through me". This is an absolute statement - in order to be right with God, and get to Heaven, we must repent of our sins and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. What about those who have never heard? God is sovereign; He will ensure that all those elected, according to foreknowledge, will hear the Gospel and be saved.
Let us boldly declare these truths to the people around us so that, at the time we remember Jesus' birth many would be Born Again to newness of life.
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