Some churches teach that God loves people just the way they are. Is that correct theology? There is a sense in which God does love all people - eg. we read in John 3 v 16 that ".....God so loved the world "; it is also true that the reason why I am a Christian is because God loved me while I was in my sins, and drew me to repentance and faith in Christ. Were it not for God's love I would not be on the road to Heaven now.
However, for a "minister" to teach people that God loves them "just the way they are" is deeply misleading and may even cause them to end up facing God's wrath for all eternity - why do I say this?
When people are taught that God loves them "just the way they are" it is very likely that they will think in this way - "if God loves me just as I am, then there is no need for me to change the way I'm living". To put it simply, such people will continue living in rebellion against God and not see the need for repentance. Indeed, why should they repent? If God loves them anyway surely He will let them into Heaven in the end?
When viewed in this light we can see just how dangerous such teaching is. It is on a par with the heretical view that all people get to Heaven in the end (universalism) or that everyone gets a 2nd chance to be saved after death, a so-called post mortem conversion. In my evangelistic work I have come across ministers who have taught such views and they are leading people astray - how many people are there, I wonder, who have passed into eternity without being right with God because they sincerely believed that all people will get to Heaven in the end, or that they will have another chance to repent after death. A preacher who has led them astray will have their blood on his hands.
For preachers to say that God loves people just as they are is equally as dangerous as universalism or post-mortem conversion. It is a travesty of the truth and a blatant undermining of the Bible.
Yes, God does love us but He also calls us to repentance. The free offer of the Gospel goes out to all people, everywhere. We are all sinners and, in our natural state, under His wrath. However, because He loves us He sent His son to die for our sins and rise again to be our Saviour. All those who truly repent and accept Christ as Lord and Saviour will have eternal life, but all those who will not so repent, and believe, will suffer eternal damnation. Any minister/preacher who deviates from that is giving people a false sense of assurance.
John 3 v 36 is clear - "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him"
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Revelation 20 v 4 - proof the Bible is up to date.
I've just been reading through the book of Revelation and was reminded, as I read chapter 20 v 4, just how up to date it is. In this verse we read of believers being beheaded for the witness of Jesus. When Islamic State take over a region they often give Christians a stark choice - convert to Islam or die; those who refused to renounce Christ are beheaded. (This is what happened to Egyptian Christians who were captured by IS in Libya. As they were being martyred some of them shouted out "Jesus is Lord"). This barbarity is in direct fulfilment of Revelation 20 v 4 and shows just how relevant the Bible is.
Moreover, I've just finished reading an excellent book entitled "The martyrs of Malatya". It is about 3 Christians who were murdered by Islamic fundamentalists in an orgy of violence which involved attempts to decapitate them. Again, further evidence that the Bible is true.
Indeed, over the last 100 years or so, more Christians have been murdered for the faith than in the previous 19 centuries put together. As the Bible clearly predicts that persecution will increase in the run-up to Christ's 2nd coming we can be confident that that time is approaching.
While on the subject of the book of Revelation, there have been many interpretations but the most helpful I've come across goes like this:
In chapter 1 v 19 John was told to write the things he had seen, what is now and what will take place hereafter. This gives the 3-fold division of the book viz. chapter 1 is about John's vision of Christ, chapters 2-3 is about the church age from the day of Pentecost until Jesus comes again, and chapters 4-22 are about the end times and the final consummation of all things, the eternal state.
In chapter 1 John wrote clearly about what he had seen, and how he worshipped Christ, another proof that He is God and worthy of worship.
In chapters 2-3 he wrote about the good and bad points of the 7 churches. As we survey the Christian churches we can see how all 7 are represented. For example there are worldly churches, little more than social clubs; there are faithful churches, bearing a powerful testimony in the midst of suffering; there are compromised churches that allow sin in their midst, and so on.
In Chapters 4- 22 we read a clear account of end time events starting with the rapture of the church in Chapter 4 v 1 "....come up here and I will show you what will take place after this".
As we read Revelation it is helpful to bear this 3-fold division in mind in order to aid correct interpretation.
Ultimately, the book is about the final triumph of Christ over the devil and we see that in chapter 20 v 10 where Satan is cast "into the lake of fire" for ever.
As we continue in the Christian life let us always remember that we are on the victory side and that we are the ones "who will have the last laugh".
Moreover, I've just finished reading an excellent book entitled "The martyrs of Malatya". It is about 3 Christians who were murdered by Islamic fundamentalists in an orgy of violence which involved attempts to decapitate them. Again, further evidence that the Bible is true.
Indeed, over the last 100 years or so, more Christians have been murdered for the faith than in the previous 19 centuries put together. As the Bible clearly predicts that persecution will increase in the run-up to Christ's 2nd coming we can be confident that that time is approaching.
While on the subject of the book of Revelation, there have been many interpretations but the most helpful I've come across goes like this:
In chapter 1 v 19 John was told to write the things he had seen, what is now and what will take place hereafter. This gives the 3-fold division of the book viz. chapter 1 is about John's vision of Christ, chapters 2-3 is about the church age from the day of Pentecost until Jesus comes again, and chapters 4-22 are about the end times and the final consummation of all things, the eternal state.
In chapter 1 John wrote clearly about what he had seen, and how he worshipped Christ, another proof that He is God and worthy of worship.
In chapters 2-3 he wrote about the good and bad points of the 7 churches. As we survey the Christian churches we can see how all 7 are represented. For example there are worldly churches, little more than social clubs; there are faithful churches, bearing a powerful testimony in the midst of suffering; there are compromised churches that allow sin in their midst, and so on.
In Chapters 4- 22 we read a clear account of end time events starting with the rapture of the church in Chapter 4 v 1 "....come up here and I will show you what will take place after this".
As we read Revelation it is helpful to bear this 3-fold division in mind in order to aid correct interpretation.
Ultimately, the book is about the final triumph of Christ over the devil and we see that in chapter 20 v 10 where Satan is cast "into the lake of fire" for ever.
As we continue in the Christian life let us always remember that we are on the victory side and that we are the ones "who will have the last laugh".
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