Friday, April 9, 2010

Essay on Faith

A fine man, whom I respect, said to me one day, “Our church allows every faith to speak from our pulpit.”

I wished I had been able to discuss that interesting topic with him, but the moment escaped and we were busy with other activities of the day.

If I had a chance to return to that discussion with him I would say, “I don’t think you’d let me speak from your pulpit because I don’t believe it’s possible to allow every faith to speak the truth from every pulpit.”

The Christian faith follows both the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures and New Testament Christian scriptures. We believe every word written in the Bible is the Word of God. It is a Love letter from God.I won’t argue about the authenticity of the old transcripts because there’s more documentation on the historical veracity (unwillingness to tell lies, and Scriptural consistency) of the 66 books of the Bible than any other ancient manuscript. Plus its historical facts are verified by secular historians like Josephus and contemporary Babylonian, Greek and Roman historians.

The Bible says in John 1:1 -
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Furthermore, we believe Jesus is the Word.

John 1:14 -
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Since the Word is so important it is necessary to study it and know what it says. There is an interesting discussion in Isaiah 29:16, Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:4, and Romans 9:21. about God being “The Potter” and that He reserve the right to destroy a marred pot and make one that’s not marred.

Who can argue with God being the potter since He is creator of heaven and earth. He makes us as it seems good to Him to make us.

He is God.

Also the Bible shows us that He loves and hates.

Consider Malachi Chapters 1,2, and 3.

God has the prerogative to hate. He knows the end from the beginning and he reserves the right to hate for His own reasons.

His reasons are explained concerning Esau/Edom in Obadiah chapter 1.

One might say, “I have a god of love; I don’t worship a god who hates.” Well let me ask you a question. “How can you have a god who doesn’t hate evil?”

If you have a god who loves everything it includes all evil.
The Bible clearly tells us God will not tolerate evil.

I Thank God for the fact that He hates evil!

God asks us to obey, trust and love Him with all our heart, mind and soul.

It says this in the Old Testament Deuteronomy 6:5 -

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

And in the New Testament Matthew 22:36-38 -

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

In order to do that we have to acknowledge He is the only God; there is no other. We cannot accept other faiths who bow their knee to idols. We adhere to the Ten Commandments.

There is a reason Jesus said, in John 14:6 -

“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”


In this life, we either do “what is right in our own eyes” or we do what is right in God’s eyes. The Bible explains that that is the issue.

It is the basis for the ancient enmity that God told us would be in the earth since the fall in Genesis.

God said to Satan, in Genesis 3:15 -

“And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”

That verse, incidentally, is the first reference to Jesus Christ in the Bible. He, Jesus, is the seed of the woman that will crush Satan’s head. This verse also
shows there is a huge battle going on, and it is a spiritual battle.

Ephesians 6:12 -
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

But God is in control.

Colossians 1:16 -
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

So it boils down to what Joshua said in Joshua 25:15 -

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

God loves mankind and He has made it clear that whoever loves Him shall be with Him in heaven.

I Corinthians 2:9 -

“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”

But remember He loved us first, that's why He established this earth and sent Jesus.


John 3:16
-
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

It seemed like an heavenly offer to me; that’s why I’ve been a Christian since my early twenties, when I first understood and believed.

So that’s what I would say if I had a chance to talk to that man about why I don’t believe it’s possible to allow every faith to speak the truth from every pulpit.

Blessing to you,
Marcie Mathews
April 9, 2010