It seems like Christianity and Jesus are increasingly under attack. What's going on? What we'll be looking at is what happens when Christians use human wisdom to interpret the Bible, twisting scripture away from its intended message. This blog is dedicated to using Scripture itself to interpret and help us understand Scripture. You are welcome to add your comments and thoughts. Other viewpoints are welcome. Disagreements are welcome.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
World To End in 2015
No, I didn't get the date wrong. Everyone is saying that the world will end in 2012. But I have hard, physical evidence the world will end in 2015.
I was cleaning my old file drawers today and in one of my engineering files I found a perpetual calendar. I know it is accurate because I found it with my engineering papers. And here is the proof...
The word "perpetual" means forever, and this calendar ends with 2015. That means the world will end in 2015!! Take a look for yourself. Here's the calendar:
What do you think? 2012 or 2015?
Does it make any difference? What are we supposed to do about this? Share the good news with non-believers. It doesn't matter if the world is going to end this evening, in 2012, or 1,000 years from now. We are commanded to share the good news about Jesus Christ. When is the last time you told someone about Jesus?
We have just released our third DVD. It is called "Diablo Mountain." It isdesigned to be a DVD gospel track that investigates the truth of the saying that all paths lead to the top of the mountain.
What people mean by "all paths lead to the top ofthe mountain" is that all beliefs, and all religions, take you to the same place... heaven, nirvana, paradise, to God, to become a Buddah, or nowhere (for atheists). You can believe whatever you want, and that will be fine.
You can what all of the videos on this DVD online by going to:
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned---" - Romans 5:12
Would you consider yourself to be a good person?
Okay, maybe not a perfect person, but at least good enough to get into heaven?
How good do you have to be to get into heaven? That's a question we answer on our web site. I've asked people around the world this question, and the answer is same everywhere. "I am a good person... at least good enough to get into heaven."
How good is good enough?
It is perfect. If you disobey God just once, that's it. You're headed for hell. But we don't disobey God just once. You and I regularly disobey God... every day. As Romans 5:12 says, we have all sinned. And that means we have earned the penalty for breaking God's law. Hell. Death.
But, God so loved the world... God loves us so much, how could He send us to hell? I though God was forgiving.
God does love us. He loves you. Imagine you have committed a serious crime and are standing before a judge in a courtroom, and you are obviously guilty. The judge is a good judge. The judge really cares about you. What does the judge do? Does he let you go free? No. You must pay the penalty for breaking the law.
God loves you. But you've broken His law and the penalty must be paid. That penalty is death, what we call hell. But God loves you so much that He did something very special. He paid you penalty in your place. He paid the death penalty so you can go free.
Do you want to go free? Do you want to be free of the penalty for sin? Turn from sin and trust that Jesus Christ did die to pay the penalty you owe for disobeying God.
The book of Romans is essentially a record of what Paul was preaching. It starts with a presentation of the gospel.
Where does Paul start? God has a wonderful plan for your life? No. You have a God-shaped hole in soul? No. Paul starts with sin and God's anger at sin.
Verses 1:1 through 1:15 are greetings and an introduction. In verse 1:16 Paul states that he is not ashamed of the Good News (gospel).
Starting in verse 1:18 Paul talks about sin. He continues through verse 3:20. Only after he has completely discussed sin does he give the Good News about Jesus Christ in verses 3:21 through 3:28. That's 64 verses on sin and and 7 verses on salvation.
People don't know they are in need of a Saviour, until they know they are sinners; and know what sin is; and know how serious sin is.
Today is Thanksgiving Day. We are thankful to the Lord that today we have opened our FREE Online Witnessing School.
The MTA Online Gospel Witnessing School provides video lessons to help you learn about share the gospel and to fill your witnessing toolbox. It features video lessons, commentary, music and links to books that will help to build your witnessing skills.
God has commanded us to share the gospel. Sharing is a skill you can learn and continue to improve. The MTA Online Gospel Witnessing School helps you to do that.
Yesterday I mentioned having attended two services at a "progressive" United Methodist Church. This is more than a random church I was visiting, this is the church I grew up in.
After attending Sunday school and church services at this church for 18 years, I did not know the meaning of the words "born again" (John 3:3). I did not know that I was a sinner in need of a savior (Romans 3:23). I did not know that salvation was only through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). In other words I had never heard the gospel.
This past Sunday during the service the pastor briefly said something along the lines of, "This is what the gospel is..." I remember that at the time it struck me as not being the gospel presented in the Bible, but later that day I could not remember what she said. So I called her and asked her to tell me what the gospel is.
She was concerned that the answer to this question was too complicated to discuss on the phone. But she gave it a try. Her answer was that the gospel was very involved and included a wide breath of theology. That in addition to the individual gospel there is a corporate gospel. The gospel is not "all about us individually". The gospel also tells us that we need to do good works. We have to make the world a better place. The gospel is a social gospel.
That's not what I remember reading in the Bible. I thought the gospel is so simple that anyone can understand it. Here's what the Bible says. Paul defines the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
"Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain."
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also..."
Notice that Paul starts out by making it very clear that what he is about to write is THE GOSPEL. It is the gospel that saves. It is the foundation on which we stand. To believe anything else means we are believing in vain.
The Gospel is not complicated and difficult to explain. It is very simple. Christ died for our sins. He was buried and rose from the dead on the third day. He was then seen alive again by many people, demonstrating that there is life after death.
In Galatians Paul makes it very clear, that if anyone else preaches a different gospel, no matter who that person is, that person deserves to be eternally condemned.
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned." -- Galatians 1:8
Then in verse 9 Paul repeats what he just said again: "As we have already said, so now I say again, If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other that what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned."
This must be a very important point for Paul to have repeated it. He wants to make his point clear. The gospel he is preaching (1 Corinthians 15:1-8) is the ONLY gospel. How did he know the gospel he preached is correct and is the only gospel?
In verse 11 Paul goes on to explain: "I want you to know brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, rather I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
The gospel Paul preached came directly from Jesus Christ.
Yes, as Christians we should be doing good works and be striving to create a better world (James chapter 2.). But our good works are a result of our faith, coming from our love that originates in God. Good works are not a part of the gospel message they are the result of the gospel and God's saving grace.
I urge this pastor to keep in mind Proverbs 30:5,6 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."
This is the story of the rich young man who comes to Jesus asking how he can be saved. In my last posting I asked how we can say we love our neighbor, if we have not shared the gospel with them? This story illustrates how Jesuus shared the gospel. What better opening question is there than for someone to come up to you and ask how they can be saved? Here is what happened (from the NIV):
"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inheret eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, not not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"
"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."
What did Jesus do? He took the rich young man to the Ten Commandments. When the the rich young man would not admit to having broken any of the commandments--in other words he thought he was a good person--Jesus then showed that the rich man was breaking the first and second commandments right at that moment.
Have no other Gods before me - the rich man's wealth was a "god" that he held in high esteem that God almighty creator of the universe.
Do not make idols - the rich man's wealth was an idol that he worshipped instead of God.
People can not be saved until they know they need saving. How well have you kept the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever looked at another person with lust--Jesus said that if you look at another person with lust you have committed adultery in your heart. Have you ever used the name of God in vain (as a cuss word for example)? These are just four of the Ten Commandments.
When you stand before God to be judged will you be innocent or guilty of breaking his commandments? Will you be going to heaven or hell?
Read the above story again. Jesus said that "No one is good--except God alone." Only God is good. All of us like to think that we are a good person, but we are not. We have broken God's laws and must pay the penalty. That penalty is death, it is called hell. For example, the Bible says that liars will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Have you every told a lie? Even a small "white" lie?
But there is good news. For there to be justice the penalty you owe for breaking God's laws must be paid. Jesus has done that for you. He has paid your penalty. He offers this to you as a free gift. All you need to do is accept this gift. Turn away from disobeying God and strive to obey His commands, and trust that Jesus has paid the penalty for every time in the past (and future) that you have broken God's laws.
What do you think? 2012 or 2015?
