A Christian Obligation

A Christian Obligation
Lately I have seen a lot of people calling themselves Christians especially in the United States who are not acting like Christians. Who are not following the teachings of Jesus.
Mahatma Gandhi once said of some Christians he met,

“Jesus is ideal and wonderful,

 but you Christians 

 you are not like him.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Sadly the political climate in the United States seems to have brought out the worst in many people. What however upsets me is those claiming to be Christians are letting themselves get dragged into the intolerance that seems to be permutating American society today.
I think it’s time that Christians, especially those who claim to be evangelical Christians to look at the teachings of Jesus,
Luke’s gospel records this teaching of Jesus,
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 
He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.  
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37.
It should be noted here that Samaritans and Jews in the day of Jesus held a disliked each other they seen themselves as enemies. Yet the Samaritan in this case showed compassion on this injured man.
Today that injured man represents refugees fleeing the horrors of war. They are men women and Children of all faiths, and lifestyles who are in need of the love and saving grace of Jesus.
The way I see it the priest and the Levite are all too often those who claim to be  Christians but are not. People who claim to have the love of Christ in their hearts. Yet would rather see people who are fleeing war and persecutions, who are of other faiths, and lifestyles die than show love and compassion for them.
Jesus when asked,
“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.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus also said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” Matthew 5:43,44.
What Jesus said covers everything. Every man, woman and child no matter their faith, their lifestyle or the station in life are our neighbours. And even if they are our enemies Jesus said we are to love them.
The apostle Paul defines love as,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
If we are not living up to Paul’s definition of love then we need to make changes in our life.
The apostle Peter states,
“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”  1Peter 2:16.
James the half brother of Jesus said,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
The writer of Hebrews tells us
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
If we are not showing unconditional love to those around us, no matter who they are, we are not following Christ’s example.
 Jesus who even on the cross prayed for those who had just crucified him saying. “...“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing....” Luke 23:34a. This is the kind of love we must have.
As Christians we have the answer to terrorism, hate, and bigotry, “the Love of Jesus” the “Love of God” who loved us so much he sent his son to die for us,
Martin Luther King jr. the great civil rights leader once said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming

 an enemy into friend.” 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you claim to be a Christian you need to be showing unconditional love. Otherwise you are nothing more if not worse, than the priest and Levite that left the injured man to die in Christ’s story.
Please think about it.

Not the Healthy

Not the Healthy,
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Matthew 9:9-13.
Here is a concept that quite often is lost on some in the church today and I think especially on many within the evangelical church today.
I’ve been in churches over the years where the soul purpose of the congregation seems to have been to have a good time singing hymns and songs and feeling good about themselves. They feel good that they can praise God and have praised God. Which is a good thing. However such congregations need to remember that the purpose of the church is not just to praise and worship God but to evangelize and make disciples.
In addition to this group I’ve also heard many calling themselves Christians speaking out against those they disagree with even to the point of trying to restrict the rights of other groups they deem not to be Christian. This should not be so.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“It is the Holy Spirits job to convict of sin, God’s job to judge, my job to love.” Billy Graham.
The apostle Paul said,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Christians are to look after their own house if you will. Ensure that the word of God is being taught correctly. It is the Christians job to present the gospel to whoever will listen to us. To sit down and have dialogue with all people without judging them.
This is what Jesus was doing when he was sitting with the tax collectors. He who had the right to judge them did not.
Jesus told his detractors,
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice...”
As Christians we should be showing mercy toward those who do not believe as we do. Not speaking against them as the religious leaders did in this incident.
It is essential that we show love to all we come in contact with. Only in doing this can we truly reach people for Christ. Which is the primary duty of all Christians.
Please think about it.

The Bible and a Whisky Bottle

The Bible and The Whisky Bottle.
There’s an interesting quote from Harper Lee the Author of To Kill a Mockingbird. She wrote,
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)...”Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
What she says is true. Throughout the years man and women have used the bible to justify the killing of thousand in the Crusades, to supporting slavery and segregation. To restricting the rights of those who lifestyle they disagree with, to robbing innocent people of their hard earned money. At least someone with a whisky bottle in his hand at worst dishonours himself.
Christians do not do a very good job of policing themselves and freedom of speech laws in our democracy allow for anyone to say anything. Thus almost anything can be said in the name of God and Christ even if it’s not true.
False teachers are not new. They’ve been around since the times of the apostles. The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
It’s easy to call oneself a Christian. It’s easy to take scriptures out of context and make them say what is not true. Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23.
We here in North America and the western democracies enjoy incredible freedoms. Freedoms that unfortunately are a double edged sword. It allows us to exercise our faith without fear. While at the same time allowing false teachers to arise and lead people astray.
It is therefor incumbent on each Christian to study the Bible for themselves to pray and ask God to show them the truths there in.
It is incumbent of Christians to find and fellowship with a Church that is founded solidly on the truth of the Bible.
Christians should not be afraid to ask their pastor evangelist or any Christian teacher questions about what they have taught on.
Christians  should not be afraid of pointing out any errors or perceived error to a pastor, evangelist, or Christian teacher. Remember they are only men and are fallible.
It is only by open discussion of things you may not understand or think that is in error that we get to the truth of the scriptures.
No good and honest teacher of God’s word will refuse to answer your questions. If they don’t. Have nothing to do with them.
Please think about it.

A Truth, Love

A Truth, Love
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
‘But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:15,16.
The reason Jesus came into this world is to reconcile man to God. Jesus speaking of Himself said,
“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.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”John 3:16,17.
Jesus speaking to His disciples and through them to all Christians said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
Notice Jesus did not say Christians are to judge the world. In fact Jesus said,
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2.
It is only right that others can judge you by the same standard you judge them.
The apostle Paul makes it clear that Christians are not to judge those outside their faith. He wrote,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Christians are called to Love God, their neighbour, and even their enemy. Only by doing this can we effectively tell people of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
How a Christian acts toward others may have eternal consequences. Someone calling themselves a Christian can do two things, force someone away from Christ, or bring someone to Christ. There is no middle ground.
If you consider yourself a Christian take a look at your actions. Do you truly love God, your neighbour and your enemy? It’s easy to say yes and give lip service, but do you truly love all people.
The Talmud while not a Christian book makes a good point when it says,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” The Talmud.
Jesus told this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”  Luke 16:19-31.
To my mind if you say you are a Christian and are not loving and showing the love of Christ to all people, friend, family and foe alike you are like that rich man.
Please think about it.