Don’t People Know?
I do not consider myself to be among the best or the brightest. Not trying to be humble or debase myself; just stating what I believe to be true. I do have an ability to reason, but probably no better than most people. I find myself having many questions about life and people and I do spend some time searching for answers to these questions. Sometimes I think I have found an answer to a question and that answer appears before me so clearly, as like something appearing before me out of a dense fog… only to disappear again into obscurity, leaving me wondering once more. Often I find answers that I’m quite satisfied with, some are very enlightening while others remain unsolved and perplexing. One of the things I’m currently trying to understand is how so many people can claim to be Christians when their words and actions are so contrary to Christianity. I’m having a hard time trying to solve this puzzle. I know that scripture says that ‘light was in the world’ and that man loved ‘darkness rather than light’ but this relates to unbelievers and those who reject the one true God of Israel. What about those who really believe they are Christians, yet walk in the works of darkness? All of them claim to love Jesus, yet the New Testament teaches that it is our obedience to Him that shows our love for Him (John 14:21). All of them claim to have salvation yet scripture teaches that Jesus is the author of salvation of those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). Yet regardless of these scriptural statements and others much like them, I see people who claim to be Christian and walk in the disobedience of their own will. How can this be? Don’t they read their bibles that are written in plain English? I’ve seen people be self-sacrificing of themselves in some areas of Christianity while at the same time defending obvious sin in other areas of their lives. Don’t they know that their disobedience makes pointless their acts of goodness? And then, we all know people that ‘talk’ Christianity and live otherwise. Is that some kind of a game… what is that? I see people rightfully being outspoken against what is sin; and turn right around and live those same sins themselves. Are they blind? I have listened to people say very intelligent things about God’s word, seeming to grow deeper in understanding and claim to be a member in His kingdom and yet whenever they get angry or stressed their Christian composure flies right out the window. Don’t they know that it’s not in times of peace and contentment that our lights must shine the brightest but in times of darkness, hardship and spiritual warfare? I know people that are active in church and use every bit the foul language of their co-workers while at their jobs. Don’t they know that commitment and obedience to the Lord and His teaching is not just for church but must be 24 hours every day and 7 days each week? Don’t they read their bibles? Have they been so deceived and deluded by false doctrines that they are blind to scriptures that speak of holiness, righteousness and steadfastness? I have heard it said “most people just read what they already believe; instead of believing what they read.” When people read the bible, do they just discount what they don’t already believe or are not willing to accept? If this is so; then why read it at all? If the bible is read to search for truth, then why ignore those truths when they are found? This makes no sense to me. With all the scriptures pertaining to holiness, commitment, godliness, obedience, of a live lived that is pleasing to God and turning away to all things related to the kingdom of darkness; do some people think God is just kidding? When Hebrews 12:14 says that without holiness no man shall see the Lord; why is it overlooked… even in churches? I don’t have answers; just questions. Puzzling questions. Are would-be Christians so deceived by the common and modern perversion of salvation by grace and faith that they feel so completely at ease with ignoring scripture that relates how they live? Do some people put more faith in what churches teach than what they do God’s own word to us? Regardless of the error of many church doctrines concerning grace and faith, when they stand before God on the Day of Judgment, haven’t people read what God’s criteria will be for that judgment?
Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 - And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
I’m not condemning or censuring people, heaven knows God will do that soon enough, but these people are my co-workers, acquaintances and family members spread across the entire country and I really do care about them. Their lack of discernment makes me very sad. It puzzles me; how can people claim to be Christian, read God’s word, and live contrary to it’s teaching? I just don’t understand. I have no answers, but just maybe, even though many profess Christianity, they aren’t fully persuaded that God exists at all! Now, that might sound strange, but I ask you; if they really believed in the reality of God how could they possibly do those things that are contrary to His will? It only seems logical to me that if someone really believed in the reality of God and the truth of His word that to live contrary to Him would be utterly ridiculous! Perhaps disobedience and lack of commitment go hand in hand with unbelief. My wife says “people believe in God, but don’t believe God.” I suppose she’s right.
I do not consider myself to be among the best or the brightest. Not trying to be humble or debase myself; just stating what I believe to be true. I do have an ability to reason, but probably no better than most people. I find myself having many questions about life and people and I do spend some time searching for answers to these questions. Sometimes I think I have found an answer to a question and that answer appears before me so clearly, as like something appearing before me out of a dense fog… only to disappear again into obscurity, leaving me wondering once more. Often I find answers that I’m quite satisfied with, some are very enlightening while others remain unsolved and perplexing. One of the things I’m currently trying to understand is how so many people can claim to be Christians when their words and actions are so contrary to Christianity. I’m having a hard time trying to solve this puzzle. I know that scripture says that ‘light was in the world’ and that man loved ‘darkness rather than light’ but this relates to unbelievers and those who reject the one true God of Israel. What about those who really believe they are Christians, yet walk in the works of darkness? All of them claim to love Jesus, yet the New Testament teaches that it is our obedience to Him that shows our love for Him (John 14:21). All of them claim to have salvation yet scripture teaches that Jesus is the author of salvation of those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). Yet regardless of these scriptural statements and others much like them, I see people who claim to be Christian and walk in the disobedience of their own will. How can this be? Don’t they read their bibles that are written in plain English? I’ve seen people be self-sacrificing of themselves in some areas of Christianity while at the same time defending obvious sin in other areas of their lives. Don’t they know that their disobedience makes pointless their acts of goodness? And then, we all know people that ‘talk’ Christianity and live otherwise. Is that some kind of a game… what is that? I see people rightfully being outspoken against what is sin; and turn right around and live those same sins themselves. Are they blind? I have listened to people say very intelligent things about God’s word, seeming to grow deeper in understanding and claim to be a member in His kingdom and yet whenever they get angry or stressed their Christian composure flies right out the window. Don’t they know that it’s not in times of peace and contentment that our lights must shine the brightest but in times of darkness, hardship and spiritual warfare? I know people that are active in church and use every bit the foul language of their co-workers while at their jobs. Don’t they know that commitment and obedience to the Lord and His teaching is not just for church but must be 24 hours every day and 7 days each week? Don’t they read their bibles? Have they been so deceived and deluded by false doctrines that they are blind to scriptures that speak of holiness, righteousness and steadfastness? I have heard it said “most people just read what they already believe; instead of believing what they read.” When people read the bible, do they just discount what they don’t already believe or are not willing to accept? If this is so; then why read it at all? If the bible is read to search for truth, then why ignore those truths when they are found? This makes no sense to me. With all the scriptures pertaining to holiness, commitment, godliness, obedience, of a live lived that is pleasing to God and turning away to all things related to the kingdom of darkness; do some people think God is just kidding? When Hebrews 12:14 says that without holiness no man shall see the Lord; why is it overlooked… even in churches? I don’t have answers; just questions. Puzzling questions. Are would-be Christians so deceived by the common and modern perversion of salvation by grace and faith that they feel so completely at ease with ignoring scripture that relates how they live? Do some people put more faith in what churches teach than what they do God’s own word to us? Regardless of the error of many church doctrines concerning grace and faith, when they stand before God on the Day of Judgment, haven’t people read what God’s criteria will be for that judgment?
Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:13 - And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
I’m not condemning or censuring people, heaven knows God will do that soon enough, but these people are my co-workers, acquaintances and family members spread across the entire country and I really do care about them. Their lack of discernment makes me very sad. It puzzles me; how can people claim to be Christian, read God’s word, and live contrary to it’s teaching? I just don’t understand. I have no answers, but just maybe, even though many profess Christianity, they aren’t fully persuaded that God exists at all! Now, that might sound strange, but I ask you; if they really believed in the reality of God how could they possibly do those things that are contrary to His will? It only seems logical to me that if someone really believed in the reality of God and the truth of His word that to live contrary to Him would be utterly ridiculous! Perhaps disobedience and lack of commitment go hand in hand with unbelief. My wife says “people believe in God, but don’t believe God.” I suppose she’s right.
Do some people put more faith in what churches teach than what they do God’s own word to us? I have an answer: yes. They do. And it's unfortunate. When I was in school, every student was assigned a book (in high school it was given to you and in college you had to buy the book the professor used). You were assigned reading from the book to complete BEFORE going to class... the students who did well in class were usually the ones who bothered to read. Most of the students shouldn't have bothered to blow the money on books. Most depended on the lectures from the teachers to give them just enough information to scrape by... and that is what "modern Christians" are doing. Would-be Christians have become lazy... like today's Americans. Uninformed, stagnant... careless. But the cost and the consequence will be death...
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