I had someone try to sell me this load of malarkey, “Reality is what you make it.” WHAT?! So does that mean if I think I am Buzz Lightyear then I am really Buzz Lightyear? “TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!!!” By saying that statement I think it gave him a tremendous amount of freedom to exercise his so called free will in order to bring about whatever reality he wanted. But the problem with this is that it takes away any absolute authority or standard, meaning all things can always change. Whatever is right for me and what ever suites me is reality for me and whatever is right for you and suites you is reality for you. This means for some there is one God, for some there is no God, and for some there are several God’s and every belief is right and every belief represents reality.
Well I sure hate to burst your humanistic, postmodern love bubble but come on people! Use your brain. My stapler and my printer are not the same thing! If a crazy lunatic came into my office declaring my stapler to be a printer should I agree with him and accept the fact that he thinks my stapler is a printer because that is what is right for him? Because he believes that my stapler is a printer does it actually make my stapler a printer? Should I recognize his rights as a human to honestly believe that the stapler is a printer and should help to pass laws and defend the race of people who claim that staplers are printers? NO! For crying out loud no! Instead I politely and lovingly say “no that is not a printer it is a DANG STAPLER NOW PUT THAT DOWN AND GET THE HECK OUT OF MY OFFICE! (Disclaimer: for those of you with the blatant inability to recognize sarcasm and humor that was a joke. I wouldn’t really yell at someone like that so don’t go crying about the hatemongers in the world who go around yelling at poor saps who claim staplers are printers.)
All religions cannot be correct, they do not all serve the same God, they are not all the same! There is either a God, no God, or many God’s but it can’t be all of the above. This means there is an absolute reality that exists, that has always existed, and that will continue to exist no matter how we perceive it. Since there really is a God then it doesn’t matter what the atheist thinks or how they perceive reality because it does not change anything. Their belief that there is no God does not make God disappear, he is still there and he is still real regardless of others personal beliefs or motives.
This also goes for God’s moral law. It is absolute and always has been. Just because a person does not know God and does not perceive his law to be reality that doesn’t make it go away. It is still there and they will still face the consequences and they will still give account for their actions regardless of whether they believe it to be true or not. That is reality. When it comes time to give account before God, the He is not going to say, “Oh well whatever was right for you was ok, welcome to heaven.” But instead we will all have to give account on that day for every single thing that we did to break the absolute moral standards of God.
“…all Christians should stand up and tell it like they see it. Let the chips fall where they will. Don’t worry if the public doesn’t even agree with your most basic assumptions. Your job is not to win. Your job is not to control this society. Your job is to say what God wants said.” - John Piper
This is what I have done and will continue to do. This postmodern, humanistic world wants us to believe that we have no right or business standing up and declaring abortion and homosexuality as wrong, but they are. They are wrong and my job is to stand up and say why they are wrong. I don’t go bashing them, nor do I do it in a belligerent way (although some do), I simply state the reasons why they are wrong and state the fact that the bible specifically addresses these issues. God is far more disgusted with a Christian who sits back and says nothing than with one who stands up against the moral depravity that is corrupting His people.
Jesus addressed sexual sin and every other kind of sin when he said, “go and sin no more” meaning yes you have sinned and it was wrong so from this point on go and never do it again. I can handle what Jesus said. I believe that homosexuals can repent, be forgiven, and follow Christ when they “go and sin no more.” I also believe that it is right for us to stand up and point to homosexuality as being a sin in order that more homosexuals would come to repentance. By speaking out against sin and revealing the biblical stance on such issues I am loving my brother by trying to show them what is right in the eyes of God. By saying nothing or supporting sin I show no love for my brother because I am in no way helping them to come to repentance and to a deeper relationship with the savior.
Pressed
AWESOME POST! I could not agree more with calling sin sin and not sugarcoating it. Sin is not pretty and God HATES it. It can not be loving if we allow someone to live in ignorance of what sin is, otherwise they will never repent. If a child never learns that lying is wrong, he will continue that behavior into adulthood.
I sin. I hate that I sin, but I am blessed to have a savior who takes that from me. Like Paul, I still do what I don’t want to do and don’t do what I want to do. I have a convicting Spirit within me to help me see the error of my way and point me in a new direction. Without someone or something showing me wrong, how will I ever know right? How will I ever know Truth? THE Truth. Knowing Truth is very freeing which is why I strive for it every day!
Again, great post!
Amen, Pressed! What a way for AE’s return from a forced sabbatical.
Now about the stapler thing thought, are you saying it is wrong that I consider my stapler to be a dictionary? I’d be really mad if you thought that…
I, too, agree with you about not sugarcoating sin and the fact that there is such a thing as absolute truth. But I have a question: why is it that we (Christians) constantly point our finger at “bad” sins (i.e., homosexuality, abortion, adultery - please note: I am vehemently opposed to all three) but not at the more common sins of gluttony, pride, self-centeredness, materialism…etc.? (all of which I should be as vehemently opposed to!)
I know there are specific sins that are highlighted in scripture, but sin is sin. If we see someone who is about to really screw up because of pride in their life, do we not have the same responsibility to help them see their error? More importantly, aren’t we supposed to do that in a spirit of love and mercy, so that they can see a real-life example of God’s love?
I am constantly reminded of the scripture in Matthew 10 where Jesus tells the disciples “freely you have received, freely give.” I just wonder if sometimes we allow the sin in a person’s life to overshadow the fact that they are loved by their Creator and need to see and experience that love. Until they meet Truth face to face, they will not understand that reality is not what you make it. There is only one Way, one Truth and one Life - Jesus.
Well, I’m just thinking out loud. This is something I’ve been thinking about a while. Pressed - thanks for the post! I am always challenged to think when I read them!
You have a point about noting “bad” sins. We do this because they are the most recognizable, even to non-believers. It is true that sin is sin and none of it is acceptable to God. Gluttony is rampant…I notice this at the monthly church fellowship where there is food galore! Gossip…that’s a bad one that many people contribute to. This is where a believer needs to rely on the Holy Spirit for conviction and for the way out of a bondage in that area.
I think perhaps part of our emphasis (over emphasis?) on “bad” sins is the fact that those that commit them generally decide they are “okay.”
For example, if I am self-centered, I don’t think “ah, that’s good, I’m self-centered.” On the other hand, at least in our culture, many would argue that if one is homosexual, that’s good. If one commits adultery… that person is a-okay for doing so.
I dunno, but that might be it. On the other hand, we must be careful. My Pastor is transferring his ordination to the EFCA, and during the ordination council questioning, the questions moved to the topic of his position on homosexuality.
He brought up something important — it has become the unforgivable sin. It is one of the only sins, he noted, that one couldn’t mention as being delivered from in a testimony. If someone joins a church and gives the testimony “I had same-sex feelings but God delivered me from them,” in many cases, the person might as well have said they have two or three same-sex “partners” right now. It’s sad.
HEY, I AM TRYING TO EAT MY TACO’S AND HERE YA’LL ARE TALKING ABOUT GLUTTONY. Not Funny!
Anyway, I would have to agree with Timothy on the ‘bad’ sins issue. I believe that the reason we put a greater emphasis on the so called ‘bad’ sins is becuase those are the very sins that people try to get away with. Abortion and Homosexuality are some of the biggest issues in society because of the large amount of people who simply believe that those things are not wrong nor contrary to the law of God. Society as a whole doesn’t place a large amount of emphasis on gluttony and they don’t change laws in order to make saying the name of God in vain ok. But when it comes to sexual sins (Adultry, homosexuality,illigitemate children, etc…) then they push the gay rights and abortion laws. When something gets a large amount of publicity like that then it creates a large amount of other people who think that it is simply a social norm, and if there is no opposing voice and no one who will stand up to it then even more people will be duped into believeing that it is perfectly normal and ok to do those things.
Certainly all sins should be addressed but like Tim said, almost all Christians would agree that self-centeredness is wrong but when it comes to the bigger issues that society accepts then a smaller amount of Christians would say abortion and homosexuality is wrong.
Nice site, Craig. I discovered you from the comment you left on my site.
Someone above pointed out (albeit, in a different context) that WE are the ones pointing out others’ sins to them. I will add that we do so even though we are sinners ourselves, and we do so even though many brand us as “arrogant” or “self-righteous.” As they say, someone has to do it…
As a Catholic, I’m supposed to take a few minutes every evening to review my day and examine my own sins. (Supposed to, but I confess that I often neglect to do so). This exercise in self-reflection helps me/us to concentrate on what we have done, how we have and have not served God, and to strive to sin no more. It really is a great exercise, and you don’t have to be Catholic to get something out of it.
Regarding this topic, I concur with everyone above - hate the sin, love the sinner. We must take the opportunity, when it presents itself, to correct our brothers and sisters. While it is true that God hates sin, perhaps those sins we see in others is God’s way of presenting US with the opportunity to please Him by leading those sinners into His light.
Peace be with you all.
you ignorant twat!!
you have reduced god to having the same motives, emotions and aspirations as us humans. please take a step back and realize how arrogant it is for you to think that you understand and know what god wants. it is people like you who make others avoid the church, denounce religion and resist spiritual aspects in life. i am more religious than you i guarantee, because while you are busy making laws and rules to feel better about yourself, i will always love my family and friends in a way your closed little brain could never understand, unselfishly.
i feel sorry for your kids
Dougo
Funny. God tells us to love others. I’d say from this post that I love you more than you love me. I’ll say a prayer for you, Dougo, that you might swallow your pride and learn to love as God has instructed us. My kids will say a prayer for you, as well. You would do well to reflect on the words in your post.
Actually the great thing about God is that he has shared his motives, emotions, and aspirations with us in His word. I am not reducing God to my motives and emotions but simply stating what God has said that his motives are.
Ok, I am taking a step back here. Looking at the whole picture… Hmmm. Ok Dougo, I would agree that I would be extremely arrogant if I simply claimed that I know exactly what God wants without any external source. But I do not claim that. I don’t know all that God wants, but I do know some of what God wants because he has told us, through His own words. We can have knowledge of God because He gives it to us, it isn’t produced within ourselves and that is far from arrogance.
Speaking of arrogance, is it not extremely arrogant of you to make the claim that it is people like me who make others avoid church and denounce religion, as if you know me at all? Sorry man, I do not have some mighty power that allows me to wave my hand and control people’s actions. Most people avoid church, denounce religion, and resist the spiritual because they want to, and they have the choice to do that. I don’t make others do anything, they have a say in the choices they make.
You can go on being more religious than me, and that is fine. I don’t base my life on how religious I am. Religion is such a broad and corrupt term that can mean so many different things. But once again it seems that for a man who claims everyone else to be arrogant you sure have an aweful lot of your own arrogance, “i am more religious than you I garrantee.”
If you think that we sit around and make a bunch a laws and rules then you are sadly missinformed. The laws, rules, and morals are already set by God Himself in His inerrant word and it is His laws that we discuss, not our own.
And once more your arrogance reveals itself in the fact that you claim that you love your family and friends greater than I do. Unless you are the all knowing God himself then how could you possibly know how I love my family and friends? You don’t know me and have no grounds for such a claim.
Dougo I realize that your only purpose for posting here was to hurt me in some way, trying to discredit what I say and claiming that I have no love for my family and friends and that I am closed minded and selfish. I am sorry that you feel so much hostility towards others. Why do you feel the way you do? I would like to discuss the issue, but all you are doing is throwing insults my way instead of intelligently discussing the issues and problems you have with whatever I said. If you are trying to make a point then lets discuss it, if you just want to insult and persecute then what you have said is sufficient.
I’m not certain, Craig, but I think Dougo’s comments were directed at me, the Catholic with all the laws, credo, catechism, etc. Either way, he’s incorrect in his assumptions.
Well whoever he is refering to it is still rude and certainly not loving.
You can keep on being more religious than everyone. The question is what is your walk (relationship with Jesus like????????) There are many religious people that do evil things. I will take someone with a sold out walk with Jesus anyday
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