In the Walt Disney theology, “All Dogs Go To Heaven”. I never get over the dignity that God gives people, saved and unsaved. One can never doubt the love of God for humanity. Our inability to understand God, because, in every way, every day, you get what you reward. The world has rewarded sin and we have gotten more sin, the world has rewarded indolence – laziness – sorriness and we have gotten more and more welfare. I have never known a wealthy man who did not live frugally and work hard (this does not include the few who inherited their wealth). Because a liberal, socialistic world has attempted to make everyone recipients of government largess (everyone living from entitlements, government checks furnished from the productive work of others) we have more and more people now just wanting to sit around and wait for a government handout. Perhaps this is the reason the world has made a beggar of God, the church a begging activity. We beg people to come to God, we beg people to come to worship – prayer – study services. The church begs people to give to God's work and, at a time when unless there were pews in the building, it would be difficult from the music, dress, conversations, language, to tell the church building from a nightclub building. It is just ASSUMED that, like Walt Disney's dogs, everyone, when they die (the mortality rate is still 100%) will go to Heaven. God calls and chooses those who will spend eternity (a very long time) with Him and His Son. If He knows the hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30), He knows your joy in serving Him, your true belief, your faith (faith is a verb, action, based on belief, sustained by confidence).
In one Communist country, some uniformed Communist guards invaded a Christian church. They said, “We know all about your heresy toward our country. If you stay in this church, supporting your belief, you will be shot.” Most ran. A few stayed saying, “Shoot us now for our belief”. The guards took off their uniforms while saying, “We are Christian brothers. We just want to be with the right crowd.”
My eldest grandson has just returned from a ministry in Malaysia where the Muslim government builds a mosque next to every Christian church. The Christian cannot give any evidence of Christianity outside of the actual church. Books have been written about what happens to Muslims who convert to Christianity. The time may very well come in America when it will cost you just as it cost your Savior to die on the cross.
At Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection, Peter preaching, bringing to Christ 3,000 new believers. They did not have a bible, that was to come almost 100 years later. Only the eclismic experience of knowing a resurrected Savior. Of course, the intelligentsia of the world will tell you that one cannot be risen from the dead, therefore it did not happen. The intelligentsia of the world will tell you that believers who trust and have faith in a resurrected person are nuts, crazy in the head. Jesus preached Himself, He said He was the way, the truth, the door – light – bread. Jesus was either the greatest liar the world had ever known or He was who He said He was. If Christ be not resurrected, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17). Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones, great preacher once said, “It is ‘the fight of faith’, you are walking on turbulent waves and the only way to keep walking is to keep looking at Him.”. I have heard Mother Theresa speak several times, always, she said, “I have only one message. Jesus.”. Those who love Jesus here serve Him here.
Christ is at the summit of all human activity. Most modern day pastors are like magicians, always directing your attention in a different direction, ancillary activities – other buildings. God's directions in the building of the Tabernacle, Solomon's Temple, always areas of human activity but the inner court – alter, the place of greatest importance to Him.
It is rare that political expediency control regulations effect anything in a positive way. Adam and Eve had control over the whole earth...the entire earth was one beautiful garden available only to them, for their enjoyment along with their personal relationship with God. God chose, once and for all, to establish His sovereign rights...one tree. From then until now, He is Boss, in charge of everything. He knew before the foundation of the world who would choose Him, observe His rights. His loving kindness is better than life (Psalm 63:3).
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