Q/A: Good or Hateful Christians?

A Voice in the
Wilderness

January 18, 2010

Q/A Topics:

Good or Hateful Christians?

Good or Hateful Christian?

VISITOR QUESTION:
Are you good Christians or the hateful kind of Christians or the true Christians who understand that Christianity is tolerant and not condemning of other faiths?

VW ANSWER:
Huh???

ITEM:
Are you good Christians or the hateful kind of Christians

VW:
What do you mean by this? Are you asking... or creating a hypothetical straw man, and then huffing and puffing against it?

ITEM:
or the true Christians who understand that Christianity is tolerant and not condemning of other faiths?

VW:
You are making the label "true Christian" and then placing your own definition behind it. Upon what Scriptures do you base your definition?

Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Dan12:2 And many of those sleeping in the earth’s dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting abhorrence.

Rom6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ezk 18:4 Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.

1Ti 2:5 For there is ONE GOD and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the Man CHRIST JESUS,

Eph4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one immersion;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Jn14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Ac4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other (than Jesus Christ of Nazareth vs10), for there is no other name under Heaven given among men that is required for us to be saved."

Re 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.

Jn3:36 The one believing into the Son has eternal life; but the one disobeying the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

2Co 6:17 Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

Re18:4 And I heard another voice from Heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, so that you not share in her sins, and so that you not receive of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached to Heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

Amen!

VISITOR FOLLOW-UP:
I guess what I mean is do you accept other faiths other then your own as having any validity? I see hateful Christians as those who profess to understand the "truth" about the religion and disregard any other religious beliefs as bunk.

Did God write the bible? Or, was it a collection of ideas from men which reflects the values of their times? In the Old Testament an eye for an eye is really just based on the Code of Hammurabi which preceeded it? Or at least that's my interpretation of it.

I don't really go in for scripture. It's hard for me to imagine that anything based on Jesus would condemn any individual to eternal damnation. I mean, forgiveness seems to be so much of Christianity. With so many interpretations whose to say who knows the truth if truth even exists.

VW ANSWER:
If Jesus Christ is the -only- way, does that not, BY DEFINITION, eliminate the rest as fraudulent.

Did God write the Bible? Here's how He did it...

"And so we also have a more sure Word of prophecy, which you do well to heed as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that not any of the prophecies of Scripture came into being from personal exposition, for prophecy was not formerly brought forth by man’s choice, but holy men of God spoke as they were propelled along by the Holy Spirit." (2Pt1:19-21)

But to believe this, one must believe in God's existence... which is the foundational core of what FAITH is...

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must BELIEVE THAT HE IS (exists), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb11:6)

In the Old Testament, the Jews knew God as Yahweh, "the one who exists". Faith also is predisposed with the understanding that God made the universe and all things that exist. (Heb11:3) One of the reasons it was created was to reveal Himself to man. Logically: If there is a 'creation', there is also the Creator who -made- the creation.

"For ever since the creation of the world the unseen things of Him are clearly perceived, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse," (Rom1:20)

The "eye for eye" thing as people view it became corrupted, which is why Jesus said, "But I say unto you..." (Mt5:38-39) "eye for eye" was not intended as a personal -revenge- thing, but as legal justice....in the court of law. (Exodus ch21, Leviticus ch24) If a person perpetrated an evil upon another person, what they did to that person in malice was done to them THROUGH THE COURT. As Solomon, one of the wisest men in history said,

"Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." (Ec8:11)

That was the reason, originally, for "eye for eye". THROUGH THE COURT.

And finally...if God did not condemn the sinner, of what use was Jesus' love, mercy, grace, forgiveness....death and resurrection? If there are no consequences for evil, why be good? ...especially when evil is so much "fun"? The horse is not motivated to go any faster unless the switch stings its hind quarters. In similar fashion, if there is no punishment, there is no motivation to seek forgiveness and mercy.

Yes...Christianity is characterized by "forgiveness". But before forgiveness is REPENTANCE. If there is no repentance, there is no forgiveness. There is no -reason- to forgive.

"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him." (Lk17:3-4)

The message that Jesus gave the disciples to preach was...

"And He said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS be preached in His name to all nations, beginning out of Jerusalem." (Lk24:46-47)

It's not -forgiveness-... just... "because". But it is preceded by -repentance-.

Jesus proclaimed... "unless you repent you will....perish" (Lk13:3,5)

This is True Biblical Christian doctrine. Those who -claim- to be "christian", but neglect this teaching, neglect it to their eternal judgment. Most of what claims to be "christian" today... IS NOT.

Amen!

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