I saw an unsolicited statement on a Facebook page that I read, "All you Christians are retarded! Without exception, every last one of you are irredeemably stupid," he continued, " To believe a so-called man named Jesus came to earth to 'save sinners' is ridiculous. You're telling me, a so-called Holy God who hates sin became sin? That doesn't even make any sense! Are you are (bleeping) insane? What a ridiculous religion!"
It goes without saying, I cannot repeat the foul words that continued to be expressed as this guy continued his rant.
Before I end this blog today, I'm going to include an analogy that may help skeptics to better understand the faith of Christianity. Foremost, Christianity is not a "ridiculous religion." In fact, it is no religion at all. It is a one-on-one relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe. Salvation comes by grace (God's unearned favor), through faith (by believing in His grace and what Jesus has done). Paul confirms this in Ephesians 2:8-9, " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." What works? Things like being good, being charitable, living a perceived perfect life, self-sacrifice, etc). These types of things will NEVER EARN a person's salvation. However, works, as well as obedience, will be a bi-product of salvation. Once saved your desires, goals, and conduct change because of the changes that take place in you.
Christians are not irredeemable or deplorable as sometimes labeled. In fact, Ephesians 1:7 tells the world something completely opposite. Scripture proclaims, "In whom we have REDEMPTION through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." Romans 3:24 says, "Being justified freely by His grace, through the REDEMPTION that is in Christ Jesus." Psalm 111:9 says, "He sent His REDEMPTION unto His people, He has commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His Name." AND last Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the REDEEMED of the Lord say so."
So, I am saying so. Believers ARE REDEEMED (not unredeemable)!!
The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4.
1. Jesus died for our sin
2. Jesus was buried
3. Jesus was resurrected
4. Jesus offers salvation to ALL who will receive these truths by faith.
No one person because of their sin is more unworthy than another in the eyes of Jesus. There are no degrees, levels, or intensity of sin. One sin is not worse than another. Sin is sin and it separates us from a Holy God. Period. Unique from all other faiths, Christianity is about a relationship with God rather than religious practices needed to be adhered to in order to gain favor. Instead of a list of "do's and don'ts" the goal of a Christian (as defined in scripture) is to cultivate a close walk with God, maintaining a personal one-on-one relationship with Him. Christians don't earn salvation by being good or through self-sacrifice. No, Christians first-come just as they are as sinners (Romans 3:23, 5:12). We come lost in the grip of sin in need of a saving change. The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God....no flogging, no denial, no mediation, no transformation, no perfect church attendance, no good deed, etc. (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6, Romans 3:23; 6:23). According to Christianity, GOD did for us what we could not and cannot do for ourselves. He took on all our sins - He became sin and took the punishment of death for us that we might live eternally with Him (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). It is not necessary to fix ourselves first or become some holy person to approach Him or have a relationship with God! We can't fix ourselves anyway! That's the point. Jesus' death on the cross was sufficient to completely pay the sin debt owed by all mankind and this is what restores the broken relationship between God and man (Hebrews 9:11-14, 10:10; Romans 5:8; 6:23)
Here is the analogy I wanted to share:
There once was a man who didn't believe in God and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays including Christmas. His wife, however, did believe and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus despite his disparaging comments. One snowy Christmas Eve his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come but he refused.
"That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the children left and he stayed home.
A little while later winds grew strong outside and snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax in front of the fire for the evening. Then suddenly, he heard a loud thump. Something hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In a field near his house, he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently, they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn door and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.
The man tried to get their attention but that just seemed to scare them and they moved farther away. He went into the house and came out with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn but they only got more frightened and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them into the barn where they would be safe and warm. "Why don't they follow me?!!" he exclaimed, "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had a better idea. He went to the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one by one the other geese followed it to safety. He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier... "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!" Suddenly it all made sense. THIS is what God has done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God Himself became the man Jesus, a man just like us, so He could come to show us the way and to save us. The world is a blinding storm. People do not even realize they are lost. Various religions and other smorgasbords of beliefs are just claps of thunder, a thundering noise in the midst of the storm with no way to escape destruction. Jesus was the only One Who came to rescue you. And as Christians who follow Him, yes indeed, we ARE Redeemed!
Until He Comes,
-Pat-
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