March 22 1994
A few weeks ago, an employer wanted to cut costs by making substitutions without the knowledge of a client. A person who worked for that company insisted on holding to high standards. Within days, he was informed the company had no more work for him.
Cutting corners is a common but not always ethical practice. People usually lose their jobs for doing it, not for refusing to do it. Who can tolerate being ripped off?
Yet it happens, not only in business but in the realm of religion. Substitutes are offered all the time and many people have no way of distinguishing between the real thing and sub-standard alternates that fail to deliver what they promise.
Putting the religions of the world to the test risks being simplistic; religions are complex. However, the answers to a few basic questions may reveal whether a belief system has something to it, or is merely an imitation.
First, ask if it has adequate answers to the big questions, such as: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and where are we going?
Second, ask who started the system? Where did it come from? And does it offer convincing evidence for its sources?
Third, does it change people? both their lives and their destinations?
And one more; since no one makes copies of imitation Gucci watches, ask if the belief system is copied, and do those copies do justice to the original?
In one form or another, those questions are raised every generation. Some within each era discover that the Bible answers those questions. Even though the answers are constantly challenged, it does not mean they are incorrect.
Working from the last question to the first, the Bible and Christianity have been imitated. During the first centuries, counterfeit “Scripture” abounded. Fortunately, followers of Jesus who were close to the events could tell the difference. Succeeding generations have a solid foundation of Apostolic teaching by which imitations can be discerned. Today, the Bible, the Christian church, and people who believe in Christ are constantly copied yet all the cults and isms have failed in their imitation of the genuine.
A biblical faith has solid evidence for its source. Scripture was written by 40 authors over several thousand years yet they agreed with each other, demonstrating divine inspiration. Prophets foretold future events with amazing accuracy. Honest scholarship and archeology continually uncover historical validation. Thousands of copies exist with only minor variations. No other book has withstood as many attacks against it as the Bible.
The greatest evidence is Jesus who claimed “I am the resurrection and the life.” He was crucified and buried but walked out of His tomb. He says those who believe in Him will do the same.
Those same believers are also imitated, yet genuine Christians are different from imitators. We know we fall short of God’s high standards because of our sin. We also know God will accept a substitute. We know Christ died in our place, taking our sin on Himself and accepting the punishment we deserve.
We also know Christ lives in us, giving us the only standard of life that satisfies God. In both life and death, He is an acceptable substitute, not sub-standard like we are, but perfect. Because of Him, we are different.
He also answers those first questions. Everyone is here by God’s creation, designed to glorify and enjoy Him. Everyone is also going from this life to eternity. The way people live here and the place where they spend eternity depends on what they do with Jesus.
Showing posts with label religion vs. Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion vs. Christianity. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2016
Monday, June 1, 2015
False teaching .............. Parables 281
August 21, 1991
An assistant professor of Religious Studies at a major denominational college made the following statement: “Most people who have taken at least a college-level course in religion know that the Christian Gospels are a combination of historical fact and pious imagination.”
In other words, he is saying that the records we have of the life of Christ are partly accurate and partly fiction and anyone who hasn’t been to college has simply not been clued in.
While the college I attend teaches sound doctrine, I’ve realized that not everyone who gives instruction in “religion” teaches what the Bible plainly says. Many do not even treat God’s Word as a reliable document. For example, outside of my evangelical professors, there are theists, poly-theists and neo-orthodox circles. Each is further broken down into smaller sects and isms, each having a twist in their teaching from what the Bible says.
However, most people don’t care. The common philosophy is whatever anyone wants to believe about “religion” is right for them; there is no such thing as objective truth; it should never be a point of contention.
Jesus Christ did not agree. He said, “I am the way, I am the truth... and no one comes to God except through me.” He repeatedly warned about false teachers who deny the objective truth He came to reveal.
The Apostle Peter said it too: “There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up...”
Thus the Bible has been mocked, even by people who teach “religion.” They say it is only a book by ordinary men, a collection of fables and myths that has no bearing on anyone’s life today. They think the disciples just WANTED to believe Jesus rose from the dead or could perform miracles so they made up those Bible stores and combined them with what actually happened.
Oddly enough, those who say these things do just that themselves. They make up their own version of who God is, what He says and what He has done, or each makes up his own gods and then they teach about the god of their own imagination, not the God revealed in the Bible and in the person of Christ.
Even some who accept the Bible as a “religious book,” insist no mere human could do the things Jesus did, therefore concluding the Bible stories must be in error. Others may concede Jesus is divine but cannot believe any writing could remain accurate after being copied and recopied for over 2000 years, so again, the stories about Him cannot be true.
However, the Bible says God is not mocked. Because He is God, He is more than able to do anything man thinks is impossible, such as reveal Himself in a Man or preserve His truth in a book. Besides, He is not unaware of those who deny Him. He plans one day to call to account those who make up their own version of Him. On that day, they will not only be forced to acknowledge their error but will have no choice but to acknowledge Christ: since “every knee will bow and every tongue WILL confess Christ as Lord.”
All need to heed those who recorded God’s Word. They warned of the dangers of dismissing Scripture as the words of mere men. They made it clear that the Bible is not a myth. After all, if they made it up, why not make up something that is not so demanding? Why not a god and a book that never corrects sinners, never rebukes rebellion and does not promise judgment on those who make up their own version?
An assistant professor of Religious Studies at a major denominational college made the following statement: “Most people who have taken at least a college-level course in religion know that the Christian Gospels are a combination of historical fact and pious imagination.”
In other words, he is saying that the records we have of the life of Christ are partly accurate and partly fiction and anyone who hasn’t been to college has simply not been clued in.
While the college I attend teaches sound doctrine, I’ve realized that not everyone who gives instruction in “religion” teaches what the Bible plainly says. Many do not even treat God’s Word as a reliable document. For example, outside of my evangelical professors, there are theists, poly-theists and neo-orthodox circles. Each is further broken down into smaller sects and isms, each having a twist in their teaching from what the Bible says.
However, most people don’t care. The common philosophy is whatever anyone wants to believe about “religion” is right for them; there is no such thing as objective truth; it should never be a point of contention.
Jesus Christ did not agree. He said, “I am the way, I am the truth... and no one comes to God except through me.” He repeatedly warned about false teachers who deny the objective truth He came to reveal.
The Apostle Peter said it too: “There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up...”
Thus the Bible has been mocked, even by people who teach “religion.” They say it is only a book by ordinary men, a collection of fables and myths that has no bearing on anyone’s life today. They think the disciples just WANTED to believe Jesus rose from the dead or could perform miracles so they made up those Bible stores and combined them with what actually happened.
Oddly enough, those who say these things do just that themselves. They make up their own version of who God is, what He says and what He has done, or each makes up his own gods and then they teach about the god of their own imagination, not the God revealed in the Bible and in the person of Christ.
Even some who accept the Bible as a “religious book,” insist no mere human could do the things Jesus did, therefore concluding the Bible stories must be in error. Others may concede Jesus is divine but cannot believe any writing could remain accurate after being copied and recopied for over 2000 years, so again, the stories about Him cannot be true.
However, the Bible says God is not mocked. Because He is God, He is more than able to do anything man thinks is impossible, such as reveal Himself in a Man or preserve His truth in a book. Besides, He is not unaware of those who deny Him. He plans one day to call to account those who make up their own version of Him. On that day, they will not only be forced to acknowledge their error but will have no choice but to acknowledge Christ: since “every knee will bow and every tongue WILL confess Christ as Lord.”
All need to heed those who recorded God’s Word. They warned of the dangers of dismissing Scripture as the words of mere men. They made it clear that the Bible is not a myth. After all, if they made it up, why not make up something that is not so demanding? Why not a god and a book that never corrects sinners, never rebukes rebellion and does not promise judgment on those who make up their own version?
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