Continuing from yesterday's post: part 2

Here is the main quote by the editorial board. "But hateful, self-righteous claimants to GOD'S true mind are found in any faith, Christianity being no exception. Pat Robertson, who called the other day for the assassination of the Venezuelan president, comes quickly to mind, of course, but he is an easy target. One can't listen long to the cruel and bitter arguments among Christians over gay (homosexual, my addition) marriage or abortion (murder of unborn babies, also my addition) or the Iraq war to think they have missed the point--'and the greatest of these is love.'"

First, let me say that neither I, nor the editorial board, nor anyone else can proclaim who is Christian and who is not. GOD alone know's a man's heart. It is not for us to claim someone is Christian and some one is not. However, we do know that a Christian by definition will obey GOD'S word. We do know that the Bible is GOD'S word revealed by the HOLY SPIRIT. The editorial board may not know that but Christians do. Therefore, we can compare the word of GOD with how a person is living his life publicly and know whether or not he is saying that which is Biblical and living publicly as directed by the word of GOD through the Bible.

We also know that not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a Christian. The Bible warns against false teachers who will attempt to lead others astray and do lead others astray. Just as not everyone who claims to be a Democrat is a Democrat, not everyone who claims to be a genius is a genius; not everyone who claims to be a Christian is a Christian.

That said: Christians are not yet perfect. We are to strive to be perfect through CHRIST but we will not achieve that in this sinful world. We do sin. However, we also repent and accept GOD'S forgiveness. We do not live in sin.

The difference between Christians and the rest of the world are numerous and I certainly will not cover all of them. However, they include among others: that by faith we accept GOD's free gift of salvation through HIS grace, we accept that GOD is the ONE and only true GOD, that GOD (three in one) created the universe and all that is within, that JESUS HIS SON died on the cross for our sins, that HE was buried, that HE was resurrected as a man and then went into heaven to come again to bring HIS people (Christians) into GOD's presence.

We have confessed to the world that JESUS is the SON of GOD and we can only have redemption through JESUS'S shed blood. WE have repented of our sins. We have been baptized into CHRIST. We have received the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT. We strive to be obedient to HIS holy word. We can not be saved through good works, but we do good works in response to HIS love for us. We confess our sins and accept HIS forgiveness. We teach and preach HIS word to the lost world hoping that all will repent and turn to the one true GOD. We pray. If we are active in our faith, we expect to be persecuted for our faith (and we are). We rejoice at the repentance of any sinner who has come to the LORD. We forgive others. We hate the sin but love the sinner. We place or hope, faith, and love in GOD the FATHER, JESUS the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. (The conclusion tomorrow; the LORD willing.)