Christianity—Is Christianity evil?
A good Christian friend died early Christmas morning. Her funeral is today. Because of previous commitments, I won’t be able to attend. However, her Christian friends and family know (believe, if you wish) that only her physical body died that Christmas morning—her soul and spirit live on. Furthermore, one day in the future, she as well as all of us, will receive a new body.
Is Christianity evil?
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (physical body died—my addition). For since death came through a man (Adam of Adam and Eve—my addition), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (JESUS, the CHRIST, the SON of GOD—my addition). For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come (The end of the earth as we now know it—my addition.), when he (JESUS, the CHRIST—my addition) hands over the kingdom (the church; the children of GOD, CHRISTIANS—my addition) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” I Corinthians 15: 20-26 (NIV)
But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual (body—my addition) did not come first, but the natural (body—my addition), and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
I declare to you, brothers (Christians—my addition), that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (die—my addition), but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (When JESUS returns and the earth as we know it is destroyed—my addition). For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immorality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15: 35-57 (NIV)
Which leads to the question: “Is Christianity evil?” as some people claim. The answer is a resounding NO! For,
Christianity Is Good
Romans 12: 18-21
“Hello I’m Phil Sanders, and this is In Search of the Lord’s Way. Today we have a very important lesson. Some people say that all religion is evil, and they especially point to Christianity. Well, is this true? Is Christianity an evil religion or does it promote what is right and good for all? Well, stay tuned and we’ll see what the Bible says about it.
Hello, I’m Phil Sanders and we’re here to search God’s Word for the Lord’s Way. The Bible opens up to us the heart and the ways of God. And we love Him and we want to draw near to Him, so we go to God’s Word again and again. Thanks for spending this time with us.
There’s a story I heard from my daddy when I was young about a pig farmer who disliked the church where his wife attended. Well, every time a member of the church would do something wrong, he would spread the news about how terrible this church was. Well, the preacher in that congregation got weary of hearing about the farmer, so he decided to pay the farmer a visit. Well, the preacher told the farmer he wanted to buy a pig, so the farmer showed him all of his prize pigs, wonderful pigs. And the preacher said to them. ‘Well, do you have any others?’ Well, about this time a little runt pig came near; and the preacher said, ‘That’s the one I want!’ Well, the farmer wondered at his choice, but he sold him the pig. And finally he asked, ‘Well, why did you want this pig? He’s the worst on my farm!’ The preacher replied, ‘Well, I wanted to go all over the community and show people what kind of pigs you raise.’ The farmer objected, ‘Well, that’s unfair! He’s not like the other pigs!’ And the preacher said, ‘I know! I know it’s unfair to judge all your pigs by this one; it’s also unfair to judge all Christians by the wrongdoing of a few.’
I tell you I feel like that preacher when I hear people refer to witch trials, or the Spanish inquisition, or the Crusades. Recently celebrities have suggested that Christianity is a breeding ground for terrorism, makes people mean-spirited, or is filled with hypocrites and crazies. When I hear that, I want to tell them about the Christianity of the New Testament. Let’s not confuse the Christianity of the Bible, the New Testament with a corrupted form of Christianity of later years. (Which is NOT Christianity! Anyone can claim to be a Christian. That claim does NOT make him a Christian! I could claim to be a professional baseball player. That claim does NOT make me a professional baseball player!—my addition)
We offer a printed copy, a CD or tape of our study free each week! So mail your request to In Search of the Lord’s Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083 or e-mail us; that’s searchtv@searchtv.org. Or, if you like, call our toll-free telephone number. That number is 1 (800) 321-8633. We also stream this program on our website at www.searchtv.org. Ken Helterbrand will lead the Edmond church in song, and then we’ll read from Romans chapter 12, verses 18 to 21.
Our reading today comes from Paul’s practical advice written in the book of Romans chapter 12, verses 18 to 21. ‘If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ This is from God’s Holy Word, Romans chapter 12. Let’s pray together. Father, we pray that You will help us to live at peace with all men, to love others and to do them good whether they do good to us or not. Father, help us to be like Your Son, Jesus who loves all of us in spite of our sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
The Hebrew writer warned Christians in Hebrews 2 and verse 1, ‘Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.’ God knows that humans have the tendency to lose sight of what they’ve learned and slowly move away from it. Nobody intends to drift; drifting usually comes about when people become complacent and take things for granted. One generation might be committed to the truth, while the next generation hardly thinks of the truth.
Judges 2 tells of the generation that followed God and Joshua all the days of their lives and they were righteous; but ‘there arose another generation after them who did not know the work of the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.’ (Judges 2 and verse 10) Now, this new generation began to become like the nations that were around them; they worshiped other gods. At times they were nothing like the generation before them.
Well, as the New Testament arrives, we learn of different sects of Jews, some called Pharisees, some called Sadducees. One can read the entire Old Testament and never hear of the Pharisees or even the Sadducees. These sects arose during the 400-year period between the Old and the New Testament. The Lord Jesus spent a considerable amount of time calling Israel away from the human traditions of the Pharisees and the errors of the Sadducees back to true religion, true faith in God.
For instance in Matthew 15, verses 13 and 14 the Lord said of the Pharisees, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’ The Lord Jesus distinguished what they taught and practiced with what the Father taught; and what they taught wouldn’t last; their traditions and practices will be uprooted. He called the Pharisees ‘blind guides.’ There was no need to follow them; He said leave them alone. ‘If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’
In the same way, much of what people call Christianity is quite different from the Christianity of the New Testament. I’m constantly amazed at how many things have worked their way into modern Christian religion that have nothing to do with what Jesus taught or what He intended for His people to believe. For instance, where do you read about in the New Testament about denominations, human creeds, archbishops, holy water, lent, purgatory, or a special priesthood, or a pope? Not one of these things is mentioned in the New Testament. Each of them arose when Christians drifted away the Word and began adapting to the culture that was around them.
Things like the Crusades, witch trials, and the Inquisition came not from the Christianity of the New Testament but from a corrupted form of Christianity. To say, then, that all Christians are mean-spirited or that Christianity leads people to be terrorists is totally unjustified. (It’s a LIE!—my addition) Well, what then does the Bible teach? How are Christians to act and react to those who are not Christians? Well, we’re going to look at several Scriptures that show God’s will for us as Christians.
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5, verses 43 to 48; this is the Sermon on the Mount, He said, ‘You have heard that it was said, that You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as Your heavenly Father is perfect.’
Christ expects His people to imitate the Father in Heaven. They are to be sons of their Father, who causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteousness. They are to bless and love others even when others don’t deserve it or won’t return it. One of the distinguishing characteristics of true Christianity is in how they treat their enemies. Christians pray for their enemies and those who persecute them. Romans 12 and verse 14 says, ‘Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.’
The New Testament gets even more specific in Romans 12: 17 to 21. The Bible says, ‘Never pay back evil for evil to anybody. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ Christians are not to kill with swords but to overcome with kindness.
The Lord Jesus taught and practiced compassion towards others. He wanted people to stop and think about how they treat other people. He taught in Matthew 7 and verse 12, the Golden Rule, ‘So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’ That Golden Rule expects people to rise above selfishness and to be a blessing to others around you. (That does not mean that anyone can do whatever he wishes as the current President seems to believe! GOD has defined SIN and no one is to commit sins!—my addition) Now Pharisees thought only other Pharisees were their neighbors to be loved, but Jesus helped people to see that everyone is our neighbor.
In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus broke down racial and religious barriers, when it came to helping other people. Jews regarded Samaritans as corrupted Israelites who married into other nations and compromised their faith in God. But Jesus used the good heart and the example of a Samaritan to rebuke the selfish and bigoted hearts of his fellow Jews, who would not help a stranger. Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10 says, ‘And let us not grow weary in doing good (Christians do good when they rebuke others, including themselves, for unrepentant sins! SIN is spiritual death. What Christian wants anyone to die a spiritual death?—my addition), for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us (that is, let us as Christians) do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.’ (Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10)
Jesus Christ broke down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Ephesians 2, verses 13 to 16 says, ‘But now in Christ Jesus you (Gentiles) who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.’ Through loving everyone, Jesus brings unity to this world.
There is no passage in the New Testament where the Lord counsels His followers to start a war in His name. Christians do not win souls through violence. They preach the gospel, the good news of the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for people’s sins. Biblical Christianity lifts people out of violence, and selfishness and hatred and puts them into a life of love, and peace, and kindness.
The New Testament does tell when a disciple drew a sword and used it to hurt someone. Matthew 26, verses 51 to 54 says, ‘And behold, one of those who were with Jesus (that is Peter) reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which says that it must happen this way?’
Jesus has, and He had, the power to conquer anyone anywhere at any time, but the Lord is not out to conquer through the sword. The Lord Jesus is love, and no one has ever loved us like He has. He wants to win our hearts so that we will love Him the way that He loves us, not to do us harm but to bless us. (And save us!—my addition)
Just because people claim to act as Christians doesn’t mean that they’re following the will of the Lord Jesus. Many people through the ages have acted on their own desires and have tried to justify their actions by claiming to act in the name of Christ. The Lord said in John 8, verses 31 to 32, ‘If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ Jesus distinguished a true disciple from one who claims to be a Christian. True Christians follow the words of Jesus; false Christians don’t.
According to Romans 13: 1 through 7, God gives government the authority to punish evildoers, so that righteous people may live in peace. When the Jews threatened the life of the apostle Paul; Paul, you remember, as a Roman citizen appealed to Caesar in Rome for protection and his rights. He didn’t organize a group of vigilantes to attack his Jewish enemies. God doesn’t allow Christians to take the law into their own hands with violence. It’s certainly right for Christians to call upon civil authorities for protection and for justice.
Paul urges Christians to pray for civil authorities. First Timothy 2, verses 1 and 2 says, ‘First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.’ Christians pray for authorities to provide peace, so they may live their faith without fear. (The primary purpose of governments is to protect its people—my addition.) It’s one thing to pray for protection from evildoers; it’s another thing to become violent and to take vengeance on your own.
Those who are enemies of the cross can be very cruel to Christians. Evil people don’t mind persecuting and accusing Christians of things that are simply not true. Second Timothy 3 and verse 12 says that, ‘all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.’ The word ‘Satan’ means ‘adversary.’ You see, the devil has been a liar from the beginning (John 8 and verse 44) and is called the ‘accuser of the brethren’ in Revelation 12 and verse 10. Satan doesn’t hesitate to lie about Christianity and falsely accuse them. In ancient times Christians were called cannibals, because they ate the Lord’s Supper. Well, the Lord’s Supper is comprised of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, which prompts Christians to remember the body and the blood of Jesus. It’s a memorial meal, not cannibalism. In ancient times Christians were accused of incest, because brothers and sisters would marry. But it wasn’t physical brothers and sisters but spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ marrying each other. Well, these are clear lies about Christianity; they’re false accusations.
Are Christians perfect? No! They have many weaknesses. They realize they’re sinners saved by the grace of God. They strive to love God and to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, but sometimes Christians fail. Some accusations about Christians are unfortunately true. However, no one, no one, no one can convict Jesus Christ of sin!
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2, verses 21 to 24, ‘For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he continued entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. He himself bore our sins (our sins) in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.’ Oh, what a wonderful Savior we have! Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us to be like our Lord Jesus Christ; to love others, to bless them, and to not take vengeance on them. Father, we are grateful for Your love and help us to be loving to every person we meet. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Let’s take a look at our own Christianity, asking ourselves if we’ve paid attention to the Word of God or if we’ve drifted away from it. We must ever go back to the Bible to examine what God desires from us as Christians. (The Bible as written not the Bible as misinterpreted by those who do not want to follow the truth!—my addition) No one has anything to fear from New Testament Christianity. It’s the religion of love and peace.
And wherever it’s gone, people have learned to love, to forgive, and to be kind and compassionate. They’ve learned to lift up rather than tear down. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. And He grants peace with God; He gives us inner peace; and He teaches us the way of peace with our neighbors, even with our enemies.
If you wish to live in peace, then start with your relationship with God. Get right with God and with yourself. Find peace of heart and soul by being obedient to the will of God. Put your trust in God and believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let the love of God turn your heart from everything that’s evil or violent to everything that is good in life, from hatred to love, from sin to righteousness. You see, that’s repentance. And repentance is how God brings healing to mankind.
Peace with God comes to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He took the pain of death on himself to bring forgiveness of sins. And when we’re baptized in water, we’re baptized into His death (Romans 6 and verse 3). The blood that He shed in His death graciously washes away our sins when we’re baptized according to Acts 22 and verse 16. At baptism God gives us newness of life and He adds us to the church, His family. God then teaches us through the Word to love and to be kind. You’ll never regret becoming a New Testament Christian. Will you become a Christian today? Will you? Give your life to the Lord!
We hope you’ve been blessed by today’s study of God’s Word. If you want a free printed copy, a CD, or tape of this message, ‘Christianity Is Good,’ then mail your request to In Search of the Lord’s Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083 or e-mail us at searchtv@searchtv.org.
Or, call the Search office toll-free at 1 (800) 321-8633. Now, all of our programs and transcripts appear on our website at www.searchtv.org. You can read the transcript; you can hear them again; or you can watch them anytime. Download them if you like. We offer study sheets for every program, and churches are using some of those study sheets in their Bible classes. We also offer a free Bible Correspondence Course. Call or write us. We love Bible students. And we’re glad that you tuned in today. We’re hoping that each time that you come to our program that it will be a blessing to your life. And go by and attend one of the churches of Christ in your area. They help us keep this program on the air, and they love guests. Well, we’ll be back next week, Lord willing. So keep searching God’s Word with us and tell a friend. Keep us in your prayers. God bless you and we love you from all of us at In Search of the Lord’s Way.”
A good Christian friend died early Christmas morning. Her funeral is today. Because of previous commitments, I won’t be able to attend. However, her Christian friends and family know (believe, if you wish) that only her physical body died that Christmas morning—her soul and spirit live on. Furthermore, one day in the future, she as well as all of us, will receive a new body.
Is Christianity evil?
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (physical body died—my addition). For since death came through a man (Adam of Adam and Eve—my addition), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (JESUS, the CHRIST, the SON of GOD—my addition). For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come (The end of the earth as we now know it—my addition.), when he (JESUS, the CHRIST—my addition) hands over the kingdom (the church; the children of GOD, CHRISTIANS—my addition) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” I Corinthians 15: 20-26 (NIV)
But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual (body—my addition) did not come first, but the natural (body—my addition), and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
I declare to you, brothers (Christians—my addition), that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (die—my addition), but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (When JESUS returns and the earth as we know it is destroyed—my addition). For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immorality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15: 35-57 (NIV)
Which leads to the question: “Is Christianity evil?” as some people claim. The answer is a resounding NO! For,
Christianity Is Good
Romans 12: 18-21
“Hello I’m Phil Sanders, and this is In Search of the Lord’s Way. Today we have a very important lesson. Some people say that all religion is evil, and they especially point to Christianity. Well, is this true? Is Christianity an evil religion or does it promote what is right and good for all? Well, stay tuned and we’ll see what the Bible says about it.
Hello, I’m Phil Sanders and we’re here to search God’s Word for the Lord’s Way. The Bible opens up to us the heart and the ways of God. And we love Him and we want to draw near to Him, so we go to God’s Word again and again. Thanks for spending this time with us.
There’s a story I heard from my daddy when I was young about a pig farmer who disliked the church where his wife attended. Well, every time a member of the church would do something wrong, he would spread the news about how terrible this church was. Well, the preacher in that congregation got weary of hearing about the farmer, so he decided to pay the farmer a visit. Well, the preacher told the farmer he wanted to buy a pig, so the farmer showed him all of his prize pigs, wonderful pigs. And the preacher said to them. ‘Well, do you have any others?’ Well, about this time a little runt pig came near; and the preacher said, ‘That’s the one I want!’ Well, the farmer wondered at his choice, but he sold him the pig. And finally he asked, ‘Well, why did you want this pig? He’s the worst on my farm!’ The preacher replied, ‘Well, I wanted to go all over the community and show people what kind of pigs you raise.’ The farmer objected, ‘Well, that’s unfair! He’s not like the other pigs!’ And the preacher said, ‘I know! I know it’s unfair to judge all your pigs by this one; it’s also unfair to judge all Christians by the wrongdoing of a few.’
I tell you I feel like that preacher when I hear people refer to witch trials, or the Spanish inquisition, or the Crusades. Recently celebrities have suggested that Christianity is a breeding ground for terrorism, makes people mean-spirited, or is filled with hypocrites and crazies. When I hear that, I want to tell them about the Christianity of the New Testament. Let’s not confuse the Christianity of the Bible, the New Testament with a corrupted form of Christianity of later years. (Which is NOT Christianity! Anyone can claim to be a Christian. That claim does NOT make him a Christian! I could claim to be a professional baseball player. That claim does NOT make me a professional baseball player!—my addition)
We offer a printed copy, a CD or tape of our study free each week! So mail your request to In Search of the Lord’s Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083 or e-mail us; that’s searchtv@searchtv.org. Or, if you like, call our toll-free telephone number. That number is 1 (800) 321-8633. We also stream this program on our website at www.searchtv.org. Ken Helterbrand will lead the Edmond church in song, and then we’ll read from Romans chapter 12, verses 18 to 21.
Our reading today comes from Paul’s practical advice written in the book of Romans chapter 12, verses 18 to 21. ‘If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ This is from God’s Holy Word, Romans chapter 12. Let’s pray together. Father, we pray that You will help us to live at peace with all men, to love others and to do them good whether they do good to us or not. Father, help us to be like Your Son, Jesus who loves all of us in spite of our sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
The Hebrew writer warned Christians in Hebrews 2 and verse 1, ‘Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.’ God knows that humans have the tendency to lose sight of what they’ve learned and slowly move away from it. Nobody intends to drift; drifting usually comes about when people become complacent and take things for granted. One generation might be committed to the truth, while the next generation hardly thinks of the truth.
Judges 2 tells of the generation that followed God and Joshua all the days of their lives and they were righteous; but ‘there arose another generation after them who did not know the work of the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.’ (Judges 2 and verse 10) Now, this new generation began to become like the nations that were around them; they worshiped other gods. At times they were nothing like the generation before them.
Well, as the New Testament arrives, we learn of different sects of Jews, some called Pharisees, some called Sadducees. One can read the entire Old Testament and never hear of the Pharisees or even the Sadducees. These sects arose during the 400-year period between the Old and the New Testament. The Lord Jesus spent a considerable amount of time calling Israel away from the human traditions of the Pharisees and the errors of the Sadducees back to true religion, true faith in God.
For instance in Matthew 15, verses 13 and 14 the Lord said of the Pharisees, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’ The Lord Jesus distinguished what they taught and practiced with what the Father taught; and what they taught wouldn’t last; their traditions and practices will be uprooted. He called the Pharisees ‘blind guides.’ There was no need to follow them; He said leave them alone. ‘If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.’
In the same way, much of what people call Christianity is quite different from the Christianity of the New Testament. I’m constantly amazed at how many things have worked their way into modern Christian religion that have nothing to do with what Jesus taught or what He intended for His people to believe. For instance, where do you read about in the New Testament about denominations, human creeds, archbishops, holy water, lent, purgatory, or a special priesthood, or a pope? Not one of these things is mentioned in the New Testament. Each of them arose when Christians drifted away the Word and began adapting to the culture that was around them.
Things like the Crusades, witch trials, and the Inquisition came not from the Christianity of the New Testament but from a corrupted form of Christianity. To say, then, that all Christians are mean-spirited or that Christianity leads people to be terrorists is totally unjustified. (It’s a LIE!—my addition) Well, what then does the Bible teach? How are Christians to act and react to those who are not Christians? Well, we’re going to look at several Scriptures that show God’s will for us as Christians.
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5, verses 43 to 48; this is the Sermon on the Mount, He said, ‘You have heard that it was said, that You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as Your heavenly Father is perfect.’
Christ expects His people to imitate the Father in Heaven. They are to be sons of their Father, who causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteousness. They are to bless and love others even when others don’t deserve it or won’t return it. One of the distinguishing characteristics of true Christianity is in how they treat their enemies. Christians pray for their enemies and those who persecute them. Romans 12 and verse 14 says, ‘Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.’
The New Testament gets even more specific in Romans 12: 17 to 21. The Bible says, ‘Never pay back evil for evil to anybody. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ Christians are not to kill with swords but to overcome with kindness.
The Lord Jesus taught and practiced compassion towards others. He wanted people to stop and think about how they treat other people. He taught in Matthew 7 and verse 12, the Golden Rule, ‘So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’ That Golden Rule expects people to rise above selfishness and to be a blessing to others around you. (That does not mean that anyone can do whatever he wishes as the current President seems to believe! GOD has defined SIN and no one is to commit sins!—my addition) Now Pharisees thought only other Pharisees were their neighbors to be loved, but Jesus helped people to see that everyone is our neighbor.
In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus broke down racial and religious barriers, when it came to helping other people. Jews regarded Samaritans as corrupted Israelites who married into other nations and compromised their faith in God. But Jesus used the good heart and the example of a Samaritan to rebuke the selfish and bigoted hearts of his fellow Jews, who would not help a stranger. Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10 says, ‘And let us not grow weary in doing good (Christians do good when they rebuke others, including themselves, for unrepentant sins! SIN is spiritual death. What Christian wants anyone to die a spiritual death?—my addition), for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us (that is, let us as Christians) do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.’ (Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10)
Jesus Christ broke down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Ephesians 2, verses 13 to 16 says, ‘But now in Christ Jesus you (Gentiles) who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.’ Through loving everyone, Jesus brings unity to this world.
There is no passage in the New Testament where the Lord counsels His followers to start a war in His name. Christians do not win souls through violence. They preach the gospel, the good news of the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for people’s sins. Biblical Christianity lifts people out of violence, and selfishness and hatred and puts them into a life of love, and peace, and kindness.
The New Testament does tell when a disciple drew a sword and used it to hurt someone. Matthew 26, verses 51 to 54 says, ‘And behold, one of those who were with Jesus (that is Peter) reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which says that it must happen this way?’
Jesus has, and He had, the power to conquer anyone anywhere at any time, but the Lord is not out to conquer through the sword. The Lord Jesus is love, and no one has ever loved us like He has. He wants to win our hearts so that we will love Him the way that He loves us, not to do us harm but to bless us. (And save us!—my addition)
Just because people claim to act as Christians doesn’t mean that they’re following the will of the Lord Jesus. Many people through the ages have acted on their own desires and have tried to justify their actions by claiming to act in the name of Christ. The Lord said in John 8, verses 31 to 32, ‘If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ Jesus distinguished a true disciple from one who claims to be a Christian. True Christians follow the words of Jesus; false Christians don’t.
According to Romans 13: 1 through 7, God gives government the authority to punish evildoers, so that righteous people may live in peace. When the Jews threatened the life of the apostle Paul; Paul, you remember, as a Roman citizen appealed to Caesar in Rome for protection and his rights. He didn’t organize a group of vigilantes to attack his Jewish enemies. God doesn’t allow Christians to take the law into their own hands with violence. It’s certainly right for Christians to call upon civil authorities for protection and for justice.
Paul urges Christians to pray for civil authorities. First Timothy 2, verses 1 and 2 says, ‘First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.’ Christians pray for authorities to provide peace, so they may live their faith without fear. (The primary purpose of governments is to protect its people—my addition.) It’s one thing to pray for protection from evildoers; it’s another thing to become violent and to take vengeance on your own.
Those who are enemies of the cross can be very cruel to Christians. Evil people don’t mind persecuting and accusing Christians of things that are simply not true. Second Timothy 3 and verse 12 says that, ‘all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.’ The word ‘Satan’ means ‘adversary.’ You see, the devil has been a liar from the beginning (John 8 and verse 44) and is called the ‘accuser of the brethren’ in Revelation 12 and verse 10. Satan doesn’t hesitate to lie about Christianity and falsely accuse them. In ancient times Christians were called cannibals, because they ate the Lord’s Supper. Well, the Lord’s Supper is comprised of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, which prompts Christians to remember the body and the blood of Jesus. It’s a memorial meal, not cannibalism. In ancient times Christians were accused of incest, because brothers and sisters would marry. But it wasn’t physical brothers and sisters but spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ marrying each other. Well, these are clear lies about Christianity; they’re false accusations.
Are Christians perfect? No! They have many weaknesses. They realize they’re sinners saved by the grace of God. They strive to love God and to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ, but sometimes Christians fail. Some accusations about Christians are unfortunately true. However, no one, no one, no one can convict Jesus Christ of sin!
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2, verses 21 to 24, ‘For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he continued entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. He himself bore our sins (our sins) in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.’ Oh, what a wonderful Savior we have! Let’s pray. Father in heaven, help us to be like our Lord Jesus Christ; to love others, to bless them, and to not take vengeance on them. Father, we are grateful for Your love and help us to be loving to every person we meet. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Let’s take a look at our own Christianity, asking ourselves if we’ve paid attention to the Word of God or if we’ve drifted away from it. We must ever go back to the Bible to examine what God desires from us as Christians. (The Bible as written not the Bible as misinterpreted by those who do not want to follow the truth!—my addition) No one has anything to fear from New Testament Christianity. It’s the religion of love and peace.
And wherever it’s gone, people have learned to love, to forgive, and to be kind and compassionate. They’ve learned to lift up rather than tear down. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. And He grants peace with God; He gives us inner peace; and He teaches us the way of peace with our neighbors, even with our enemies.
If you wish to live in peace, then start with your relationship with God. Get right with God and with yourself. Find peace of heart and soul by being obedient to the will of God. Put your trust in God and believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let the love of God turn your heart from everything that’s evil or violent to everything that is good in life, from hatred to love, from sin to righteousness. You see, that’s repentance. And repentance is how God brings healing to mankind.
Peace with God comes to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He took the pain of death on himself to bring forgiveness of sins. And when we’re baptized in water, we’re baptized into His death (Romans 6 and verse 3). The blood that He shed in His death graciously washes away our sins when we’re baptized according to Acts 22 and verse 16. At baptism God gives us newness of life and He adds us to the church, His family. God then teaches us through the Word to love and to be kind. You’ll never regret becoming a New Testament Christian. Will you become a Christian today? Will you? Give your life to the Lord!
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posted by Christian Gunslinger at 7:10 AM
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