5/05/2008

Two kinds of Christianity

Sorry it's been so long......I have had a thought forming in my mind for months now....and I've thought about it alot this week....so I had to finish thinking before I could write. Hopefully it makes sense....



There are not two kinds of Christians.......there are not different ways to live out your faith.....there are, in fact, two religions by the same name. We are NOT two different parts of the same religion. These two religions are radically different. One leads to life, the other to death. One is absolute truth, the other is the worst kind of deceit. Each group has its following. One walks the wide road, the other the narrow. Both do good works......both try to live good lives....both believe in heaven....but only one believes in hell. They both believe in Jesus....but they don't believe in the same one. This is not a new idea...it's talked about throughout the Bible....goats and sheep....wheat and chaff....they both dwell together, but only one group knows the truth.

Yes, there are two different religions. One is very evil, the other is pure good. It is hard to separate the two, they look very similar on the outside...but the shepherd knows his sheep, and the goats cannot fool him.

The kind of Christianity that is applauded by the world is the kind that is tolerant, open minded, updated, trendy, safe, it brings no controversy, it holds up no standard, it argues nothing, and to them, the Bible is a "good book." Don't be fooled, dear friends, they are trapped in the worst kind of hypocrisy. They claim to be more relevant, they claim to be more "forward" but what they are is deceived. Their doctrine claims that if you say, "the prayer" that you are now guaranteed heaven. That's a nice thought, but it fails to ring true. A prayer without repentance, without a true change of heart just hits the ceiling and falls back to earth....heaven knows it not. These Christians live the comfortable American life....they indulge in every sort of evil that the heathens do....without remorse they rest on the assurance that the "prayer" said in 3rd grade Sunday School will somehow magically save them from death and hell. They believe that they are their own standard, they believe that they can judge right and wrong for themselves. They do not believe the words of the Bible, after all, they're twenty one, or forty five, or sixty.....they must certainly know more then a book that has withstood two thousand years of controversy. The prophet Jeremiah hears from the Lord on this very subject, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD.

They keep saying to those who despise me,
'The LORD says: You will have peace.'
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, 'No harm will come to you.'


But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?
Jeremiah 23:16-18

The leaders of this cult promise false peace and security. They claim their destination to be heaven while sitting on a bus to hell.

This is the worst kind of religion. One that is so close to the original that it is hard to see a difference....but there is.....there is.

A real follower of Christ is that prays often....not just once. Those that are going to heaven are those that believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and savior....and because of that powerful realization their lives are COMPLETELY revolutionized. This Christianity is loving, but firm. It holds up the Word of the Lord as a standard, it does not back down from tough issues, it does not gloss over sin but slashes it out of existence. These are the people that preach about HELL and SIN, not to bring fear, but because that is the REALITY of humanity. They have no king but Yeshua. These people are the ones that live and die for the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, and they know him personally. These are the people that don't just surrender, but abandon their lives to the cause for which they have been assigned. They hold no fear of death or hell, or poverty or disease, or hunger or hurt....they are few and far between. They know the real pain of their sin, and the real joy of their salvation.

Don't be deceived. There will come a day when we will stand before the Lord, and he will know his own. You cannot fool him. Either you know him, or you don't, so be prepared.

5 comments:

Jeremy said...

Watch out. This isn't a popular message. You'll find that out soon enough, and some very passionate and intelligent people will try and convince you you're simply legalistic and intolerant for saying that. Be ready. You'll be fine, but be ready for the backlash. Still think you're great...

Jake Sinko said...

Jeremy is a lucky man...You are extremely wise Julianna...And yes, be prepared for backlash...Don't let people "smarter" than you bring down your mentality...You're awesome... :)

Bill said...

Julie,

You have a wisdom far beyond your years. I am just coming to understand the difference between being truly regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit and 'saying the prayer'.

Thank you for having the courage to speak these words of truth.

--Bill W (Jennifer's hubby)

_abe said...

ok... so you guys were prophesying that someone "smarter" would come... well... he has arrived.

:)

But the individual who is higher than all of you has nothing to say at this moment.

he shall return soon with wisdom.

Anonymous said...

Does this make anyone else think of Galatians 6:7?
~Elfy Child

PS
You think some real deep thought my friend. Your mind is a curious place. Keep thinkin' the same way!