(no subject)
I thought what we talked about in church on Sunday was really interesting so I thought I'd share. It was about Therapeutic Moralist Deism. It's this new religion that is based on 5 basic principles. Unfortunately, most of it is junk. And here's why.
1. A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.
This is saying that God created the world, but he really isn't involved in it, kinda just lets life play out on its own. He is watching from a distance. This is sooo wrong. There isn't a thing that happens on this Earth that he isn't a part of. It's all part of his great plan to further his glory, even the terrible things that happen that can't be explained.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
Ok, these are all good and well, but Matthew 22:38-39 says that the first commandment is to love God and the second is to LOVE others. And loving others might not always be the "nice" thing to do.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
Our main purpose for being put here on Earth is to glorify God, in every single thing that we do. And through bringing him glory, we take pleasure in him. It's not really about happiness, because that is a feeling that is fleeting. Things that happen in life are going to cause you to be unhappy, and that's the way life is. You can't go through life without suffering. But there is an inexpressible, everlasting joy that comes from knowing Christ. And that wont ever go away, even if you do suffer.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
Job 12:9-10 says "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." Acts 17:28 says "In him we live and move and have our being." We exist IN him. He holds us together, and could take our breath away at any time he wanted to. So he's involved. Even if you don't know it, or you don't want him to be, he's there. Everything that goes well in your life, he's there with you, and everything that goes bad in your life, he's there too. Every gift or talent you have is because he has given it to you.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.
This is the most dangerous and probably well believed of any of these. It's true, good people go to heaven. The only problem is, NO ONE IS GOOD! The only good person that has ever lived is Jesus Christ, and THAT is the only way to get to heaven. Doesn't matter how many good acts you do in your life, if you don't know him, you wont be in heaven when you die.
I apologize for not talking about Jesus Christ more than I do, because he is the greatest person you will ever know. I can't imagine life without him, and I can't imagine what it would be like to think that this life is all we got. We've got something so much better waiting for us, and if people could just realize the love that God has for them, no one would be able to shut up about it.
1. A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.
This is saying that God created the world, but he really isn't involved in it, kinda just lets life play out on its own. He is watching from a distance. This is sooo wrong. There isn't a thing that happens on this Earth that he isn't a part of. It's all part of his great plan to further his glory, even the terrible things that happen that can't be explained.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
Ok, these are all good and well, but Matthew 22:38-39 says that the first commandment is to love God and the second is to LOVE others. And loving others might not always be the "nice" thing to do.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
Our main purpose for being put here on Earth is to glorify God, in every single thing that we do. And through bringing him glory, we take pleasure in him. It's not really about happiness, because that is a feeling that is fleeting. Things that happen in life are going to cause you to be unhappy, and that's the way life is. You can't go through life without suffering. But there is an inexpressible, everlasting joy that comes from knowing Christ. And that wont ever go away, even if you do suffer.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
Job 12:9-10 says "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." Acts 17:28 says "In him we live and move and have our being." We exist IN him. He holds us together, and could take our breath away at any time he wanted to. So he's involved. Even if you don't know it, or you don't want him to be, he's there. Everything that goes well in your life, he's there with you, and everything that goes bad in your life, he's there too. Every gift or talent you have is because he has given it to you.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.
This is the most dangerous and probably well believed of any of these. It's true, good people go to heaven. The only problem is, NO ONE IS GOOD! The only good person that has ever lived is Jesus Christ, and THAT is the only way to get to heaven. Doesn't matter how many good acts you do in your life, if you don't know him, you wont be in heaven when you die.
I apologize for not talking about Jesus Christ more than I do, because he is the greatest person you will ever know. I can't imagine life without him, and I can't imagine what it would be like to think that this life is all we got. We've got something so much better waiting for us, and if people could just realize the love that God has for them, no one would be able to shut up about it.