You do want eternal pleasure. To be fair, though, here is one of Trumps few but fairly specific plans for helping the disadvantaged: Teenage mothers [shouldnt] get public assistance unless they jump through some pretty small hoops. 3. The natural question to ask about being afraid is what should you do when this emotion of fear is trying to overtake you? God knows you arent perfect and He doesnt want you to try and be. Apart from the strategic factors, such an approach to handling enemies, one that vindictively aims to punish the potentially innocent, is 100 percent counter to one of the core tenets of Jesus teaching. Choosing the right college is all about YOU. "I am not good enough." God loves you no matter what mistakes you make, and actually uses your mistakes for a greater purpose. As believers, how do we deal with this issue of fear? "But I'm not a Christian." Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but cant seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? He lacks compassion. We have come to feel, however, that this approach has ultimately proven nave in the wake of his recent primary victories. He joins a local church because its the expression of what Christ has made hima member of the body of Christ. 7 Short but Mighty Lessons from the Book of James, When it Comes to Miracles, God Does it His Way. However, denying the truth will not change their true state before God (I Corinthians 4:1-5). Repentance, obedience, and full surrender is what He asks. Still Living in a Shutdown World: Has the Church Gone AWOL? Doing so will slowly eat away at your self-esteem, because you can never get it right 100% of the time. There Are No Unimportant Parts of the Church. Or why would you want to be reconciled with God?" Yet, despite these exhortations, we have the real possibility of experiencing fear. by Thomas Nelson Publishers. In fact, we become Christians because we recognize that we are not good. 4. I think that's a pretty good reason for wanting to be a Christian. Return to homepage. Man cannot harm us beyond Gods gracious will for us (Psalm 118:6; Psalm 56:11). He does not want any to be lost (II Peter 3:9). What stands in your way between you and the Lord? God really does change his people. He has recognized that he, in defiance of Gods plainly revealed law, has given his life over to worshiping and loving things other than Godthings like career, family, the stuff money can buy, the opinions of other people, the honor of his family and community, the favor of the so-called gods of other religions, the spirits of this world, or even the good things a person can do. 5:2). Not a chance. So a Christian is someone who, first of all, has been reconciled to God in Christ. Its Christian, named after the one through whom you were adopted, Christ (Eph. Gods faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience (1 Samuel 12:2022). As a committedbeliever already, it was my calling to go out into the world and influence others for Christ, right? However none of them are a necessity to earn Gods love. 8. Or why would you want to have your sins forgiven? Mark 14:22-25). He is author of. 7. Whatever the appeal of Trump to evangelicals might be, it is not due to these conventional stances. God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Judgment zone. Were on a mission to change that. He didnt say if I am afraid, he said when I am afraid. And you do this not because you decided to play the role of Smith, but because someone went to the orphanage and said, You will be a Smith. On that day, you became the child of someone and the sibling of others. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. Whether your fear is rational or irrational, fear is more than just an emotion; fear is also an enemy. Please feel free to send the author of this article any questions, concerns, or feedback that you may have. Along with his presence comes his promises, his peace, his protection, and his provision. God is careful to leave no stone unturned, and for this reason when you walk with him, you can walk in confidence and not be afraid. Most notoriously, he chose to characterize Hispanic immigrants as rapists. Top 10 Reasons Not to Be a Christian - In Search of Truth In the same way that a person cannot love the Yankees and the Red Sox, follow veganism and devour a supper of Texas barbecue, or adore Joanna Gaines but hate shiplap, one cannot really love Jesus and wish to follow him and also vote for a person who so clearly embodies the opposite of everything Christ taught, died for and demands of us. - God truly is merciful. It's because you don't want eternal pain. In him is where you will find everything you need to overcome any fear or worry this life can bring to you. God is careful to leave no stone unturned, and for . Gods grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a greater purpose later, instead of serving shame. The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. In the same way that we cannot believe both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, we cannot believe the Bible and many traditions that are not grounded in Scripture but actually contradict it. At least for GU, transferring is no big deal. The emotion of fear can lead you in many different directions. The Bible says: "Do you have daughters? In fact, we become Christians because we recognize that we are not good. The answer lies in understanding why should we be not afraid? In this same verse Jesus says this. The Church is morally compromised. (Matthew 5:43-48). So why should you want want to be a Christian? Here are 10 reasons, centered around ideas central to the Christian: character, relationships and values: The Bible says: "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." How do you know this is not your last chance before you either die or your conscience becomes so hardened that it can no longer be pricked by the truth? 1 Peter 2:5). (Sirach 7:24). So why should you wantwantto be a Christian? So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one anotherand all the more as you see the Day approaching. 5. Therefore we're all under his just judgment and we're going to be sentenced one day to a lake of fire called the second death or hell. Experiment #2: Invite a Friend to Have a Gospel Conversation, Preaching on Evangelism: Three Key New Testament Passages, http://institute.wycliffecollege.ca/1999/03/whats-so-special-about-jesus-compared-with-buddha-muhammad-socrates-and-zoroaster/, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/september/im-rare-breed-elite-chess-player-whos-open-about-his-faith.html, 5 Reasons to Follow Jesus (that does not include hell) | iCanuck, Watch: How Mission is Flourishing During a Pandemic, A Two-way Interview as the Baton is Passed. Mr. Trump has chosen to make immigration and the economy central themes of his campaign and his rhetoric surrounding these issues consistently appeals to fear and anger, absent appeals to love. 10. 7 Beautiful Ways We Can Reflect on God During a Commute, Surround Yourself with the Right Team to Weather Lifes Storms. This happens when a person repents of his sins and puts his faith in the perfect life, substitutionary death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 12. What questions are answered or raised with the Rangers trade for LHP Aroldis Chapman? Catholicism teaches that good works help to maintain our righteousness before God. 1 John 1:9). "It is too hard." Transferring is difficult. Going to class, work, or practice at a Christian college is a lot like going to church in that it's a chance for fellowship, growth, and discussions with all kinds of people. Antipater of Bostra, a father of the Council of Ephesus, wrote this about Mary, "Hail, you who acceptably intercede as Mediatrix for mankind". (Matthew 19:21). Hebrews 4:15). I have Catholic friends who are devoted to God they are pillars in our community. Listen to the author of Hebrews carefully: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. The standard to which God calls us should not be judged by a few bad apples. In God, whose word I praise in God I trust and am not afraid. And then there's a whole group of things that we do want: pleasure, delight, joy, satisfaction. That is why He gave His Son to be sacrificed upon the cross, thereby giving us an opportunity to be saved (John 3:16). Was his fate sealed? And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. If that's what you mean by "churchy", you've got us pegged! Not only that, its hard to stick with just one metaphor for the church because the New Testament uses so many of them: a family and a fellowship, a body and a bride, a people and a temple, a lady and her children. Is it sinful or wrong to be afraid? Ignoring the judgment to come does not make it go away. The sermon clip is here: https://vimeo.com/195404294. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Let us cast all of our votes for love. - This is a true statement. My whole life Ive been greedy, greedy, greedy, Trump said at recent rally. Now, all those who belong to God are fellow citizens and members of Gods household (v. 19). Restored with Mom and Dad who were Christians? - What have you done? Jesus called the Pharisees out on this exact thing when He said These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me (Matthew 15:8). The Bible says: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Lifestyle statement? However, you can control how you react to it. While some fears are completely rational, there are times fear can arise suddenly with no logic or reason attached to it. John Piper explains why in a 2001 letter he wrote to the people of Bethlehem. "I am not good enough." - When one becomes a Christian, it is not because he, or she is good. And God is eternal pleasure: "In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). Yes. If you have no interest in actually committing yourself to an actual group of gospel-believing, Bible-teaching Christians, you might question whether you belong to the body of Christ at all! This enemy attacks with the goal of overpowering you because when that happens, it can stop you in your tracks, paralyze you, or keep you from moving forward. Together we can display the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way we just cant by ourselves. Upon that plea to be declared righteous in Christ, the Christian is someone who has discovered the beginning of freedom from sins enslavement. Its the story of one human being murdering anotherCain killing Abel. 2. Day in and day out, they put in hard work trying to say and do everything right, all the time. The Bible does not teach transubstantiation the belief that the bread and wine used in communion physically change into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus as an ongoing sacrifice. The word Protestant comes from the word "protest". Honestly, its exhausting. Are you obeying the Lords command (Mark 16:15-16)? However, you should know that choosing not to be a Christian will produce a life that is even harder (Matthew 11:28-30). Confirming this, the priest that I interviewed said that decrees from the papacy are equal with Scripture. Just knowing God is with you should be enough to calm all your fears, but there is more that comes with that. This again points to the reality that we will have moments of fear in life. The Bible tells us they spread a bad report about the land to dissuade the Israelites from entering the land. The way we meet the promise of trouble is with the promise of his peace and his presence. Either way, don't limit your possibilities by buying into myths. Has the Church Lost the Fear Of the Lord? About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Admit it to yourself you are not a perfect Christian. 5. Here are the top 10 reasons why some people delay in becoming a Christian, along with a brief response: 10. Perhaps meditating on the analogy of a household will help us see that being reconciled to God also means being reconciled to his people. The one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family (Heb. The two commandments go together. A Christian is someone who, first and foremost, has been forgiven of his sin and been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ. He will not be tricked, or mocked (Galatians 6:7-8). It is your reaction and how you handle your fear that will determine if it becomes sinful or not. We will not die apart from Gods gracious decree for his children (James 4:15; Matthew 10:2930; Deuteronomy 32:39). There are certainly great things you can do as a Christian that will flourish your relationship with Christ. All of our wants are either toward something or away from something, aren't they? Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. The Bible is clear: As believers, we can stand before God because our sin debt is paid in full no intercessor, mediator, penance, or work can add to Christ's complete work. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27). The Bible says: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. This is all normal for Christians to go through, and doesnt make you any less a child of God. Ultimately, it does not matter what you are afraid of because God has given you a promise in his word to calm that fear. 1. Sermon Length (minutes): 31:35. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. 13 Reasons Not to Be Afraid. No matter your religious views, you'll still find rigorous academics and a thriving, supportive community here. As I said at the beginning, fear is an emotion. Why You Shouldn't Be A Christian | University Fellowship of Christians As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14). 1 Timothy 4:1-3 says that in latter times some will depart from the faith by forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from certain foods. No moral offense receives so many warnings in both the Old and New Testament as idolatry. You share a bedroom at night with the Smith siblings. She recounts nightmares of struggling to pull her father from hell. It'll be really "churchy." Salvation comes through Christ alone: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Trumps plans for dealing with adversaries involve heavy and immediate use of force. He speaks about his daughter in a disrespectful and sexualized way. Why You Shouldn't Be A Christian. (Matthew 5: 22). Regardless of our policy convictions around the place of undocumented immigrants, this broad characterization is cynically aimed to incite fear and anger. Trust Him. Fear is like the monster under my kids beds its power is fueled not by whats really there, but by what might be, what we imagine could be. And God is infinitely valuable and infinitely worthy of our trust and our love. In Numbers 13-14, Moses sent twelve spies into the land of Canaan to get a report about the land God had promised to give them. Never forget that fear is an emotion and you cannot control how you feel. So, at the risk of spilling more useless ink, on this eve of the Texas primary we offer an appeal to our fellow Christians or anyone concerned with the potential moral consequences of a Trump presidency to prayerfully consider how supporting him squares with Christian commitment. 7. Forgiven sins? Sometimes theologians refer to a distinction between the universal church (all Christians everywhere throughout history) and the local church (those people who meet down the street from you to hear the Word preached and to practice baptism and the Lords Supper). God gave us the beautiful gift of salvation out of the love inside His heart. The priests in the Old Testament were encouraged to marry, but Catholicism encourages celibacy. This happens when a person repents of his sins and puts his faith in the perfect life, substitutionary death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Learn more or donate today at, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love. The reason you dont have to be afraid is because we have Gods peace and his presence, which are designed to overcome the fears we have and will experience in this life. So how do we bridge this gap? In John 16:33 Jesus gave us what I call the most overlooked promise in Scripture. When God called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor. Together we can display the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way we just cant by ourselves. He does not attempt to love his enemies, but instead cultivates antagonism. The Bible says: "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." Perhaps the most important reason for becoming a Christian would be so that you escape the righteous judgment of God and spend eternity with Him. Purged in purgatory. The church gives a visual presentation of the gospel when we forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, when we commit to one another as Christ has committed to us, and when we lay down our lives for one another as Christ laid down his life for us. However, the Lord is also just, and He will one day return unexpectedly, as a "thief in the night" (I Thessalonians 5:1-3). The controversial text in John 6:50 about consuming Christ's body and blood, refers to partaking and belonging to Him. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." The Bible says: "Jesus said to him, 'If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'" If it was based on righteousness, nobody would be a Christian, much less be saved (Romans 3:23; James 2:10-11). That is, renounce self-reliance and embrace Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord and Treasure of your life. Escaping God's judgment. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Why Should Christians "Be Not Afraid"? - Bible Study Tools What I love about this Psalm is the honesty of David. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Curses and divination do not hold sway against Gods people (Numbers 23:23). Ive grabbed all the money I could get. 9. 30 Things Christians Can't Do (Or At Least Shouldn't) Even if we put in every amount of effort and willpower we can muster into perfection, we will always fall short. And bear in mind, these are the people most likely to view him favorably. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. At that time, He will be "revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." However unserious anyone might find him, the nation is despairingly at a moment where we must take his challenge seriously. Initially their fear was not sin. Jesus was the only human who ever lived that was able to be sinless, and we will not be able to replicate that. All rights reserved. Peter taught the priesthood of all believers (cf. The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God (Psalm 33:10; Isaiah 8:910). But that universal union must be given a living, breathing existence in a local church. Well, we are not allowed to be . God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19). Before one becomes a Christian they should count the cost, and commit themselves to Christ, whatever the cost (Luke 9:57-62; 14:26-35). According to Pulitzer Prize winning truth-checkers Politifact, which compares candidate statements to evidence, Trumps statements are verifiably false 76 percent of the time. Even when people are rude to you, respond with kindness (and of course stick up for yourself). A Christian is someone who, first and foremost, has been forgiven of his sin and been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ. Adoration of Mary. In a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone, when asked about the idea of his daughter posing for Playboy, Trump replied, Ive said if Ivanka werent my daughter, perhaps Id be dating her. For a self-identified Presbyterian, such a statement is hard to square with Calvinist sexual ethics. If not, why not? Striving to be a perfect Christian just sets you up for failure. Preacher: Mikey Lynch. Many use the excuse, "I need to get out there so I cangrow. By signing up you agree to ourTerms of ServiceandPrivacy Policy, ","providerType":"ooyala","providerLink":"http://www.dallasnews.com/oembed","embedType":"video"}. So if you want . Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. We believe that Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. If that's what you mean by "churchy", you've got . God promises to protect his own from all that is not finally good for them (Psalm 91:14). He is the author ofThe Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. Where Adam tried to push God off the throne and make himself god, the Christian rejoices that Christ is upon the throne. And it will happen no matter where you go. 10 reasons you can't be a Christian and vote for Donald Trump 2:11). Do you see it? Some might have gone so far as to have performed many great works in His name (Matthew 7:22). He knows he has not yet arrived. Hes still fallen and needs the accountability and instruction of that local body of people called the church. The number one reason you dont need to be afraid is because Gods presence goes with you. The rest will come with time and diligence (I Peter 5:10; Hebrews 5:12-14). God doesnt expect this of us. Forcing them to blaspheme their own Savior through slow and painful torture? Why you shouldn't be a Christian in 2021 - YouTube As an altar boy, I believed that only the priest could administer communion as "alter Christus" (another Christ), but the Bible says that this can be done by any believer (cf. Log in. Only your names not Smith. People divide, pick sides, and create separation even within the context of Christianity. We've all felt that way at some point. 13 Reasons Christians Don't Have to Be Afraid | Desiring God If we run away from the difficulties of being a Christian, we will run straight into a trapped life of ruin and misery, which will bring insurmountable and eternal difficulties. Fear is coming. Where's the challenge? The Papacy, Priests, Communion, and Christ. Seven Reasons You Should Not Become A Christian (And One Reason You Should) 22:3440). . Nike returns to NorthPark as lululemon makes plans, Rangers-Astros will be biggest series in Globe Life Fields history, Supreme Courts student debt ruling gives US consumers another headwind.