I'm not exaggerating to say that almost every day, at least 5 to 6 times per week I have someone calling me "judgmental" or a hypocrite because I will not agree with them and their individualized gospel that they have come up with. Today alone, three people have said something very similar to this. Two of them were on Facebook and one was a telephone call this evening. One of these people has been a friend since high school and she was irate with me. She told me that I'm losing friends left and right because I always have to feel like I am right and that I cannot respect other people's religions. I told this person that 1) It was not me that was right, it was the Bible, and 2) Not one of these people who have gotten mad at me are from "another religion." All of of them "professed" to be Christians. She said that it's the same thing. No, it's not. When we call ourselves Christian, it implies that we have become BORN AGAIN, that we have died to our selves, our own will and plans and we surrender our lives to Christ, so that He can live in us and work through us. She said, "that's your opinion." No, my friend, that is not my opinion. That is what being a Christian is. Anything less than that is NOT being a Christian. I can tell everyone that I'm 28 years old, that I'm independently wealthy and live in a mansion. Saying it or claiming it does not make it so. Even if I really BELIEVED those things does not make them so. The FACTS are that I am 55 years old, I am relatively poor and I live in a house that is about 130 years old and looks it. You may say that is a silly illustration, but folks, believing you are a Christian because you believe in Jesus and go to church once in awhile (or even every Sunday) does not make you a Christian. To be saved is not to believe in Jesus. The Devil himself and all of the demons in Hell believe in Jesus. It takes more than belief. It takes surrender. And once we are saved *Born Again (which means we died and started over with a new life in Christ) then we turn from our old way of life and walk in a new way. It's called obedience to God's Word. If we are not walking in obedience, then it means we are rebelling from God's Word and the Bible very clear tells us that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. I hear it all the time, "I may not believe the way you do, but I believe." Some say that they and God have an understanding. That is utter foolishness. The Bible says clearly that no man comes to God except through Jesus, which means we do it His way or we don't do it at all. Go ahead, get mad at me, because I would rather you hear the truth and be mad at me than stand back and keep my mouth shut and be guilty of not telling you the way of salvation. This stuff of "I choose to do it my way" is a road marked for Hell. I'm sorry, but it is. When you choose to do it your way, you reject God's way, and there is no middle ground... it is Heaven or Hell.
Go on... post on Facebook now that I'm being judgmental again. The fact is, I'm not. I'm laying out the clear Biblical truth and when you reject the truth, you judge yourself. You will stand before God one day and utter your words, "I chose to do it my way" and he will say that he never knew you. That's not me being judgmental... that's what His Word, the Bible says. I love you enough to risk making you mad and losing your friendship with the truth because what some of you don't realize is that we are talking about eternity here, and that is no laughing matter.
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