It has been stated that Christianity is a very narrow way of life. Why is it this way?
It's very simple. The main theme of the Bible is "life" . . .
Deut 30:19 (NKJV) I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
. . . it's all about making choices that promote life, and / or lead to new life.
Everything it states as being a sin leads to death, both physical and / or spiritual.
So to say that the Christian way of life is very narrow is true. It's due to the fact that choices we make either lead to life, or death, and God has said to *always* choose life.
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" Deut 30:19
For gays to be furiously angry with Christians is ridiculous. Christians want to see them have a family of their own, which requires someone of the opposite sex.
Gays are asking Christians to say that choosing death is ok.
**********************************************
When you witness - when you share the Law and the Gospel with someone - what are you doing? What are you asking someone to do?
You're telling them about the one true God
You're asking them to reject their false gods, and idols, and to follow the one true God
Jesus said: Love God first, and your neighbor as yourself . . . What does it mean to love my neighbor?
For starters, the 10 Commandments . . . we are no longer condemned by them, but they are still useful as a schoolmaster, in training for righteousness
In the New Testament, it describes how we are now under the New Covenant. Jesus upheld the moral law, and amplified it. He made it harder. We learn that now, it's all about the thought life.
What is religion?
All world religions are about man reaching "up" to God - A system of rules - Things one has to obtain: holiness, nirvana, righteousness - what you can do to reach God's level
Christianity is about God reaching "down" to man - It's not about rules, it's a relationship
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Co 10:5
Discussion question:
What are some of the false gods that people worship today?
**********************************************
Why believe?
Prophesies fulfilled, 500 Witnesses, Doubting Thomas, Archaeological evidence, Countless changed lives, The rebirth of Israel as an independent nation
Manuscripts - large quantities, the greatest number from any event in antiquity, and within a relatively short period of time from the event, from different people at different times and different places
The Book of Acts - Jesus reappears to Paul in Acts 9 . . . http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=9&v=1&t=NIV#top
101 Reasons I believe Jesus is the one true God - Sermon Index . . . http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?forum=35&topic_id=17275&viewmode=thread&order=0
The godless communists, and atheists, have no understanding of this:
. . . The Book of Acts serves as a transition from the Old Covenant of law-keeping to the New Covenant of grace and faith. This transition is seen in several key events in Acts. First, there was a change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, whose primary function in the Old Testament was the external "anointing" of God’s people, among them Moses (Numbers 11:17), Othniel (Judges 3:8-10), Gideon (Judges 6:34), and Saul (1 Samuel 10:6-10). After the resurrection of Jesus, the Spirit came to live in the very hearts of believers (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16), guiding and empowering them from within. The indwelling Spirit is the gift of God to those who come to Him in faith . . . http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Acts.html
**********************************************
The schizophrenic hears 40 voices all at once, and considers all of them to be equal.
Atheist lawyers have made us into a schizophrenic culture, by removing the 10 Commandments everywhere, taking prayer out of the public school, and legislating that all views are equal.
This cannot be true - All views cannot be true and equal. If something is only partially true, then it's a lie.
Jesus *never* lied. Jesus was perfect, and holy, blameless, and without sin. He said:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jn 14:6 NIV
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Jn 15:5 NIV
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." Jn 10:27 NIV
The first Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." Ex 20:3
An example pertinent to today: We're under the New Covenant, and despite what some say, we're still under the Biblical moral law. God gave a commandment to Moses against adultery. Jesus strengthened it, and emphasized that a man and woman became one flesh in marriage . . . In the New Testament, we learn that it's all about the thought life.
The Bible is the Word of God. You can hang your life on every word of it. Amen.
**********************************************
How do you know that you're not deceived if you proclaim the Bible? Because, "A house divided cannot stand."
The source of this quote is the Bible, in Mark 3:25, which says, "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." . . . http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_'A_house_divided_against_itself_cannot_stand'_mean
What does it mean? You will eventually become all one thing, or all the other . . . http://www.answers.com/topic/house-divided-speech
**********************************************
Jonathan Edwards Sermons - The Way of Holiness (Part 1 of 4) - YouTube . . . http://youtu.be/8kygX1dI3Eg
Greg Laurie - To Die To Yourself - YouTube . . . http://youtu.be/9aNJUjztHns
**********************************************
The Cross Centered Mind - Setting Captives Free ... http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/courses/cross-centered-mind/
Course member Vicky writes, "The continual sacrifices of animals were inadequate and so they left us with consciousness of sin, knowing that the whole, horrible bloody ritual would have to be repeated again and and again and still would not make us right with God. It was like making payments on a horrible loan where the most you could do was pay the interest, but never touch the principal owed. Even if the "interest" was paid by regular sacrifices, nothing was touching the principal debt of sin. That is, until Jesus came! He paid off the ENTIRE debt and took away the fear and guilt and daily torment of having the unpaid debt hanging over us."
If the worshipers of the Old Testament still had their guilt, still had a conscious awareness of their sin because the sacrifice of animals could not remove that, we are just the opposite! We who have believed in Christ and repented of our sin should be aware of our cleansing in His blood, should be conscious of the complete forgiveness of our sin, should be mindful of the removal of our guilt through Jesus' sacrifice.
13 For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Hebrews 9:13-14 (ESV)
Wow! How amazing to consider that our guilt is really, truly gone! How awesome to not have to look ahead to any judgment or condemnation, but rather to rejoice in our freedom from sin and guilt. What an amazing God we have Who removed our sin and guilt through the sacrifice of His One and Only Son! The Old Testament prophet Micah says it like this:
18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. Micah 7:18 (ESV)
Peter said: "38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything 39 from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39 ESV)
**********************************************
