I was walking in a cemetery recently when I thought: Surely, sadly, not every single person in that cemetery is saved. How much would one of those people in Hell give, to have one more minute on Earth? To be surrounded by flames, constantly burned, for years and years on end........... and then to suddenly be in that cemetery with me? To experience just a few of the things we take for granted every day? How glad would someone who had been burning in flames for 80+ years be to take a small drink from the water I had brought with me? How glad would they be to hear the distant sounds of a factory? How glad would they be to see the foliage again? How glad would they be to feel the breeze on their face? How glad would they be for the solemn quietness there? ... And yet that won't happen. I'm no expert on endtime prophecies, but as far as I understand, the only reprieve they will ever get is on Judgment Day. They will stand before God to be separated into "sheep" (the saved) or "goats" (the unsaved*), after which time they will be sent from the first death, to the second death. ... But how much would they give for one more minute beyond that? To have an eternity of punishment ahead of them, but to have that eternity interrupted for a brief moment in time to smell the air? Feel the grass? Read a tombstone in a cemetery? Yet so severe are their sins, according to the righteous judgment of our omniscient Lord, they will not be granted even this reprieve. And yet I'm sure they all yearn for it.
And I don't say this to mock them. I say it as a warning to those reading this. Despite the memes, the reality is that Hell isn't a party where you'll be in "good company" (unless you think Adolf Hitler is good company!) Hell is a place of torment where people will be punished severely for sins they knowingly committed. Every person in Hell was aware of the Gospel. They rejected it, sure, but they heard the message. They were preached to about Hell by many people in their lives. Given the years on the tombstones in that cemetery, the people from that time period would have lived during a time where Christianity played a crucial role in American culture. If you listen to stories from that time, you'll learn quickly that many of those so-called "Christians" were lukewarm chaff. Adulterers, drunkards, racists, abusers, ... who always made sure to have a Bible in the home and dress nicely for Sunday services! Regardless, you'll always hear of at least a few people in those people's lives who made a genuine attempt to live out the Gospel. The Gospel was always available to everyone who rejected it in favor of some prideful and/or hedonistic path into self-fulfilling destruction. If they had that one minute on Earth, I'm certain they would spend at least some of that minute warning those here on Earth. They would beg and plead (to an indifferent and mocking world) that they should turn from their sins and not go down the same path. And indifferent and mocking would the world be, even though the truth is right in front of their eyes. But because Christians can't take these people by the hand and lead them to the edge of Hell and show them Hell, they refuse to acknowledge it. They're certainly able to believe, but they refuse to. There's abundant proof everywhere around them, but until they feel the heat of the flames, they'll resist.
Why?
Judgment is coming, and there are so many who are suffering for following the same paths people are following on Earth today. There are people from the 1900s, the 1800s, the 1700s, even the 100s who are suffering for the same things people still do today.
How much would they give to warn the people of this world today, for just one minute?
... Will people wait until they're looking at the flames to repent?
* Obviously this is not meant to imply that goats, as animals, are evil. The use of "sheep" and "goats" is just a metaphor that Christ used when originally preaching to the Israelites.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Friday, January 3, 2020
Iran
I ask Iran to remember, that the American GOVERNMENT, is not the same
thing as American CITIZENS. We did not murder anyone in Iran -- the
government did. we are citizens, trying to live life, trying to reach
our own personal goals, spending time with our friends and family...... The government acts independently of us. We don't condone most of the
actions of the government.
(I wrote this on Facebook earlier. I wanted to write it here, too.)
(I wrote this on Facebook earlier. I wanted to write it here, too.)
Thursday, January 2, 2020
RE: "Differences Between Human Life and Animal Life" (OB16)
I strongly disagree with something Answers in Genesis wrote. Don't get the wrong idea from this. I AM A FIRM CHRISTIAN and I personally believe in Young-Earth Creationism, but whether someone follows Young- or Old-Earth is hardly important to me. It's more the details of their article than the primary message of it. Since they don't seem to have a contact form (???) I guess I'll just write my thoughts here instead.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE IS [HERE]
The article is, of course, a comparison of human beings and animals. There are differences, and some differences are correctly highlighted in the article. The problem is, the author lets these excessively proud and anthropocentric beliefs distort his interpretation of Scripture, and at at least one point, misses a crucial verse within Scripture. This is an error I've seen in the views of many Christians. Now make no mistake, the Gospel message is inherently geared toward human beings. Jesus Himself said that humans are of more value than "many sparrows". But Christian views of animals are a very controversial subject, and this needs to be handled carefully. And ... I am simply led to believe that Answers in Genesis answered this incorrectly! A list of the points I am convicted by, are listed below along with responses.
1) Man possesses the faculty of speech (see OB2), and his creative communication by means of his vocal system is completely different from those of animals [G7, p. 112–130].
A dog was shown to be able to communicate using buttons that say words when pressed. Apes can learn sign language. I have no idea what "creative communication by means of his vocal system" is supposed to mean; so many animals communicate by using their vocals cords, it's not even worth mentioning. With canines for example, there are distinct barks, howls, yips etc that mean different things based on pitch/tone. There are also human languages (eg Chinese) where tone can change the meaning of a word.
2) Only man received the breath of God. In this way, he was given a spirit (Eccles. 12:7; 1 Thess. 5:23) so that he transcends the world of the animals.
This is absolutely 100% false. Genesis 7:15 clearly states, "They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life." We all know the story of Noah; this refers to the animals that were entering the ark. You can easily compare Genesis 7:15 with Genesis 2:7. "ruach chaiyim" and "neshmat chaiyim". Both words refer to "life" and "spirit".
3) Only man can actually communicate with God. Only he possesses the gift of speech and of prayer by means of which he can express all his thoughts before his Creator.
The claim that "ONLY" man can communicate with God, is found nowhere in Scripture. God hears silent prayers. So if an animal were to acknowledge God, it could very easily pray to Him. Do animals acknowledge God? I don't know. I would certainly think so. I can't claim to know for sure, but if mankind acknowledged God before eating the fruit, it stands to reason that animals, having not eaten the fruit, are also capable of acknowledging Him. Even if I'm wrong, though... THE PROOF ISN'T IN HOLY SCRIPTURE!
4) Only man has a free will and possesses the faculty of creative thought. [. . .] Human beings possess gifts such as freely developing personalities, inventiveness, and the capacity for cultural development (writing, music, historical awareness).
Animals can make art. Animals also have cultures. Yes, these cultures are more "hardwired" than "developed" like those of humans, but they exist, and can be very complex. Canine packs have separate territories from each other. Families have a strict hierarchy that is taught from youth. Also, have you noticed yet how all of these points are about how mankind is better than animals? One thing that DOES separate humans from animals, that this author conveniently neglects to mention, is that humans were the only species out of all the millions God created, that ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and fell into a state of sin. Human beings, and demons, are the only beings in all of Creation capable of being thrown into Hell and tormented eternally for their wickedness.
5) In contrast to the animals, man is an eternal being; this means that his existence never ends, even after the death of the body (Luke 16:19–31). An imperishable body will be raised from the perishable one (1 Cor. 15:42).
NOWHERE in Scripture does it say that animals aren't eternal. This claim is utterly baseless and without a clear word from Scripture, clearly contradicts it. Now granted, Scripture does specifically say that humans are eternal -- the point of this response is not to doubt the Gospel message itself. Humans alone sinned; salvation is only given to humans. However, if we're talking about humans and animals, it's crucial to remember WHY salvation is only offered to humans: humans are the only earthly beings who sinned. Before Eve and Adam ate the apple, all living beings lived in a state as God ordained them. Animals still live as God ordained them; humans do not. If anything, animals are even more likely to be in Heaven because they ALSO have the breath of life (see Genesis 7:15 which I mentioned above!) but are not guilty of sins.
Let's make my intentions clearer for those who still don't understand. Yes, I have had bad experiences with humans my entire life, and for a very long time up to today (and likely beyond today...), I have favored the company of animals over the company of humans. However, I do acknowledge, and take to heart, what God says of human beings, that humans are more valuable than animals. I do see the intrinsic value of a human being -- the soul within, that is lovingly created by God. As God created the natural world, God creates and knows every single human being -- the things that make them similar, and the things that make them unique, individual people. However, I also remember that a mere two verses BEFORE the verse about sparrows, Jesus also says, "For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent." (Matthew 10:29) Both are crucial to keep in mind, in a complete view of Scripture. Anthropocentrists place too much emphasis on mankind, and so neglect the verses highlighting the good in animals. Misanthropes place too much emphasis on animals, and so neglect the verses highlighting the good in humans. Both sides are wrong and paint an incomplete view of Scripture! We CAN'T just pick the verses we like. God has a clear message to anthropocentrists about His love for animals. God has a clear message to misanthropes about His love for mankind. Both need to set aside their pride and their self-righteous beliefs, and look at both aspects of the Bible. Granted, this is hardly a salvation issue. Having a negative view of animals is, by itself, hardly enough to land one in Hell. However, as Christians we're called to become more like God. If God loves animals, AND GAVE THEM THE BREATH OF LIFE, we should strive to give this same love, and seek to understand God's love for them, as best as we can. Those who dislike humans also have a responsibility to strive to love humankind and seek to understand God's motivations for this love, as best as they can, too.
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? -- Matthew 6:26
May God bless you all and guide you, according to His perfect will! In Jesus' name. Amen.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE IS [HERE]
The article is, of course, a comparison of human beings and animals. There are differences, and some differences are correctly highlighted in the article. The problem is, the author lets these excessively proud and anthropocentric beliefs distort his interpretation of Scripture, and at at least one point, misses a crucial verse within Scripture. This is an error I've seen in the views of many Christians. Now make no mistake, the Gospel message is inherently geared toward human beings. Jesus Himself said that humans are of more value than "many sparrows". But Christian views of animals are a very controversial subject, and this needs to be handled carefully. And ... I am simply led to believe that Answers in Genesis answered this incorrectly! A list of the points I am convicted by, are listed below along with responses.
1) Man possesses the faculty of speech (see OB2), and his creative communication by means of his vocal system is completely different from those of animals [G7, p. 112–130].
A dog was shown to be able to communicate using buttons that say words when pressed. Apes can learn sign language. I have no idea what "creative communication by means of his vocal system" is supposed to mean; so many animals communicate by using their vocals cords, it's not even worth mentioning. With canines for example, there are distinct barks, howls, yips etc that mean different things based on pitch/tone. There are also human languages (eg Chinese) where tone can change the meaning of a word.
2) Only man received the breath of God. In this way, he was given a spirit (Eccles. 12:7; 1 Thess. 5:23) so that he transcends the world of the animals.
This is absolutely 100% false. Genesis 7:15 clearly states, "They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life." We all know the story of Noah; this refers to the animals that were entering the ark. You can easily compare Genesis 7:15 with Genesis 2:7. "ruach chaiyim" and "neshmat chaiyim". Both words refer to "life" and "spirit".
3) Only man can actually communicate with God. Only he possesses the gift of speech and of prayer by means of which he can express all his thoughts before his Creator.
The claim that "ONLY" man can communicate with God, is found nowhere in Scripture. God hears silent prayers. So if an animal were to acknowledge God, it could very easily pray to Him. Do animals acknowledge God? I don't know. I would certainly think so. I can't claim to know for sure, but if mankind acknowledged God before eating the fruit, it stands to reason that animals, having not eaten the fruit, are also capable of acknowledging Him. Even if I'm wrong, though... THE PROOF ISN'T IN HOLY SCRIPTURE!
4) Only man has a free will and possesses the faculty of creative thought. [. . .] Human beings possess gifts such as freely developing personalities, inventiveness, and the capacity for cultural development (writing, music, historical awareness).
Animals can make art. Animals also have cultures. Yes, these cultures are more "hardwired" than "developed" like those of humans, but they exist, and can be very complex. Canine packs have separate territories from each other. Families have a strict hierarchy that is taught from youth. Also, have you noticed yet how all of these points are about how mankind is better than animals? One thing that DOES separate humans from animals, that this author conveniently neglects to mention, is that humans were the only species out of all the millions God created, that ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and fell into a state of sin. Human beings, and demons, are the only beings in all of Creation capable of being thrown into Hell and tormented eternally for their wickedness.
5) In contrast to the animals, man is an eternal being; this means that his existence never ends, even after the death of the body (Luke 16:19–31). An imperishable body will be raised from the perishable one (1 Cor. 15:42).
NOWHERE in Scripture does it say that animals aren't eternal. This claim is utterly baseless and without a clear word from Scripture, clearly contradicts it. Now granted, Scripture does specifically say that humans are eternal -- the point of this response is not to doubt the Gospel message itself. Humans alone sinned; salvation is only given to humans. However, if we're talking about humans and animals, it's crucial to remember WHY salvation is only offered to humans: humans are the only earthly beings who sinned. Before Eve and Adam ate the apple, all living beings lived in a state as God ordained them. Animals still live as God ordained them; humans do not. If anything, animals are even more likely to be in Heaven because they ALSO have the breath of life (see Genesis 7:15 which I mentioned above!) but are not guilty of sins.
Let's make my intentions clearer for those who still don't understand. Yes, I have had bad experiences with humans my entire life, and for a very long time up to today (and likely beyond today...), I have favored the company of animals over the company of humans. However, I do acknowledge, and take to heart, what God says of human beings, that humans are more valuable than animals. I do see the intrinsic value of a human being -- the soul within, that is lovingly created by God. As God created the natural world, God creates and knows every single human being -- the things that make them similar, and the things that make them unique, individual people. However, I also remember that a mere two verses BEFORE the verse about sparrows, Jesus also says, "For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent." (Matthew 10:29) Both are crucial to keep in mind, in a complete view of Scripture. Anthropocentrists place too much emphasis on mankind, and so neglect the verses highlighting the good in animals. Misanthropes place too much emphasis on animals, and so neglect the verses highlighting the good in humans. Both sides are wrong and paint an incomplete view of Scripture! We CAN'T just pick the verses we like. God has a clear message to anthropocentrists about His love for animals. God has a clear message to misanthropes about His love for mankind. Both need to set aside their pride and their self-righteous beliefs, and look at both aspects of the Bible. Granted, this is hardly a salvation issue. Having a negative view of animals is, by itself, hardly enough to land one in Hell. However, as Christians we're called to become more like God. If God loves animals, AND GAVE THEM THE BREATH OF LIFE, we should strive to give this same love, and seek to understand God's love for them, as best as we can. Those who dislike humans also have a responsibility to strive to love humankind and seek to understand God's motivations for this love, as best as they can, too.
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? -- Matthew 6:26
May God bless you all and guide you, according to His perfect will! In Jesus' name. Amen.
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