JESUS vs Lying in the Church

Sadly the political church in America continues to accept and promote lies that bolster its right-wing political positions - and does so, as though there will be no price to pay in eternity.

JESUS warns us against lying throughout the New Testament.

In Revelation 21:8, JESUS tells us that ALL liars will be thrown into the lake of fire. All means all. This is the “second death” after the great white throne judgement – and the BIBLE does not make any allowances for "Once Saved Always Saved" or any other man-made doctrine.

JESUS condemned the Pharisees (religious hypocrites) as being children of the devil (the father of lies) because they did not believe HIM or obey HIS words. John reminds us that those who claim to be Christians but do not keep JESUS’ commandments are liars. 1 John 2:4

The BIBLE warns against lying false teachers and classes them alongside the worst of sinners. Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit warns that in the later times, people will devote themselves to false teaching from insincere liars. 1 Timothy 4

Are you keeping the commandments of JESUS when your church's teaching is focused on those you hate as opposed to simply loving your enemies?

John tells us that “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20 Mat 22:37

Republican Religion vs the Great Commandment

Brethren, if any among you have been led away from the truth, and one brings them back (to Biblical truth), understand, that the one who turns the sinner away from error (deception) shall save a soul from (spiritual) death, and shall cover over many sins (help the deceived return to the path of salvation). Jas 5:19-20

In my last post, I promised to discuss some specific actions and attitudes in the modern American right-wing “evangelical” church that oppose the two great commandments – to "Love GOD and love your neighbor as yourself."

First though, in response to objections from previous commenters, I want to clarify 3 points:

1. I use the terms “American, right-wing, and political” to describe the people I am addressing. I am talking to people who consider themselves to be Christians but have made an idol of republican politics and Christian Nationalism.
2. Some of these people can only see someone who points out their unchristian attitudes as a political enemy – not as someone who is judging the corporate Church like the BIBLE commands - not judging towards condemnation, but judging towards helping the sinner receive a pardon by repentance.
3. The focus is on the right-wing political evangelical church because it is currently the most recognizable public face of American Christianity. Unfortunately, it’s loud remorseless embrace of hateful nativist, dominionist, proto-fascist politics makes many non-believers in this country, and world-wide, see all American Christians as dangerous hypocrites.

Back to the main theme - Let’s examine two very fundamental (pun intended) attitudes in the American right-wing political church that oppose the Great Commandment.

In recent months racism and bearing false witness (lying) have been skillfully employed by right-wing propaganda merchants to create yet another big lie meant to frighten and further enrage petty racists, especially those who subscribe to Christian Nationalism. I am of course, talking about the critical race theory (CRT) strawman that is currently being demonized in the right-wing media cesspool, (i.e., satan’s lie machine).

What is Critical Race Theory? Simply put, it just an academic concept put forth to encourage law students to recognize the fact that racism leads to unequal outcomes in the American legal system.

The creation of the CRT strawman was/is an intentional lie, just like the long-standing conservative efforts to tie any call for human decency (e.g., social justice) to communism/socialism in order to encourage people to believe that the BIBLE commandment to “love your neighbor” actually opposes Christianity! (SMH…)

Conservative pundits are encouraging the belief that “love your neighbor” opposes Christianity

It is bad enough that the conservative media continually promotes lies that encourage anti-black racism, but now nationally known right-wing church figures are adopting these tropes to vilify any truthful examination of American history that exposes its racism. Portraying truth telling as being unchristian and even antichrist is a deception from the pit of hell! Rev 22:14-15

This points to a larger trend in the right-wing church - biblical concepts are being weaponized and christian language is being used to verbally demonize anyone seen as a political enemy of the far right. Outrageous (fox news type) lies are being willfully employed not only to slander enemies outside of the church - but also those inside conservative churches who make even the mildest attempts at acknowledging the truth.  

  

Is it any wonder that so many critics characterize American Evangelicalism as being nothing more than a fig leaf for white supremacy?

The demonization of the BLM/CRT strawman is brazen, open racism. American racists are currently refusing to acknowledge or repent of any racism, past or present, by convincing themselves that anti-racism equals anti-white America. The pretense that CRT will somehow be used as “reverse racism” against white people is just a projection of the fear that someday someone might do to American racists what they have done to their victims for 400 years. That is, of course, use history books to shame their children into believing that they are worthless and undeserving of decent treatment. They pretend that learning history will harm White children when Black and Native children are still living racism everyday. 

A false definition of CRT was specifically created to be demonized by the right-wing media cesspool (the strawman)

Black-Lives-Matter is, in reality, nothing more than a slogan - one that most Black Americans understand to mean that Law enforcement and the Criminal Justice system in this country should not be allowed to destroy black peoples’ lives on a whim without any legal consequences. (The fact that an organization was built around this slogan does not diminish its underlying truth.)

CRT is merely an academic acknowledgement that legal injustice is the long-standing reality in America for Blacks and Natives. (Note that CRT has never been taught in public schools at any level.) The people demonizing these terms – including Christian Nationalists who are going so far as to claim that systemic racism doesn’t even exist - obviously don’t care anything about the truth and care even less about the human rights or aspirations of America’s traditional victims. Rev 21:8

The right-wing media continues to suck the deceived into a cesspit of hate, fear, and delusion - exactly as the BIBLE predicts for the last times. satan - the liar - is your enemy, not other Americans. Come out of Babylon. Jer 51:6  Rev 18:2 

Christian - do you love your Neighbor?

Although JESUS told us to love our neighbor, the modern American right-wing evangelical church has come up with many political justifications to ignore what JESUS called the second greatest commandment.  

In Mat 22:37, JESUS was asked to name the greatest commandment. HE responded:

… “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment…” (See Deut 6:5)

Then, without being asked, HE added: “… And a second (greatest commandment) is like it: You shall love your neighbor as (much as you love) yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets…”

Looking more deeply at the key words, we can see just how comprehensive these commands really are.  

Love – from the ancient Greek word, agapao. It means to do and prefer what GOD prefers; which is to show love to GOD through willing obedience.

All – holos – The entirety (with no part left or given over to the world) of your:

Heart – kardia – Our internal emotional desires; the feelings that evolve into thoughts.                                             

Mind – dianoia – The critical thinking process.

Soul – psyxe - A person's unique individual personality.

When JESUS said that all the law and prophets depended on these two commandments, HE meant that they are the underlying lessons that GOD meant us to get out of all scripture.

When HE said that the second commandment was like the first, it inferred that loving your neighbor proves that you love GOD, i.e., how can you love GOD who you have not seen, if you don’t love your neighbor who you have seen? 1 Joh 4:20

If you don’t love your neighbor, do you really love GOD?

The next time we will look at several specific attitudes and doctrines rife in the modern American right-wing church that willfully oppose the two great commandments.

 

 

 

Do You Know What's in the BIBLE?

I recently started a blog about America's racist right-wing version of Christianity. Along the way I began to realize how many people (believers and non-believers alike) who have very strong opinions about Christianity don’t seem to know what the BIBLE actually teaches. Amazingly, it occurred to me that many people may not know what Christianity really is.

To cut to the chase, JESUS explains true Christianity in the book of Matthew, Chapters 5-7. There, and in several other places in the New Testament, JESUS breaks down the meaning of entire BIBLE into one basic rule: Love GOD and love your neighbor as yourself. As a believer, you can suggest these BIBLE verses to anyone (including atheists) to introduce them to BIBLE truth.

The purpose of the BIBLE is to show us how to be acceptable to GOD; how to live with HIM in eternity. It presents as much as we are allowed to know (for sure) about GOD's purposes for mankind on earth. Unfortunately, many people, including church goers, don’t read the BIBLE for themselves.

For example, there are many posts on Christian reddit forums where people ask: “is this or that thing is considered a sin?” Granted, some of these people are just trolling, but those who are sincere don’t seem to realize that reading the BIBLE is their responsibility as a Christian. If they were reading the BIBLE for themselves, they would probably know whether the modern activities they are asking about are sinful, according to the general spirit of the BIBLE.

The Bible says “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Can you imagine showing up on judgement day and explaining to JESUS that you never bothered to read what HE said - not even one not even one book of the BIBLE?

Holiness vs Unconditional Salvation

OSAS – do you need to be holy?

Do you have to be holy to be saved? Those who believe that their salvation is guaranteed by making a one-time profession of Christian faith, may not think so. Many christians believe that GOD’s grace (forgiveness) covers every sin after their one-time confession. This widely held doctrine is known as “once saved always saved” (OSAS) or more formally as “unconditional eternal security”.

The BIBLE makes it clear that this doctrine cannot be correct because GOD’s promises throughout the BIBLE are always conditional. GOD’s people had to obey HIS commandments in order to receive protection and blessings. Three well known BIBLE parables make it obvious that the BIBLE does not teach that accepting Christ without holiness and obedience results in eternal salvation:

•     The parable of the sower – symbolically shows that only a fraction of the people who hear and accept the gospel are saved. Mat 13:1-23
•    The parable of the 10 virgins (who represent the end time church) – shows that  half of the professing church will miss salvation because they have not maintained a spiritual connection with JESUS (holiness). Mat 25:1–13
•     The prophecy of the Great White Throne Judgement describes people active in ministry being rejected at the final judgement because of their un-christlikeness and hypocrisy, i.e., lack of holiness. Revelation 20:11-15, Mat 7:21-23

What is holiness? 

GOD said: “be ye holy for I am holy.” Lev 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16; Paul said: “Strive to live in peace with everyone and pursue holiness, without which, no one will [ever] see the Lord.” Heb 12:14 (AMP)

“Holy” means that something is special because it is dedicated to, and/or is associated with GOD. GOD HIMSELF is the ultimate standard of holiness because HE is perfect and sinless. GOD is saying that… “In order to be with ME in eternity, you have to be holy”. You have to set yourself apart from sin to be holy, and therefore acceptable to GOD.

The Lesson

This leads us to a super-important BIBLE lesson that many modern believers (and non-believers) seem to have missed. GOD’s temple in ancient Jerusalem was holy because GOD visited it to give instructions to the people that, if obeyed, would allow them to receive GOD’s blessings. JESUS’ sacrifice ended the need for a physical Temple and allowed us to meet with GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT in our spirit – our holy place – through prayer. John 14:15-21 GOD would not visit the ancient Temple building if it was defiled / made unclean (unholy). Like the temple, if our holy place is defiled through continual sin, we become an abomination (literally a “bad smell”) and GOD will not dwell with us. When we “clean” our holy place through sincere repentance, we can become holy again.

The BIBLE is a contract between man and GOD, i.e., “…if you obey MY commandments, I will bless you and save you.” JESUS and all the disciples told us repeatedly that we must seek holiness and be obedient until the very end if we expect to be saved. In the end, OSAS is just another false version of Christianity that tells people that after accepting JESUS, they can sin over and over and still be saved.

A different way to approach the QAnon disease

Ironically, the approach involves the very thing that seems to make many deceived QAnoners so self-assured about their political beliefs – religion. Americans have been indoctrinated for decades to believe that right-wing politics and Christianity are the same thing, so it isn’t surprising that evangelical themes have been woven into the Q propaganda. 

Hatred, anger, condemnation, and acceptance of lying are major behaviors that QAnon has implanted in its followers. These sinful attitudes are disqualifying for salvation, according to the BIBLE. In Gal 5:20-21, Paul says “… hatreds, quarreling, jealousies (malice and indignation), rages, contentions, discords (division/sedition)…”; those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

It is apparent that Q people and many others have forgotten (or never knew) that the real message of the New Testament is love and mercy. A few very basic, easily remembered BIBLE concepts can be used to refute most of the negative tropes advanced by QAnon and the right-wing media echo chamber:

1.     Love your neighbor as yourself. Gal 5:14

2.     Don’t condemn others Mat 7:1-3

3.     Don’t lie (especially in a way that injures others). Exo 20:16

When your QAnoner spews hatred for Democrats, other races, immigrants, non-Q believers, etc., remind them:

Didn’t JESUS say: … to Love GOD and love your neighbor as yourself...? (FYI: JESUS also said this is the most important commandment in the whole BIBLE. Mar 12:29-31)

Or:

I thought JESUS said to: Love your enemies and pray for them. Mat 5:44

When the Q person condemns others, eg “evil democrats”, liberal “communists”, Black/ Mexican/Antifa “criminals”, etc.

Remind them that the BIBLE says we aren’t to judge those outside the church and shouldn’t condemn others at all. (judgement is different from condemnation – condemn means “worthy of damnation”)

When your QAnoner makes their typically wild unproven charges (lies) against the people they hate:

Kindly ask them if saying such things is consistent with the BIBLE; especially if they don’t really know whether they are 100% true or just rumors? 

After all, this is the age of deception (according to end-time BIBLE beliefs). If they believe everything on the mainstream media is false, why do they believe anonymous people on the internet who are telling others what they want to believe, and in some cases, who just want attention? Remind them that the BIBLE calls for evidence from two or three eye witnesses to bring a serious charge against anyone; otherwise, it is a sin according to the 9^th Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exo 20:16 Deut 19:15 Mat 18:16 Ask them, in sincerity, if it might affect their salvation to make and believe charges against others that might not be true. Obviously, no one takes kindly to being called a liar – but FYI, the BIBLE plainly says that Liars cannot be saved. Revelation 21:8, Rev 21:27 You might remind them that lying and bearing false witness, even unintentionally, is dangerous for their souls.

Make your objections with meekness. Don’t argue; many deprogrammers warn that arguing with people who have embraced cult beliefs will just make them dig in their heels. Don’t try to get involved in a theological discussion – merely ask them in a sincere manner if their Q belief/slogan/talking point is consistent with the BIBLE message of love.

Outro:

I am not naïve enough to think that this will be an immediate solution for most people. After all, these Q folks didn’t come by their deeply ingrained false belief system overnight – it is the result of decades of propaganda that has made them accept the idea that republican politics is synonymous with Christianity. True Christianity works on the conscience (the heart). People often have to stew over the truth that is offered to them – and then, sometime later, they may come around. 

Does the BIBLE really say to never “Judge” others?

These days when someone says “don’t judge me” – they generally mean that you have no right to state an opinion about their behavior or beliefs that might be hurtful or embarrassing to them. This is especially true when they rationalize their actions as not harming anyone. 

The BIBLE actually does say that we shouldn't judge un-believers; but does the BIBLE tell us to never judge anyone, as so many Christians seem to believe? 

The Apostle Paul, says this about judging un-believers: "What business of mine is it, and what right do I have to judge outsiders?... God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside the church." However, Paul goes on to say that we are supposed to judge other Christians – even to the point of kicking them out of the church if they refuse to repent after their un-Christian actions are pointed out to them. “Isn't it those inside the church that you should judge? Put away the wicked person from among you." 1Co 5:12-13

Furthermore, JESUS himself commanded us to judge: "Be honest in your judgment and stop judging by appearances; but always (continuously) judge fairly and righteously." Joh 7:24 Meaning that we should be in a constant state of Christian discernment in regard to recognizing good and evil, without seeking to punish the sinners ourselves.

To Judge - definition: 

The original Greek word krínō translated into English, is the word judge. It simply means to separate/distinguish between right and wrong. Judgement can be righteous or unrighteous depending on the attitude of the person making the judgment. 

Misquoted BIBLE Verses 

Matthew 7 and James 4 are often misquoted by those who incorrectly believe that the BIBLE tells us to never judge. Unrighteous judgement is the merciless, prideful condemnation of others – often based on slander and prejudice. ROM 2:1-3 Righteous judgement uses spiritual discernment (BIBLE knowledge) to determine whether the actions and attitudes of other Christians are righteous according to the WORD of GOD. Hence, the full meaning of the word judgement must be determined from the full context of the BIBLE verse where it appears. Mat 7 and Jam 4 are talking about judgement as condemnation; judgement by someone who believes, in their pride, that other people are worthless and undeserving of decent treatment.   

In Mat 7:1-3, JESUS says: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” This is the famous verse that condemns hypocrisy: “Cast the beam out of your own eye so you can see clearly to cast the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Symbolically, it means that hypocrites are spiritually blinded by having a big plank of wood (representing their own sins) sticking in their eye. Nevertheless, they are determined to look for and condemn the small sins of others (the speck of dust). JESUS is telling us to be especially careful about judging and condemning others when we have sin in our own lives. In doing so, you are passing judgement on yourself in eternity because GOD will not be merciful to you if you are not merciful to others. The point is: don't be judgmental, hypocritically condemning others (as so many modern christian "leaders" do) defaming Christianity in the process. 

James 4:11 says: "Do not speak evil of/slander one another. He that speaks against his brother, and judges his brother, speaks against the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge." In other words, you are putting yourself above the law; self-righteously bearing false witness and acting as god when you condemn someone (in your own mind) to hell. 

People are mistaken in connecting the words “slander” and “judge” as though they mean the same thing. They do not. Slander means “to tell lies about a person in order to damage their reputation”; i.e., bearing false witness as forbidden in the 9th Commandment. You can see that when people confuse judgement with slander, it leads them to accept the idea that all judgement is wrong. The failure of the American evangelical church to judge itself has led to the acceptance of a "broad road" version of christianity that fails to reflect the commandments of JESUS.   

Calling sinners to repent is not unrighteous “Judgement” 

Sometimes righteousness demands that we rebuke other Christians, calling out their sin(s) so that they can repent and be saved. James 5:19 says: “My brethren, if one of you (a Christian) should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back (to GOD), remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” How can you convince someone to repent without judging/discussing their sins and/or unbiblical attitudes? Righteous judgment is done as an act of love, reminding someone what they must do to be saved – not as an attack with the desire to punish.  

Unrighteous Judgement

Judging according to facts is very different from being judgmental. Being judgmental means to be constantly critical and condemnatory - based on personal opinion, pride, and/or prejudice. Unrighteous judgements are made when anyone sets themselves as the accuser, judge, jury, and executioner – hypocritically judging according to their own prejudices. Such people, in their pride, are happy to consign others to hell from their self-appointed position as a sanctimonious judge (even if it is only in their own minds). This attitude is representative of the modern hypocrite church that wants to judge the world without first judging themselves. 

Only GOD knows who can be saved and GOD is the only judge who can condemn. If you want GOD to give you another chance when you sin, then you should, according to scripture, desire the same thing for others. As such, righteous judgement within the church should be for correction, not condemnation. 

Where the rubber meets the road… 

Any teaching on judgement is complicated by the fact that entire denominations in modern America have been influenced by the false teaching known as unconditional eternal security (OSAS). Unconditional security that makes them believe that they will be saved regardless of their un-Biblical actions and attitudes. Moreover, many American evangelicals have been taught to condemn (to hell) anyone who does not agree, point for point, with their vengeful right-wing politics and they openly condemn their perceived political enemies as being demonic. It is ironic and frustrating that the people who refuse to be rebuked/judged are among the most judgmental people in the nation. 

In relation to this blog, it hasn’t surprised me that people continue to accuse me of being judgmental (and even divisive) by exposing the traditional religious racism of the American church. When people see their golden calves being skewered by BIBLICAL truth, they attack the messenger and claim that they are being judged/slandered as individuals. However, the information presented here only seeks to bring group attitudes and beliefs into question, by comparing them to what the BIBLE actually says. I call on all people to test their tradition and denominational beliefs against the Scripture. Repent and “change your mind”.