R
Rick C. Hodgin
Guest
How much is your life worth?
There are a lot of hypocrites in this world ... Christians who call themselves
by that name, yet are no different than the world. Using profanity, dressing
inappropriately, being rude, mean, watching the TV shows and movies, listening
to the songs, all of which when you compare them side-by-side to the teachings
of Jesus Christ, fall woefully short of what the Bible calls "holy" behavior.
Why? Why are so many Christians hypocrites?
Jesus Christ has a calling upon people's lives. His calling is an internal
calling, and it is a calling toward holiness and action. That calling is not
something that can be received by someone until they are honestly searching
for the truth. For some this comes automatically, but for others they have
to make a conscious decision to honestly and truly seek the truth regardless
of what things they may have been taught in the past.
The truth is ... there are no hypocrites in the Kingdom of God, and Jesus
doesn't call people forward to be hypocrites. He calls them forward to be
disciples, and to receive His Holy message (called "holy" because it's
distinct and separate from the ways of the world), and for the person who
received this to actually live it in their life and to then go out and teach
others.
God knows we are still here in this fallen world, and that we will make
mistakes. We will stumble and fall down in our walk. We might say some
remark, or even do some thing, which we must later repent of. But what He
calls Christians to is an overall movement in this world toward increasing
holiness, a lifelong process for every believer called "sanctification,"
whereby the former ways things were done, thought of, taught, and considered,
are replaced with His teachings over time. Some of these are immediate, but
others will be introduced over time.
-----
If you are put off by hypocritical Christians and think that Jesus Christ is
like that .... please know that He is not. He calls people into a true walk
with Him, in holiness, in temperance, in love, in peace, and always teaching.
If you recognize that many Christians are hypocrites, then that is a good
thing, because you're already half way there in realizing that the way so
many people who profess to be Christians in this world are isn't really the
way we're supposed to be.
What God is calling YOU to be is the PROPER kind of Christian, the one who
is truly born again, changed from the inside out, and then lives the rest of
their life from within that change. He promises this change will come with
the forgiveness of sin and repentance, for all who seek Him honestly and
truly. He visits the pure in heart:
http://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/5-8.htm
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Be the Christian Jesus Christ is calling you to be. Be it for real. Be
it for Him. Be it for all of those around you who are perishing who,
upon hearing the word of truth given rightly, might come out from the
darkness and deception and into His marvelous light.
http://biblehub.com/kjv/1_peter/2-9.htm
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God in an unrepentant state.
It is a wonderful thing to receive Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness, and to
pass from death to life even while we yet live here in this world. Seek a
closer relationship with the Lord, and watch Him work miracles in your life.
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin
There are a lot of hypocrites in this world ... Christians who call themselves
by that name, yet are no different than the world. Using profanity, dressing
inappropriately, being rude, mean, watching the TV shows and movies, listening
to the songs, all of which when you compare them side-by-side to the teachings
of Jesus Christ, fall woefully short of what the Bible calls "holy" behavior.
Why? Why are so many Christians hypocrites?
Jesus Christ has a calling upon people's lives. His calling is an internal
calling, and it is a calling toward holiness and action. That calling is not
something that can be received by someone until they are honestly searching
for the truth. For some this comes automatically, but for others they have
to make a conscious decision to honestly and truly seek the truth regardless
of what things they may have been taught in the past.
The truth is ... there are no hypocrites in the Kingdom of God, and Jesus
doesn't call people forward to be hypocrites. He calls them forward to be
disciples, and to receive His Holy message (called "holy" because it's
distinct and separate from the ways of the world), and for the person who
received this to actually live it in their life and to then go out and teach
others.
God knows we are still here in this fallen world, and that we will make
mistakes. We will stumble and fall down in our walk. We might say some
remark, or even do some thing, which we must later repent of. But what He
calls Christians to is an overall movement in this world toward increasing
holiness, a lifelong process for every believer called "sanctification,"
whereby the former ways things were done, thought of, taught, and considered,
are replaced with His teachings over time. Some of these are immediate, but
others will be introduced over time.
-----
If you are put off by hypocritical Christians and think that Jesus Christ is
like that .... please know that He is not. He calls people into a true walk
with Him, in holiness, in temperance, in love, in peace, and always teaching.
If you recognize that many Christians are hypocrites, then that is a good
thing, because you're already half way there in realizing that the way so
many people who profess to be Christians in this world are isn't really the
way we're supposed to be.
What God is calling YOU to be is the PROPER kind of Christian, the one who
is truly born again, changed from the inside out, and then lives the rest of
their life from within that change. He promises this change will come with
the forgiveness of sin and repentance, for all who seek Him honestly and
truly. He visits the pure in heart:
http://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/5-8.htm
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Be the Christian Jesus Christ is calling you to be. Be it for real. Be
it for Him. Be it for all of those around you who are perishing who,
upon hearing the word of truth given rightly, might come out from the
darkness and deception and into His marvelous light.
http://biblehub.com/kjv/1_peter/2-9.htm
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God in an unrepentant state.
It is a wonderful thing to receive Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness, and to
pass from death to life even while we yet live here in this world. Seek a
closer relationship with the Lord, and watch Him work miracles in your life.
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin