Christ's Name in Vain

It is a shame that the vast majority of professing Christians take the name of the Lord in vain. I’m not talking about cursing with it or swearing by it. I mean in how they live their lives. The word "take" means to lift or carry.When we become Christians we carry the name of Christ do we not?
The scriptures tell us that whatever we do in word or deed, we are to do so in the name of Christ. (Colossians 3:17). This means that whatever activity or conversation we involve ourselves in we are to do so in the name of Christ.
This should limit our activities and conversations to those that would be acceptable in the eyes of the Living God and that would bring honor to Him. But in this day and age one cannot tell who the true Christian is. Many profess they are but their actions leave little diversity between them and the non-believing society in which they dwell.
Tell me when you vote do you vote for those who promote and defend abortion and homosexual lifestyles and do so in the name of Christ? What about sex outside of marriage? Are you believers doing so in the precious name of Christ? What of the numerous divorces without Biblical grounds? How about the foul language and filthy jokes you speak, are they done in the name of Christ? Or stealing, lying, or breaking any other of God’s commandments while taking Christ’s name upon us?
The point is, we are to be “holy as I am holy” says God. This is taking Christ’s name properly.
To the many who take His name yet live as though He does not have reign in your lives, Christ asks; “Why do you call me Lord and do not the things that I say”? (Luke 6:46) Christ said that “many will come calling Him Lord” but He will say, “I know you not” (Matthew 7:21-23 & Luke 13:23-28) Sounds to me that these professors of Christ took His name in vain!

Idol Worship - The 2nd Commandment

Michael Jackson was the perfect example of everything that is flat-out wrong with family life today: sexual deviance, child abuse, divorce, drug addiction, anorexia, self-promotion, gross materialism, astronomical debt, paranoia, reclusiveness, molestation charges, obsession with looks and self-mutilation, among other creepy forms of behavior. When we set up a person as an idol it blinds our eyes to their obvious sins and dysfunctional lifestyles. Why do we as a nation glorify that which is most dysfunctional? What is it in our human makeup that makes us want to adore celebrities whom we don’t even know personally?

Eternal Life For The Wicked?

Many believe it. Perhaps you do too. Ridiculous? Does God's word promise eternal life to those who ultimately defy, deny, and disobey him? You would be hard pressed to find a confessing Christian who would say that it does. However, many, if not most of these well-intentioned believers are believers in eternal life for the righteous and the wicked. Why is this? God's word does not teach it. Immortality is the reward of the saved, those that endure to the end. (Matt.24:13) Whether that be the end of your life or the end of the age. Many people are taught from childhood that the reward of the unsaved and the wicked is eternal torment in the fires of hell. That satan the devil is it's keeper. That he is competing with God for our souls. If the devil wins, you spend eternity writhing and screaming, while he laughs and pokes you with his trident or pitchfork. You'll wish to die and death will not come. How close does this come to describing what you have been taught to believe about the destiny of the unsaved or unredeemed? If it's close, your belief is not biblical. You'll be the one to decide for yourself whether or not that is an important factor. Consider Psalm 37:20, "But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD [shall be] as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away." Doesn't sound as though there is anything left. But that verse doesn't mention hell specifically. Fair enough. Let's move on to Malachi 4:1. "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." These verses give us terms like consumed and burned up. Little doubt as to what will be left. Still not convinced that we're reading about hell? Maybe Christ' own words can add some clarity. Matthew 10:28. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." What's left after the soul and body are destroyed? And He left little room for doubt about where the destruction takes place. You can decide for yourself. What stands the test? Training and tradition or the Word? "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (I Thess. 5:21) An eternal life, even in agony, is not what awaits those who ultimately reject God.

First Things First...

How do you react when someone tells you they worship God, but believe in a way that is totally different from what you believe? Do you get angry or do you shrug it off - "Uh, no big deal." Maybe you feel sorry for the person and begin praying for them. The question I am raising is: do you ever go home and get your Bible out and try to prove what they said is wrong, or maybe even find out it was right?

Is that what stops you? They may be right!

That's what I want you to do here; you will more than likely (at first) disagree with a lot of what is said here. But we are challenging you to go get your Bible and look at what we are saying - what the scripture says. That is what is required to find the truth of God: Read His word.

Here are a few easy ones to begin with:
(find the answers in scripture)

What fruit was it that Eve ate in the Garden?

How many wise men came to Christ's manger?
BONUS: What else did you learn here about the wise men and where they visited the Christ child?

How many of each animal type did Noah take on the ark?

Find these answers and see how they differ from what you've learned throughout your life and if these false hoods have been told to you; what others have been wrong too?

Please come back and tell us what you find.