If we are going to call ourselves a Christian, we are saying
that we are disciples and followers of Jesus.
What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? It's very
obvious:
·
“Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he
will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and
make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And
the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.'” (John 14:23-24)
In response to a Christian who had been arguing against the
threat inherent in receiving more Muslim refugees, a progressive
"Christian" countered that:
·
"A religion of fear was not the kind of
religion that Jesus had been preaching. His was a religion of love."
However, if we love, we will warn. Jesus certainly did a lot
of warning, especially about hell. He also warned a lot about other things.
False teachings and practices were also a big part of His warnings, like blaspheming
against the Holy Spirit.
I, therefore, chided the progressive that he would not have
approved of Jesus' religion. However, he replied:
·
"Perfect love casts out fear. Since you
still fear, you are not walking in love. You claim to follow Jesus, but you
really don't believe Him."
He was referring to 1 John 4:
·
“By this is love perfected with us, so that we
may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in
this world. There is no fear [of judgment] in love, but perfect love casts out
fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been
perfected in love.” (1 John 4:17-18)
Notice that John wrote about a specific form of fear - the
fear of judgment - and insisted that if we walk in love as Jesus did we will
have a greater confidence about who we are and will not fear judgment.
Instead, God purposely created us with a capacity to fear.
Why? Because many things we should fear! We should fear the power of sin and
even God:
·
“And do not fear those who kill the body but
cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him [God] who can destroy both soul and body
in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
On the same thread, another progressive insisted that Jesus
would have received all the Muslim refugees.
Would He? We don't know, but He would have received all who
came to Him but would have also insisted that they'd repent, an ingredient
which the progressives leave out:
·
“And he answered them, 'Do you think that these
Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they
suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all
likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed
them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived
in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise
perish.'” (Luke 13:2-5)
Jesus would also have insisted that love has to begin among
the brethren:
·
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those
who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as
you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the
world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I
have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you
in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you
sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also,
whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you
have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:20-24)
In contrast, progressive "Christians" behave as if
Christians should be the last ones they help. They advocate for Muslim refugees
but don't raise a whisper on behalf of those refugees who are truly in need.
Are these progressives true brethren? True brethren abide in
His Word and don't distort it. They fear God and don't play fast-and-loose with
Him.
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