Knowing that others may disagree with us -- and probably malign our integrity in the process -- should we speak the truth, or should we hush up? And I specifically refer to Christians who speak truth according to the Bible. Should we run and hide because we are afraid someone will call us a liar and smear our character?
We're told that Christians are supposed to be tolerant and open-minded. We're supposed to be loving and understanding. We're supposed to accept others as they are. We're not supposed to judge others. And for some Godless and unethical reason, we're told to restrict what we say about the Bible, Christianity, or Jesus in many public settings.
This may surprise some folks, but our guaranteed freedom of speech has not been reversed by Congressional law. And the Civil Rights Act never took our rights away. It was the misguided bureaucrats who took the law into their own hands and confounded reason.
Where is the tolerance, the understanding, and the open-mindedness of those who attack Christians?
It's interesting to note that those who demean the Christ-follower and the Christian faith are not tolerant or open-minded. And when people of many other religions -- including atheists -- demean Christians, it is considered freedom of speech. Those people brazenly employ a double-standard.
Tolerance goes both ways. Open-mindedness is a two-way street. Accepting others for who they are applies to everyone. Loving and understanding....hmmmm....SHOULD apply to everyone. But a dynamic segment of our population hates Christians.
According to American history, adherents of the Christian faith have the freedom to spread the truth of Jesus Christ as found in the Holy Bible. And, because of the inherent freedoms our Christian forefathers identified, adherents of other faiths also have the freedom to speak and spread their beliefs. But no one has the right to tell the Christian he or she cannot speak openly in their own country about God. We're not obligated to quiet our voices just to keep from offending others. That's contrary to our heritage. That's contrary to the Constitution.
Look up the meaning of tolerance: it's a two-way street.
Properly understood and applied, Christianity and Judaism are the only faiths, belief systems, or religions that can hold crime and evil in check. Many other religions shut the door on our heritage and historic faith, and open the door to all sorts of decadence. Oh, the wording in their religious literature may say good things about life, society, and culture. But many of their teachings conflict with life, conflict with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and conflict with loving our neighbor.
Just look at our society with open eyes, and you might see what I mean. Read in the history books and see what happened with Germany under Hitler. The church voted in people who are antagonistic to Jesus. They voted for political savvy instead of righteous integrity. But then, those rulers turned against the people.
I'm not alone in desiring to spread God's truth as found in Holy Scripture. Look at the following paragraph:
"If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused [disseminated], error will be: if God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy; if the evangelical volume [Bible] does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; if the power of the gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation of end." The author? Daniel Webster, 1823.
And because of our national apostasy, Mr. Webster's prediction is becoming reality.
Christian, get back to the Bible. Renew your faith in Jesus Christ. Renew your devotion to Almighty God. Don't cower from those who attempt to put you down. The song says it well: Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
And remember what Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33, "All those who stand before others and say they believe in me, I will say before my Father in heaven that they belong to me. But all who stand before others and say they do not believe in me, I will say before my Father in heaven that they do not belong to me."
-- Gene Linzey is a speaker, author and mentor. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. Visit his website at www.genelinzey.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 04/22/2020