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Now notice that “noble” doesn't include anything about “Christian beliefs”! It would then appear that we have different standards of “goodness” than does God. If we sin then we're in rebellion to God.
Now notice that “noble” doesn't include anything about “Christian beliefs”! It would then appear that we have different standards of “goodness” than does God. If we sin then we're in rebellion to God.
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Matthew (NIV) 12:30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Matthew (NIV) 12:30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
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So many of us admittedly admire people who may be eternally lost (we'll discuss that momentarily).
So many of us admittedly admire people who may be eternally lost (we'll discuss that momentarily).
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The “unpardonable sin” is “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”. Blasphemy is having an attitude or speaking against what's sacred. In this case, it's the Holy Spirit. We can come up with elaborate definition of what the Holy Spirit is, but in simple terms He (not It) is the presence of God left on earth to comfort and teach us. We can't see the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost), but we know of His presence because God tells us this:
The “unpardonable sin” is “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”. Blasphemy is having an attitude or speaking against what's sacred. In this case, it's the Holy Spirit. We can come up with elaborate definition of what the Holy Spirit is, but in simple terms He (not It) is the presence of God left on earth to comfort and teach us. We can't see the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost), but we know of His presence because God tells us this:
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John (KJV) 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John (KJV) 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
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The Holy Ghost is God's presence. He's the One who keeps Christ's teachings in our minds and admonishes you to seek Jesus. He is God's spirit sent to us to remember and choose Jesus. Since we know that Jesus is the only Way to salvation (John [KJV] 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”, then blasphemy is denying Christ. You reject His claim that he is the only Way to be saved. Blasphemy implies that Jesus wasn't a Savior, but a liar. He wasn't born of a virgin, is not the son of God, did not die in your place and was never resurrected. What's more since Jesus was never resurrected, he's still dead. Likewise, when you die you're lost to the void of darkness. With a belief like this wouldn't you be melancholic?
The Holy Ghost is God's presence. He's the One who keeps Christ's teachings in our minds and admonishes you to seek Jesus. He is God's spirit sent to us to remember and choose Jesus. Since we know that Jesus is the only Way to salvation (John [KJV] 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”, then blasphemy is denying Christ. You reject His claim that he is the only Way to be saved. Blasphemy implies that Jesus wasn't a Savior, but a liar. He wasn't born of a virgin, is not the son of God, did not die in your place and was never resurrected. What's more since Jesus was never resurrected, he's still dead. Likewise, when you die you're lost to the void of darkness. With a belief like this wouldn't you be melancholic?
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Resuming the discussion on “what's noble”, here's what God says:
Resuming the discussion on “what's noble”, here's what God says:
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Philippians (KJV) 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians (KJV) 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
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“Things noble” in God's eyes is thinking as Christ would think; being Christlike. Being Christlike doesn't mean reading about and quoting Him, but living a life for Him. Whatever you do that's good doesn't mean a thing if Jesus isn't your Savior. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” and “God isn't a respecter of persons”.
“Things noble” in God's eyes is thinking as Christ would think; being Christlike. Being Christlike doesn't mean reading about and quoting Him, but living a life for Him. Whatever you do that's good doesn't mean a thing if Jesus isn't your Savior. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” and “God isn't a respecter of persons”.
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I had a Unitarian who rationalized the unorthodoxy of his belief, by giving me a list of presidents, politicians, sports figures and entertainers who were Unitarian. I wasn't impressed because God isn't impressed! Those named were suffering eternal punishment just the same as Hitler and Stalin! They are brothers in the family of Satan.
I had a Unitarian who rationalized the unorthodoxy of his belief, by giving me a list of presidents, politicians, sports figures and entertainers who were Unitarian. I wasn't impressed because God isn't impressed! Those named were suffering eternal punishment just the same as Hitler and Stalin! They are brothers in the family of Satan.
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Now, I'm going to startle you! Abraham Lincoln was an atheist. Regardless of all the good that he's done, it was all in futility. God isn't impressed and God doesn't care that he was a great leader and President. God looks at the heart. You can love man (Part 2 of the greatest commandment), but first you must love God (Part 1 of the same). Yes, Lincoln read the Bible and yes he quoted the Bible. He lived for the most part how God teaches, but he still came up short!
Now, I'm going to startle you! Abraham Lincoln was an atheist. Regardless of all the good that he's done, it was all in futility. God isn't impressed and God doesn't care that he was a great leader and President. God looks at the heart. You can love man (Part 2 of the greatest commandment), but first you must love God (Part 1 of the same). Yes, Lincoln read the Bible and yes he quoted the Bible. He lived for the most part how God teaches, but he still came up short!
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Unless he had a “death bed conversion” and such has never been documented, Lincoln's wife, his best friends and his closest political advisers (Nicholay and Haye who wrote biographies), say he was not a believer in Christ (“Religious affiliations of Presidents of the United States”):
Unless he had a “death bed conversion” and such has never been documented, Lincoln's wife, his best friends and his closest political advisers (Nicholay and Haye who wrote biographies), say he was not a believer in Christ (“Religious affiliations of Presidents of the United States”):
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- Colonel Nicholay said in a letter from 1865: "Mr. Lincoln did not, to my knowledge, in any way change his religious ideas, opinions, or beliefs from the time he left Springfield to the day of his death." (At the time of the death of his son, Lincoln professed no belief in the resurrection).
- After his assassination Mrs. Lincoln said: "Mr. Lincoln had no hope and no faith in the usual acceptance of these words."
- His lifelong friend, Judge David Davis, affirmed the same: "He had no faith in the Christian sense of the term."
- Colonel Lamon said: "Never in all that time did he let fall from his lips or his pen an expression which remotely implied the slightest faith in Jesus as the son of God and the Savior of men."
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As with most good men, there are those who claimed that he found Jesus the day before he died or at the time of death. No such testimony has been confirmed. While we hope that the great man turned to the Lord before he died, we must be realistic. Lincoln was a sinner just like all the rest of us and as it is for us he too must have submitted to Christ and accept his vicarious sacrifice. That's the only Way!
As with most good men, there are those who claimed that he found Jesus the day before he died or at the time of death. No such testimony has been confirmed. While we hope that the great man turned to the Lord before he died, we must be realistic. Lincoln was a sinner just like all the rest of us and as it is for us he too must have submitted to Christ and accept his vicarious sacrifice. That's the only Way!
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We can still admire Lincoln for his moral principles, but the intent of this “thought” is for the reader to realize that being a good and moral person falls way short regardless of position and power. We need to have introspection. Have I really been “good”. Since we've all sinned, the answer should be “No!” If you say “no” then repentance and belief in the Savior must be forthcoming. Say your own prayer of repentance and belief (sincerely) and your hope in the resurrection will be fulfilled. There will be no need for melancholy because hope in Jesus is the Way!
We can still admire Lincoln for his moral principles, but the intent of this “thought” is for the reader to realize that being a good and moral person falls way short regardless of position and power. We need to have introspection. Have I really been “good”. Since we've all sinned, the answer should be “No!” If you say “no” then repentance and belief in the Savior must be forthcoming. Say your own prayer of repentance and belief (sincerely) and your hope in the resurrection will be fulfilled. There will be no need for melancholy because hope in Jesus is the Way!
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Yes, Lincoln was “noble” in the eyes of man, but “ignoble” in the eyes of God.
Yes, Lincoln was “noble” in the eyes of man, but “ignoble” in the eyes of God.
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