Wasting Time Acting Christian

I often say that there ought to be "A Multiple Choice Bible". Why? Because people pick and choose what they want to believe. I'm not talking about difference in interpretation. I'm speaking of denying what scripture says as out-dated, mean-spirited and intolerant!

God is "love". He tells us that:

1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

The Greek has three different words for "love" whereas English has one which encompasses all three. Hence, when we say that we "love" that can mean different things. God's type of love is the Greek word "agape".  It's a spiritual and selfless love exhibited by the life of Jesus. Jesus was "born to die". He did it voluntarily so that we don't get what we deserve. "Grace" is the giving of that type of love! The closest that man can come to that type of love is the willingness to give a life for a loved one. God gave his own life for his loved ones! That's why John 3:16 is so imperative to understand God's love and grace:

 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

When we're willing to die for a loved one, it's normally conditional. If our child is disobedient and deserves to suffer consequences of their actions, the good parent is less willing to pay the price for them. Jesus will do that anyhow! We're all bad children, but he still died for us all! A parent may be willing to give his life if the rebellious child "straightens up". Jesus died for the rebellious child with no requirement for that child to straighten up first! That's the difference between the love man has and the love Jesus has.

Knowing that God loves us, means God always seeks what's best for us! Why else would he care about our behaviors? Just as I don't want my children to use drugs because it leads to destruction, God doesn't want us to sin at all because sin leads to destruction. That's what John 3:16 says God will save us from! We deserved a harsh penalty, but he died so that we won't be punished. Instead of languishing in the eternal prison of hate called "Hell" we get a free room in a mansion in heaven... forever with one provision: We too are to love! Love God and love others!

Since God loves the world (his creation of man and woman) he tells us the truth whether we believe it or not!

John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

All philosophers of all times dwelt on "what is truth"! Stop that right now! Truth is here. We know the truth. God's word is truth. Whatever God says is by definition of what truth is! The next question is "Where does a person find God's truth?" It's in the "Book of Truth" we call The Holy Bible!  When I wrote the name of this book I forgot to use the word "Holy". It's not only a collection of writings of Jews and Christians, but is a collection of HOLY writings:

2 Timothy 3:16a "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..."

2 Peter 1:21 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Jesus quoted Holy Scripture. He knew it because he inspired it, being "The Word" who was with Moses, the judges, the righteous kings, the priests and the prophets from the beginning of time. The Old Testament is truth because Jesus gave the patriarchs the thought to place on paper. It's not their words, but  "The Word's" word! If we fail to believe scripture, God's commands, desires, history and praises, we are in effect saying "God is a liar for his word is not true!", although he plainly tells us that his word is truth! For those who don't believe all God's word he tells us this:

2 Thessalonians 2:10 "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

For those who don't accept God's truth, they will be eternally damned. That's one of God's truths! If a person denies the reality of a real hell where the rebellious are punished, they are calling God a liar! They are delusional living for the rewards of pleasure!

Pleasure is the earliest enemy of truth. "Eating of the fruit of the bad  tree" was more important to Eve and Adam than having eternal life by "eating of the good tree". Both Adam and Eve chose pleasure over truth, obedience and eternal life. They spiritually died! Just as they chose pleasure over truth each time a person today disbelieves God, we too are choosing pleasure over truth. "Pleasure" is the idol that all mankind worships before they believe in and accept God after seeking forgiveness. Our  minds are deluded into accepting what's false! The tactic we use is "Reason". Reason is the fruit of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" whereas "truth" is the fruit of the "Tree of Life". That's because that "Tree of Life" is a metaphor for Jesus who IS TRUTH!

What are some of the flavors of the false fruit of "The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil":

1. God's word is not really truth.
2. The Creator God is a bad god.
3. The Bible is merely a book of history.
4. Jesus is only a good teacher or prophet.
5. The Bible contradicts itself.
6. Science is to be believed before God.
7. A loving God would never "send" us to hell. 
8. Hell doesn't exist because that punishment is too harsh.
9. Jesus wasn't born of a virgin.
10. Jesus' miracles were merely coincidences.
11. Bible stories are metaphors or mythological examples.
12. Jesus never died on the Cross. He was never resurrected.
13. God is dead.
14. The patriarchs never knew then what we know now regarding our psychological makeup.
15. God already died for our sins so we no longer are to obey the law..
16. No one worships idols today.
17. God meant for us to have fun. Pleasure is from God.
18. With salvation we don't change our lives.
19. God doesn't care who our mate is as long as it's for love.
20. Marriage isn't necessary for a sexual relationship.
21. Abortion is not murder. It's wrong to bring a child into the world unwanted.
22. Salvation is a snapshot in time where one believes or is baptized.
23. It's okay to hate if the person deserves it.
24. Holiness is only for a few who devote their lives to God.
25. Truth is relative.
26. We deserve heaven because we're "good".
27. We can live our life for pleasure then change before we die.
28. Satan is a fiction. There's no demons out there.
29. Tolerance is love. Obedience isn't necessary.
30. We must keep separate our Christian lives from our civil beliefs.
31. We'll let our children make up their own minds when they're adults.
32. Telling others about Jesus is intolerant or belligerent.
33. God's word is boring. Church is boring.
34. We can worship by ourselves. Church attendance isn't a high priority.
35. All religions believe in the same God.
36. We must be tolerant of other religions.

If we believe these lies, or any of them, we must ask ourselves "Am I playing Christian or am I a biblical Christian?" Most people, if they answer truthfully" will admit "I'm just playing Christian! I don't believe all God says and I don't take him seriously!"  Of course "Reason" keeps us from admitting "the truth" about ourselves!  However, if you're discerning enough to admit just a little truth, you'll realize that either you know that you're not a Christian or you're "play-acting" the role of a Christian. God will not be fooled!

Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"

Luke 16:15 "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

 God knows our every thought! We justify ourselves to our fellow men and women, but God knows where the desires of our hearts are! He knows what we pleasure. We may be good "actors" and fool our cohorts, but God will not be fooled. Our acting abilities are just not good enough to fool the God who created us all!

What should bad actors do? Bad actors should quit acting!  At times we all think we're good actors, but at other times we think "Who am I fooling?" Sometimes I feel like a bad Christian. I feel like I'm an actor in a play and that the audience believes me to be real when I'm a facade. What Satan wants me to do when I feel that way is to give up my acting career and let me be me. What does Jesus want me to do? He wants me to quit acting and obey truth. He wants to see a change in my heart which will be reflected in my thoughts and actions!  Being a Christian means change and change I must! I'm a bad actor and so are you. Bad actors go to hell just as those who disbelieve.

What bad actors come to mind in scripture?

Matthew 23:25 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."

Yes, we are at times all hypocrites, but if we seek and obey truth because we want to please God, then there is no need to put on an act. Even when we're imperfect, if we're sincere, God sees our hearts and has the grace to forgive. Each of us may have a "secret sin". It's not really a secret, but it's where we're vulnerable. God knows that sin and so does Satan. The devil uses it to deceive you further, but the Lord can forgive it if the sinner repents. We may have to pray often for forgiveness, but if we're praying for forgiveness, God is graceful.