Thursday evening I was watching ABC World News. What caught my attention was a segment about faith in America. This morning I watched it again on my laptop to glean some more information for this blog entry. I share this because it is another indication that this country is headed down the road to destruction. All one has to do is to read about the Jews in the Old Testament and see what happened to them again and again when they included elements from other faiths into their worship of God.
According to the news segment, 35 percent of Americans worship at more than one place of worship; they don't have a close relationship with a single body of believers to which they are accountable to. Instead they have a La Carte approach to faith. Six in ten Americans who worship include elements from New Age, Reincarnation, Yoga, Astrology, Meditation, etc. into their Christian experience. They believe that God is bigger than any one religion.
The first problem with this is that true faith is a relationship, not a religion. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6, NSB). God has shown us "the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7) by providing a way of salvation and making it a free gift. "For by grace [we] have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8 - 9, NASB). Along with this gift of salvation, God has made it very clear how we should live by giving us the Bible and explaining that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching (the way to go), for reproof (what to do when we get off the path), for correction (how to get back on the path when we get off), for training in righteousness (how to follow the correct path); that the man [or woman] of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16 - 17, NASB).
When, by grace through faith, we are born again and made spiritually alive we become a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10, NASB). James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). True faith does not stand by itself. It is always joined with works.
Very seldom do you hear Ephesians 2:8 - 10 read as a unit. Verse ten is usually skipped because it is the costly, investment part for the one who believes. The message of these three verses is very clear. We are given the gift of salvation for the purpose of going to work for the living God who through Jesus Christ saved us. We are clearly not saved to live for ourselves and to flirt with other religions in any form. We are to carefully study the word and obey it and to love others as we love God. These people who call themselves Christian and flirt with other religions need to test themselves by the Word of God and see if they truly have eternal life.
How many of you saw that news clip last night and thought nothing of it? What path are you walking along and will you be pleased with your life when you come to the end of it? Put a toad in a pan in cool water and put heat under it. As the toad warms up it doesn't realize that death is nearby. How close is God's judgment?
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