Know Your Bible

VOL. 13 December 13, 2015 NO. 39

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TIME CHANGE!!

BEGINNING DECEMBER 16,

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY WILL BE AT 7:00 PM!!!

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IS ISLAM COMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY? 9

This failure to read and study the Bible has resulted in a lot of people calling themselves Christians simply because they profess to believe in God, Christ and the Bible, but they do not follow the Lord’s commandments and instructions on how to become a Christian, nor how to properly live the Christian life. They simply adopt and wear the name, without really understanding what it means. They do not know true Christianity.

Because of this widespread unbelief, ignorance and indifference among nominal Christians for true Christian values some have formed an unholy alliance with Muslims termed “Chrislam.” This movement seeks to unite so called Christians who profess to believe in God, Christ and the Bible with Muslims who believe in Allah, Mohammed and the Qur’am. But this cannot be as we shall see. Muslims believe that Islam as revealed in the Qur’am (Koran) should be the universal theocratic religion of the world. So they seek to supplant every other religion. Muslims realized years ago that they would not be able to conquer the Western countries militarily and politically, but because of indifference the people would allow themselves to be infiltrated and perhaps conquered through “freedom of religion.” We can see this happening at the present time all over Europe and America.

Even though the majority of people in the Western countries still profess a belief in God and Jesus Christ they have very little knowledge and conviction about what they believe or why. They don’t even practice what they profess. They “have a form (fluff without substance) of godliness but deny its power (ability)” 2 Tim. 3:5. It hasn’t changed their lives or their conduct. They do not allow God’s word to transform and motivate them to practice Christianity. As Paul put it, “they profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient and disqualified for every good work” Titus 1:16. Muslims use this lack of conviction and tolerance under the guise of “freedom of religion,” to make great gains among the peoples of the Western world. They know that people who possess such little conviction of faith that they do not practice it can be easily persuaded to accept almost anything that pretends a semblance of religious belief in a higher being. So, Muslims tolerate compromise until they gain the dominance.

But Jesus left no room for compromise. With Him it is an either or choice, one or the other, it cannot be both. He said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” Matt. 12:30. Paul clearly condemned any compromise between true Christianity and any false religion, and this includes Islam, when he wrote: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols” 2 Cor. 6:14-16?”

Because of people’s tendency to act like sheep (easily led) they blindly follow any shepherd who comes along. By so doing they compromise their faith. Jesus said His sheep will not listen to the voice of a stranger. They will flee from him Jn. 10:4-5. But if people choose to blindly follow wicked leaders who are themselves blinded from the truth 2 Cor. 4:3-4, both the blind leaders and those who follow them will end up in the ditch (lost in hell) Matt. 15:14.

Such movements as “Chrislam” have allowed Islam to make great inroads in America. Note the following quote from a few years ago in a Muslim paper. - “Islam will become the predominant religion, although it may not become the only religion. We expect differences to exist for as long as the earth exists. Only Allah will settle the matter… Although it is said that Christians are still in the majority I do not believe it. They will have to prove it to me. Right here in America we do not have a majority of Christians, we have a minority of Christians. Many are nominal Christians, just wearing the names they got from their fore-parents, but they are not true Christians … It is wonderful to know that we (Muslims) are the best religion and that we are in the majority.” Bilalian News 4/1/77. Do we not see his statement coming to pass at the present time?

His statement should wake up Christians to the necessity of living the proper life and setting the right example. If the spread of Islam is to be stopped it must be done by people who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. Compromising the truth will not work. God said long ago through the prophet Amos, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Amos 3:3. Islam and Chrislam do not agree with God, His Son and His word, so how can they claim to walk with God? Think about this. Compromise never goes uphill. Compromised truth is always error.

Christians must fight Islam as they do any false religion. Islam is a religion that denies the true God, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Bible. Any religion that denies the Deity of Christ and the inerrancy of the word of God cannot be of God. But, even if we prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is truly God, manifested to man in the flesh, and the word of God is God’s final, completed revelation to us, it will not refute Islam or any other false religion if those who claim to believe it do not live the life. Don’t just say it, live it. Remember, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Gal.2:20.

(Final Article)

—Tommy Thornhill

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A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR THRILL SEEKING CULTURE

In the recent years we have developed a thrill-seeking culture – a culture moved more by emotional stimuli than careful thought – that affects many facets of our lives. I have not been to a movie in years, but I have seen trailers on TV and digital video, and heard people talk about them. I have noticed many come away more enamored with the thrilling “special effects” while having only a sketchy memory of the plot or story behind the effects. At musical concerts, for the most part, the most attention is given to special effects to create an emotional atmosphere than to thoughtful lyrics that convey real messages.

I fear this culture is affecting public worship. People are “going to church” not to be challenged to think on spiritual things but to be thrilled by the “special effects” generated by preachers and “worship leaders.” Rather than songs, clearly worded and sung to praise God and teach each other; words primarily appealing to the head rather than to the arms and feet, the order of the day is for “special effects” designed to give worshipers an emotional high. Sermons must be jazzed up with verbal and electronic special effects so that the audience can be thrilled rather than informed or convicted in their minds. I am not speaking of the use of visual aids, computer generated or otherwise. Visual aids are great tools when they truly “aid” the listener’s understanding, but when used for emotional, thrill and awe value, they are questionable to say the least. I saw a video a while back of a congregation partaking of the Lord’s Supper while an electronically produced large cross was “floating” around the auditorium. A little too much – me thinks.

As I read the New Testament I get the idea public worship is to be done from the heart in a solemn manner, glorifying God and seriously reflecting on the words uttered in the songs, prayers and discourses.

—Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.

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