Truth and Consequences

What a world! For centuries Christians have presented Truth to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. For centuries non Christians have acquiesced in a general way to that Truth as it applied to morals and values. Little by little however, non Christians in growing numbers and in growing power / confidence have claimed that they didn’t need anyone else telling them how to behave in order to have their own set of good values and morals. When asked, "Are you a good person?" a response of, "Well, I haven’t killed anyone," seems to be the base-line.

For a long time, non Christians have claimed that they could find their own truth, a truth that was equal to or better than anything some Christian could ‘ram down their throats.’ That experiment I think, is pretty well over. After a hundred or so years of trying to develop and promote their own version of truth, non Christians have come to the only conclusion possible - Apart from the Truth as presented in the person of Jesus the Christ, "There is no truth," or, "Truth is whatever you want it to be."

Rather than adapt to the reality of their Creator who has set out perfect guidelines that would do nothing but bring peace to planet earth (in our selves, our marriages, our communities and our countries), non Christians have decided that we’d be better off if we just do what is right in our own eyes.

God of the Old Testament says - "Love the Lord your God with all your hearth, soul and mind."
Non Christians say - There is no God, or if there is a God I’ll decide what s/he is like.
Jesus says - "I Am the God of the Old Testament."
Non Christians say - Say that again and we’ll kill you.

God says - "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy."
Non Christians say - Who needs rest? Let’s make money every day of the week.
Jesus says - "If you put me first in your life, I’ll make sure that you will always have everything that you need."
Non Christians say - I don’t want you in my life at all, let alone in first place. I’ll take care of myself thank you very much.

God says - "Honour your father and your mother."
Non Christians say - I’ll show honour and respect only those who honour and respect me first. Bart Simpson is my role model.
Jesus says - "The most important person in my eyes is the one who acts like the least important."
Non Christians say - That’ll be the day.

God says - "Don’t kill other people."
Non Christians say - Depends on circumstances.
Jesus says - "If you maintain a position of anger toward someone, I consider you guilty of murder."
Non Christians say - Anger is healthy.

God says - "Don’t screw around with anyone. Remain faithful to your wife / husband."
Non Christians say - I’ll have sex with who ever I want, when I want and where I want.
Jesus says - "Don’t spend time fantasising about screwing other people."
Non Christians say - You idiot! We’ll make an industry out of fantasising about, listening to music about, watching and reading about anything and everything that has to do with sex. Being sexually disoriented will become a sign of health and freedom. And when our children somehow succumb to all this pressure and get an STD or have to kill their baby because they got pregnant, we’ll blame Christians for being too uptight about sex.

God says - "Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you."
Non Christians say - I won’t if I think that I’ll get caught.
Jesus says - "Be content with what you have."
Non Christians say - I’ll be content when I have just a little bit more.

God says - "Don’t tell lies, especially about someone else."
Non Christians say - I will if it suits the situation. And if I’m an average person it’ll be five lies per day.
Jesus says - "Be honest in all your dealings."
Non Christians say - I will if it suits the situation.

God says - "Don’t want what others have."
Non Christians say - Are you kidding? Our economy is based on wanting what we don’t have.
Jesus says - "Real life and real living are not based on what you have."
Non Christians say - Real life and real living are based on getting more than I have. My personal value is directly tied to what I own.

God says - "Love your neighbour as yourself."
Non Christians say - Ya well, I’ll start with loving myself and see where it goes from there.
Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you come to Me because you have admitted that you are spiritually needy."
Non Christians say - I don’t need a spirituality based on any relationship with you.

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you mourn and grieve over your sinfulness."
Non Christians say - I’m not sinful; at least not as sinful as other people.

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you are meek and gentle and kind and humble."
Non Christians say - "I’ll get ahead if I am proud and assertive and sell myself."

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you hunger and thirst for a righteousness that comes from me."
Non Christians say - Thinking that I’m not righteous already is bad for my self-esteem. I’d rather stand in hell and sing, ‘I did it my way.’

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you are merciful."
Non Christians say - "If I’m merciful all the time they’ll never learn to change."

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you are pure in heart."
Non Christians say - Being pure in heart is boring.

Jesus says - "You will be blessed if you work for peace."
Non Christians say - I’m all for peace as long as they treat me right in the first place.

The arrogance of claiming ‘Because I can’t find truth, I declare that there isn’t any truth’ seems lost on these clouded minds. And sadly, as has always been the case, Christians themselves are overwhelmed and overpowered by the world’s influence and are themselves sliding, sliding, sliding towards the logical consequences of living by faulty human reasoning. We now have a world of increasing hate for others, increasing self-absorption and destruction of the very earth upon which we live.