1)Pride 2) Envy 3) Greed 4) Sloth 5) Gluttony 6) Anger 7) Lust:
While atheists claim that these characteristics are absent from their lives, these and the numerous other sins that arise from them are destroying our relationships, our communities, our countries and our planet. The entertainment industry actually promotes the message that living these seven deadly sins are the path to obtaining the American Dream. Those lacking in wisdom believe this message.
Now, it seems to me that any right thinking people, if they could, would want to eliminate these sins from their lives. God agrees. In fact He says that He is going to bring that about.
Because God is all good, He WILL put an end to evil
Because God is all powerful, He CAN put an end to evil
For a little while, evil will be used by God to separate those who are for Him from those who are against Him
In a little while God can and will put an end to evil, and all those on the side of evil will be put out of His kingdom for ever.
Change scene now:
If I was stranded on an island and had only one book, I would want the Biblical book of Romans
If I was stranded on an island and had only one chapter, I would want chapter eight.
If I was stranded on an island and had only one verse, I would want verse twenty-eight
“In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”Romans 8:28
This is God’s plan for defeating evil, one person at a time.
. The counter balance to the seven deadly sins is the Fruit of the Spirit of the living God.
. The Fruit of the Spirit describes the character of Jesus.
. The character of Jesus is described as, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.
THAT is the “good” that God refers to in Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew He also predestined TO BE CONFORMED to the likeness of His Son . . . And those He predestined, He also called; those He called He also justified; those He justified He also glorified.” Being conformed to the likeness and character of Jesus is the good that God will bring about, not “apart from” but IN all things; in our suffering, in our pain, in our tragedies. THAT is what God is doing with the evil that is currently saturating the earth. In sadness, in tragedy, in suffering, in pain, in loss, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.”
God is using the evil that we choose to be part of our reality in two primary ways:
. To separate us into For God and Against God groups, and
. To change the character of those who are destined for heaven.
I stated earlier that atheists claim that sin and evil are absent from their lives. Sadly, atheists cannot admit to these sins because a major atheist creed states,
“I don’t need God to be a good person.”
And if they truly believe that, then atheists must of course see themselves AS good people. They must see their lives as being free of sin. If they admit to sin then it’s obvious that they CANNOT be good without God.
“I’m a really nice person. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that I’m nice.”
Apart from cementing their path to destruction by causing them to reject God, as far as I can see, suffering and tragedy for atheists are a complete waste of time. Pain and loss for atheists are simply things with which they must cope until God rids the world of evil and separates from His kingdom all those on the side of evil.
Because God is all good, He WILL put an end to evil
Because God is all powerful, He CAN put an end to evil
For a little while (it's only been two days since Jesus lived) evil will be used by God to separate those who are for Him from those who are against Him
In a little while God can and will put an end to evil, and all those on the side of evil will be put out of His kingdom for ever and ever.
As was the case with the thief on the cross, until your last heartbeat, the invitation to come one side with God remains open.
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1)Pride 2) Envy 3) Greed 4) Sloth 5) Gluttony 6) Anger 7) Lust:
While atheists claim that these characteristics are absent from their lives,
Is this true?
For a little while (it's only been two days since Jesus lived)
I know what you are alluding to, but not by my calendar.
evil will be used by God to separate those who are for Him from those who are against Him
Why would God create evil to separate people from Himself?
Why did He not put an end to evil thousands of years ago? Does He just want to fill His torture chambers with more souls?
Mak, I'm not letting you away with this selective reading of the Bible crap.
Who created evil (i.e. murder, rape, incest, genocide, decay, ugliness, hate, prejudice and war)? God did - the Bible tells us so - I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things: Isaiah 45:7 (KJV). Why didn't we ever talk about this at Sunday school?
If I line up a hundred people, point an automatic weapon at them and then "save" them by allowing them to escape unscathed, have I really saved them?
"Is this true?"
Well Glen, any atheists that I've spoken to insist that they're good people. When I ask to define good I'm told things like, "I haven't killed anyone," or "I'm not like Hitler." You are aware, are you not of the atheist creed, "I don't need God in order to be a good person"?
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"Why would God create evil to separate people from Himself?"
Oh, I don't know that. I have an idea but that's all. My idea is, in the beginning, God would have been for everyone. Problem. We didn't want Him, not if He was going to be the boss.
So, this time around God is only going to be for those who want to be will Him. And those who don't want to be around God? They'll get their wish fulfilled.
Of course atheists will say, I don't want hell. Of course not, except that you don't want God to be around and if God isn't around then all that's left is hell.
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"Does He just want to fill His torture chambers with more souls?"
"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead I long for you to turn from your sin and live."
"you don't want God to be around and if God isn't around then all that's left is hell."
GOD does the choosing.
"While atheists claim that these characteristics are absent from their lives..."
What? No we don't! Only a total idiot would claim to be devoid of these things.
"...these and the numerous other sins that arise from them are destroying our relationships, our communities, our countries and our planet."
Well duh. Being selfish and greedy can lead to problems. Thanks for the edumacation.
"The entertainment industry actually promotes the message that living these seven deadly sins are the path to obtaining the American Dream."
Also a stretch. While these things make for dramatic storytelling, you will generally see the characters who display these traits suffering for them at some later point. That's why people often talk about the "moral" of the story. Maybe you keep falling asleep or changing the channel before you get to those parts of the narrative.
Congratulations, you have all the insight and cultural awareness of Ray Comfort. I give your philosophical musings 5 stars!
BTW if I was stranded on an island I would want a book about how to survive on an island.
Hi Mak,
I know this might not be important to you, besides I might not come to read your blog that often. But, the colors you have chosen make it very hard for me to read. Not enough contrast. Please consider changing your color scheme to something easier on the eyes. (Of course, it is your blog, and only you decide. This is a suggestion, and nothing more.)
G.E.
But, the colors you have chosen make it very hard for me to read. Not enough contrast.
If you use Firefox, learn to use a Greasemonkey/Platypus combo and you'll be able to change the look of any website you like.
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