True Faith and False Religion

One of the most provocative statements that Jesus Christ made was this one: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

What was Christ talking about? He was talking about the genuine path of faith that leads to God and eternal life versus the counterfeit path that leads to eternal damnation.

How can we determine the difference? The genuine path has been provided by Christ Himself who infuriated the rabbis when He said this: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the (Heavenly) Father except through me." (John 14:6)

The rabbis were incensed when Christ said that because He claimed that salvation was completely contingent upon faith in Him rather than upon following the rituals and customs of a man-made religion.

What? The religion of ancient Israel that the Jews were following during the time of Christ wasn't legitimate? How so? It was a counterfeit that had been copied from the original covenant that God had established with Moses. And that counterfeit had been in practice for centuries before Christ appeared on earth.

The counterfeit religion had been established by the ancient rabbis to force the Jews to follow them and obey their rules rather than God and His law established through Moses. Christ revealed that during His scathing denunciation of the rabbis, as recorded in Matthew's gospel: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matthew 23:2-3)

One of Christ's missions in ancient Israel was to lead the Jews back to God and away from a sham religion. While many would argue that He failed, He didn't. Had Christ failed, the gospel would've quickly been forgotten.

Although Israel corporately rejected Christ, many Jews embraced Him as their Messiah and the gospel was eventually preached to the gentile world. Remember that even before He went to the cross to die for the sins of mankind, Christ revealed that only a few people would truly accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Certainly, the religion of ancient Israel that we now call Rabbinic Judaism, isn't the only religion that offers a counterfeit path to eternal life.

All world religions apart from Christ are counterfeits that lead their adherents to hell. They are all based on various forms of customs, rituals and even occult techniques that promise heaven and deliver eternal destruction. Of these religions, the writer of Proverbs said it best: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12)

Some of these religions purport to be Christian. Without a doubt, the largest form of counterfeit Christianity is Roman Catholicism that emphasizes baptism, works and adherence to its sacraments as the path to salvation and eternal life.

Though this sounds cruel, I'll say it anyway: The Roman Catholic Church has sent millions of people to hell throughout the centuries because of her false gospel.

That false gospel motivated a Catholic Monk named Martin Luther to leave his church in the 16th century after God opened his eyes to the truth. While he was on his knees reading the Bible one day, Luther came across this scripture verse written by the apostle Paul: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Luther went on to write his 95 Theses that contained his charges against the Catholic Church. Thus, he launched what became known as the Protestant Reformation that led millions of people out of Rome's darkness into the light of Christ's true gospel.

Unfortunately, many Protestant churches that were born through Luther's rebellion are now slinking back toward Rome and her false gospel. The ecumenical movement, which would sicken Luther if he was alive today, is rebuilding the broad road that leads directly to the gates of hell.

Indeed, Christ was prophetic when He stated that only a few people ever find the narrow road that leads to eternal life. How sad.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

The Rev. Al Sharpton (left) and Tawana Brawley

Occasionally, I'm asked to write about the ongoing problems in America's black precincts. Since I don't believe that I'm the person who should be writing about that subject, I've usually refrained.

But after watching the buffoonish and incendiary Rev. Al Sharpton dance once again--this time on the grave of Michael Brown, I've decided to throw in my proverbial two cents.

While there are many social issues that have plagued African-Americans for decades, I think that Sharpton sums up best what's going wrong in black America today.

How's that? Sharpton's a classic race hustler. He's made his living by portraying blacks as an oppressed minority held down by the jackboots of racist, redneck whites who want to eliminate African-Americans from the United States.

Remember the infamous Tawana Brawley case? Brawley was a 15-year-old African American girl who went missing from her home in Wappingers Falls, New York in late November, 1987. When she was finally found, she was barely conscious and her body was smeared with excrement. And the letters KKK were scribbled on her body along with the words "nigger" and "bitch."

Brawley certainly looked like the victim of a vicious hate crime perpetrated by white supremacists. She claimed that she had been abducted and raped by three white men, one of whom she described as a police officer. One of the people who immediately took up Brawley's cause was the Rev. Al Sharpton.

The incident generated national outrage. Certainly, that sort of crime was all-too common in the old Jim Crow south where blacks were routinely persecuted and harassed. But in liberal and progressive New York? Was Jim Crow still alive there as well?

After an extensive investigation, it turned out that Brawley had fabricated the story. And she admitted it. She had run away from home to get away from her authoritarian mother who would often beat her because of her rebellion. And to stave off the consequences of her flight from home, Brawley devised the abduction-rape scheme.

Brawley's confession didn't faze the opportunistic Sharpton who exploited the incident to promote himself as a civil rights crusader against white racism. Though Brawley admitted the hoax, Sharpton continued to claim that she was the victim of white racists.

Then there was the infamous Crown Heights riot that took place in Brooklyn, New York in 1991. That riot began after a young black boy was struck and killed by a car driven by an Orthodox Jew. 

Tensions were already high between the two groups before the accident. Blacks felt threatened and exploited by the Jews, and some even believed that the seven-year-old victim had been purposely targeted by the driver. 

Like the Brawley affair, Sharpton saw his opportunity and jumped in, escalating tensions by calling Jews "diamond merchants" who took money out of black communities and put nothing back in. Sharpton's rhetoric provided the fuel for the riots that ensued that led to the death of an Orthodox Jew named Yankel Rosenbaum who was viciously beaten and stabbed to death.

The Crown Heights riots lasted three days and resulted in extensive property damage as well as several arrests, beatings and Rosenbaum's murder. And many of the rioters that caused trouble in Crown Heights came from out of town.

Does that sound familiar? It sounds like Ferguson, Mo. And who incited the riots in Ferguson? None other than the Rev. Al Sharpton who accused Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson of shooting Michael Brown in cold blood because Brown was black.

And even though an independent grand jury exonerated Wilson after a lengthy investigation, Sharpton continues to scream that Wilson targeted Brown because he was black. 

What makes Sharpton so dangerous isn't just his own racism which is obvious. He's a phony reverend who's taken seriously by many folks who believe that he's a legitimate spokesman for Christianity and the church. He's not and he never was. He's a con artist who's made a fortune by exploiting the ignorance and base instincts of gullible people who believe every word he says.

And so, unless and until blacks and whites decide to stop listening to buffoons such as Sharpton--who's only in it for himself--then race relations will continue to worsen in America. 

Nearly 2,000 years ago, the apostle Jude warned the early church to watch out for clever impostors who would sneak in and promote their own agendas: "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.  For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." (Jude 1:3-4)

That's Sharpton. He uses the church of Jesus Christ to glorify and enrich himself. He's a false preacher and a false prophet. And he should be soundly condemned and shunned at all costs. 

Astroturf Rebellions

Protesters? Or useful idiots?

It was G. K. Chesterton who said it best: "Evil always wins through the strength of its splendid dupes; and there has in all ages been a disastrous alliance between abnormal innocence and abnormal sin."

Born in 1876, Chesterton was a British journalist and a Christian apologist who recognized the art of propaganda and how it was used by those who sought to overthrow governments and reorder societies to fit their radical worldviews.

Though he died in 1936, Chesterton witnessed the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the dawn of Hitler's fascist Nazi Germany in 1933. Both rose on discontent perpetrated against the status quo by radicals who followed with utopian promises of liberty, freedom, peace and prosperity.

Chesterton understood that those who foment rebellions need enemies--real or imagined--in order to accomplish their goals. And they need an effective system to deliver their propaganda.

Ironically, it was Vladimir Lenin, the father of the Russian Revolution who coined the term "useful idiots" to describe the fools who were lured by his propaganda to join the rebellion against the Czarist autocracy.

Hitler rose to power by blaming the Jews for Germany's political and economic woes. He blamed the Jews for Germany's defeat in World War I and he blamed them for sabotaging the economy and plunging that nation into a depression.

None of that was even remotely true. But Hitler had the advantage of the historical anti-Semitism that was embedded in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. The Jews were long despised in Germany and elsewhere throughout Europe. Thus, when Hitler fingered them for Germany's problems, he connected with millions of people.

When we look at the riots that unfolded recently in Ferguson, Mo., we see a similar modus operandi that was used to instigate past uprisings and political insurrections.

That modus operandi was the promotion of outright lies, distortions and denial of evidence coupled with leftist propaganda that turned a St. Louis suburb into a raging inferno.

The outright lie is that America has an abundance of racist white cops who target innocent black youths for persecution and murder. The distortions come from the false witnesses who are recruited and encouraged to fabricate stories in order to support the racist white cop theory.

The denial of evidence speaks for itself. An independent grand jury consisting of whites and blacks that was formed long before the Ferguson incident took place back in August, examined the evidence and exonerated the Ferguson cop who was accused of murdering a black teenager in cold blood.  

And the leftist propaganda emanates from folks such as Barack Obama and his disgraceful Attorney General Eric Holder who exploit incidents such as Ferguson to portray America as a nation controlled by white conservative bible-clinging rednecks who want to resurrect Jim Crow and get rid of blacks and other minorities.

If you don't believe that, then look at Obama's past associations from the arch-racist Rev. Jeremiah Wright to Harvard Prof. Derrick Bell to the Rev. Al Sharpton to Frank Marshall Davis. And look at the groups who his IRS targeted for abuse.

The useful idiots who serve Obama, Holder, Sharpton and their Marxist media lackeys are the people who willingly allow themselves to be indoctrinated into radical leftist propaganda without bothering to examine the evidence. That's the definition of a real idiot.

Obama desperately wants his own Selma, Alabama moment to be part of his legacy. That's what Ferguson means to him and Ferguson will indeed be a part of his legacy.

And this will be his legacy: History will define Barack Obama as the most divisive, radical, racist president America has ever elected, who ripped the nation apart and set race relations back nearly a century.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus Christ said this: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9) 

And those who will be called the children of the devil will be those who fomented evil in order to further their own political agendas.

The Harder They Fall

Bill Cosby

By now, many folks have heard the sordid allegations of Bill Cosby's sexual abuse. He's been accused by numerous women of rape and sexual harassment.  

Cosby is a legendary comedian and actor who's starred in numerous films and sitcoms. He's played serious and funny roles and he's played them all very well.

But now however, in the twilight of his life at age 77, his golden reputation as a man of conservative values and family responsibility is unraveling. And very quickly.

It should be noted that some of the allegations against Cosby aren't new. They've been around for many years. It's well known throughout the entertainment industry that Cosby has a healthy sexual appetite and he's fed it.

It should also be noted that Cosby isn't the only public person who's pursued sex. There are many actors, actresses, media stars, politicians and professional athletes who pursued it as well. 

For some, their sexual misconduct ruined their marriages. For others, it ruined their careers. And there were others who managed to hide it and protect their careers and reputations. That's what Cosby was able to do for many years until recently.

And so, at this point in time the allegations are more puzzling than they are troubling. Certainly, they make Cosby look like a hypocrite. And that's probably why Cosby's dirty laundry is being hung out on a clothes line on Main Street USA. To make him look bad.

Why now? That's anybody's guess but some folks may remember a speech Cosby gave in 2004 when he excoriated African-Americans for ignoring their children and abandoning Judeo-Christian values. 

Here's a portion of what he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, in our cities and public schools we have fifty percent drop out. In our own neighborhood, we have men in prison. No longer is a person embarrassed because they're pregnant without a husband. No longer is a boy considered an embarrassment if he tries to run away from being the father of the unmarried child."

And he said this: "Are you not paying attention, people with their hat on backwards, pants down around the crack. Isn't that a sign of something, or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up. Isn't it a sign of something when she's got her dress all the way up to the crack...and got all kinds of needles and things going through her body. What part of Africa did this come from? We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans, they don't know a damned thing about Africa. With names like Shaniqua, Shaligua, Mohammed and all that crap and all of them are in jail. When we give these kinds names to our children, we give them the strength and inspiration in the meaning of those names. What's the point of giving them strong names if there is not parenting and values backing it up."

And finally, he said this: "Therefore, you have the pile up of these sweet beautiful things born by nature raised by no one. Give them presents. You're raising pimps. That's what a pimp is. A pimp will act nasty to you so you have to go out and get them something. And then you bring it back and maybe he or she hugs you. And that's why pimp is so famous. They've got a drink called the 'Pimp-something.' You all wonder what that's about, don't you? Well, you're probably going to let Jesus figure it out for you. Well, I've got something to tell you about Jesus. When you go to the church, look at the stained glass things of Jesus. Look at them. Is Jesus smiling? Not in one picture. So, tell your friends. Let's try to do something. Let's try to make Jesus smile. Let's start parenting."

http://www.eightcitiesmap.com/transcript_bc.htm

Needless to say, Cosby infuriated many leftists and black liberals with that speech. They accused him of selling out by "blaming the victims" instead of the perpetrators. In their eyes, blacks were being held down because of white racism. And Cosby had the audacity to rebel against the liberal-progressive orthodoxy. 

I'm not defending Cosby. If he's guilty of rape and sexual abuse then he deserves to be condemned in the court of public opinion. 

However, the timing of these allegations is suspicious. Could they be payback from those who loathe black conservatives such as Cosby? Indeed, they could and I believe they are. Since Cosby's now an elderly man, his career is essentially over. All he stands to lose is his reputation.

As for those who are condemning Cosby, they may want to remember something Jesus told a group of hypocritical religious leaders in Israel who wanted to stone an adulteress: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7)

The Eternal Destiny of Liars

Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Jon Gruber and Harry Reid

Even liars tell the truth once in awhile.

MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, one of the architects of the infamous Affordable Care Act, (a.k.a. Obamacare) admitted that he and his cohorts resorted to lying to get the ACA passed because if the true intent of the legislation was revealed, few people would've supported it.

And then, of course, Gruber stated that many Americans were simply too stupid to know or even care what the ACA legislation contained. So that's why the ACA framers such as Gruber intentionally lied about it.

Gruber certainly did tell the truth about the American electorate. Indeed, many of them are too stupid and apathetic to vet their political candidates. So instead, they vote for those who tickle their ears with promises of entitlements and handouts. That's how Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 despite his abysmal record.

Certainly, when it comes to lying, Obama takes a back seat to no one. Obama lies because he understands that there are a lot of folks out there who'll continue to believe whatever he tells them despite the obvious mendacity of his remarks. And he knows that he has a compliant and corrupt media to protect him from scrutiny.

But Obama, Gruber and all who lie won't escape the scrutiny of God who hates lying. He hates it so much that He condemned it in His Law recorded by Moses: "Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another." (Leviticus 19:11)

Many people will claim that Leviticus 19:11 only applied to the ancient Israelites because it was contained in the Mosaic Law. But Leviticus 19:11 is part of God's universal law and it applies to everyone, past, present and future. 

Those who willingly lie and deceive others will pay a heavy price in eternity unless they repent of those sins. For those who don't believe that, consider the words of Jesus Christ spoken to the apostle John concerning those who will inherit eternal life and those who will be condemned: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice the magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." (Revelation 22:14-15)

Nearly 800 years before John recorded the Revelation, the prophet Isaiah recorded similar words from God concerning the new earth he will create at the end of time and those who will be allowed to live on it: "As the new heavens and new earth that I make will endure before me, so will your name (Israel) and your descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me. And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." (Isaiah 66:22-24)

Among those who will be loathsome to all mankind will be unrepentant liars. And it matters not whether one claims to be a Christian who's confessed Christ as Lord. 

If you're someone who willingly lies and has no conviction for it, you're headed to hell unless you repent. Anyone who claims to be a Christian must turn away from sin. 

Why does God find lying so detestable among His people? Here's why: "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." (Exodus 20:7) That's the third commandment of the 10 Commandments.

Anyone who claims to be a Christian and willingly lies, misuses His name. And unless they repent, they will wind up in hell after their life on earth is over. That's something to think about.

Imaginary Islam and Real Islam

 A woman is beaten in Bandeh Aceh Indonesia

In the world of imaginary Islam, millions of Muslims are peaceful individuals who love everyone and eschew hatred, violence and misogyny just as the Koran commands them to.

And in the imaginary world of Islam, the few "extremists" who commit violence and jihad against non-Muslims do so in opposition to the teachings of Muhammad.

Ironically, some of the biggest proponents of imaginary Islam are non-Muslims such as Barack Obama The Great and David Cameron The Diligent. 

Obama, who's great because he says so, continually emphasizes that Islam is a "Religion of Peace" that's been hijacked by a few radicals who besmirch Islam's historically peaceful reputation.

If you don't believe that Islam is indeed a Religion of Peace, then let the Great One enlighten you with these pearls of wisdom: "Throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality." 

Or, how about this great nugget of truth: "Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism – it is an important part of promoting peace." 

Or, this one: "Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance."
http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=15200

Cameron, who's diligent because he cracks down hard on those who openly criticize the "Religion of Peace" in the United Kingdom, diligently fails to crackdown on those extremists and radicals who openly criticize such faiths as Christianity and Judaism.

His kingdom is literally falling apart because those few extremists and radicals who besmirch the Religion of Peace are causing a lot of trouble by persecuting all those dhimmis who refuse to convert to the Religion of Peace.

Since the dhimmis have dared to suggest that Islam isn't the Religion of Peace that its apologists boldly claim it is, then Cameron and his government have been forced to silence them so they don't offend that vast majority of peace-loving Muslims.

In the world of real Islam, the vast majority of Muslims are only peaceful because they're cultural Muslims rather than fundamental Muslims. A cultural Muslim, like a cultural Christian, follows only the rudimentary laws and customs of his faith while ignoring the core tenets of his faith.

A fundamental Muslim adheres to the strict teachings of the Koran. And there are over 100 war verses in the Koran that command Muslims to commit jihad against infidels (non-believers) until they either convert to Islam or they're killed.

Here's an example: "Take not from among them friends until they fly (follow) in Allah’s way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them." (Sura 4:89)

Here's an another example: "When you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterwards either set them free as a favor or let them ransom (themselves) until the war terminates...(as for) those who are slain in the way of Allah." (Sura 47:4)

And finally, there's this one: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned. This shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement." (Sura 5:33)

You won't find a single verse in the Bible's New Testament where Christ ordered his disciples and followers to convert the world to Christianity by force. Christ ordered his followers to spread the Gospel peacefully and He expressively condemned violence: "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." (Matthew 26:52)

And yet, there are those who, in their desperate attempt to equate Christianity with Islam, point to the Crusades and the Inquisitions that happened centuries ago. Both of those events were orchestrated by the Roman Catholic Church and occurred in opposition to what Christ taught rather than in obedience to what He taught.

There is no comparison between true biblical Christianity and Islam. Christianity is the true Religion of Peace while Islam has historically used murder and violence to maintain itself and spread across the world.

Those who understand real Islam know that. Those who don't continue to live in an imaginary world of make believe. And believing that Islam is a peaceful religion will never change reality.

The Moment You Die

Few people contemplate death because it's an extremely depressing subject. Not only is death the destiny of all human beings, but it underscores the brevity of life.

And so, death is a topic that most folks avoid like a deadly plague until they're faced with the reality that their life is coming to an end.

Why do most people hate the topic of death? Because it terrifies them. Why? Because they don't know what happens after they die or where they'll be going.

Atheists reason that nothing exists beyond physical death because "when you're dead, you're dead." But that's ludicrous not merely because the Bible reveals that life goes on beyond the grave, but many folks who have never read the Bible have described graphic details of heaven and hell during near-death experiences.

Jesus Christ frequently talked about life beyond physical existence during his ministry in ancient Israel. In fact, he talked more about hell than he did about heaven. Why? Because hell is the destiny and abode of all sinners.

For example, here's what he said concerning the deadliness of sin: "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." (Matthew 5:29-30)

Did Christ really encourage mutilation as a solution to combat sin? If it could prevent someone from being condemned to hell, then he encouraged it.

But Christ doesn't want us to mutilate ourselves in order to stop us from sinning. Even if mutilation could prevent us from sinning, it can't atone for the sins we've already committed.

And that's the reason why Christ came into this world: To pay the ultimate price for our sins on a Roman cross that we could never pay ourselves. Jesus said this: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

The eternal life that God promises us through our faith in Christ's atonement for our sins and His resurrection from the dead isn't some vain hope. It's real.

And it's a free gift that God offers to us no matter who we are or where we come from or how bad we are. For unlike fallen human beings, God doesn't play favorites. (Romans 2:11)

The security of eternal life in Christ is underscored by the writings of God's ancient prophets who recorded His words long before Christ appeared on earth.

For example, the prophet Isaiah, who lived over 700 years before Christ was born, recorded this: "But he (Christ) was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

God's word emphatically teaches us that the work of our atonement was completed 2,000 years ago by Christ on the cross. There's absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves. Rather, it's up to us to believe that Christ paid for our sins and publicly confess that before the world. (Romans 10:9-12)

The apostle Paul said it best: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Therefore, no one needs to fear death if they've been born again by faith in Jesus Christ. And eternal life in Christ comes not by infant baptism, adherence to a system of religious sacraments or by one's own good deeds. It comes strictly by faith.

If you don't believe that, or refuse to because of religious or cultural reasons, then you should fear death. And you should be very afraid of what comes after you die.