The God you can’t make up

Christian Post ^ | July 11, 2022 | Robin Schumacher

[SoConPubbie]

Not sure what churches this clown has visited, but his line about “most” churches and what they teach is a fabrication.

[Jim W N]

Our Gospel of the Grace of Christ is the ONLY doctrine among all creeds, faiths, and religions in the world that offers righteousness as a gift from God.

All others require some kind of works to be righteous and worthy of their god’s acceptance. Not Christianity. In Christianity, Christ is God’s acceptance FOR US.

Thank you Jesus.

[Indy Pendance]

–C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [that is, Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse…. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

[invoman]

If this guy is a "clown", then count me in.
He is exactly right and I've witnessed this.
His reasoning may not entirely line up with mine, but his conclusion does.

[zeugma]

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [that is, Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse…. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

I've always liked that C.S. Lewis quote. Kinda blows a lot of modern relativists right out of the water.

[airborne]

Hundreds of years before Christ, Aristotle was asked what would happen if a perfect man was introduced to a society. He responded by saying the man would be killed because his beauty and goodness would painfully highlight the imperfections of everyone else.

I've never seen this quote before but it makes perfect sense.

[antidemoncrat]

One thing for sure. The moment after we close our eyes in this life they will remain closed forever in eternal sleep or we will wake up to God’s judgement.

[alexander_busek]

When asked how Jesus differed from Buddha, Confucius, and Muhammad Auden said, “None of the others arouse all sides of my being to cry ‘Crucify Him’.”

Jesus does not arouse any sides of my being to cry "Crucify Him."

Rather, I can only shake my head and think, "Poor, deluded soul!"

Regards,

[sauropod]

At the very least, the message given is that Christ will remove the hardships you have in life, and in some cases, the line delivered is that Jesus wants you rich and in perfect health from top to bottom.

Not in my church.

[Dr. Sivana]

Not sure what churches this clown has visited, but his line about “most” churches and what they teach is a fabrication.

It is in its purest form in the "prosperity gospel" churches (think Joel Osteen), but is part of the warp and wook of the fading mainline Protestant denominations (ELCA, Methodists, Episcopalians, United Church, etc.) as well as indiviual ministers and priests in Catholic and Protestant churches.

[Varsity Flight]

📌✔

[SoConPubbie]

Then my response would be the same.

Almost all of the churches I have attended, and I have attended a lot, do not promote that kind of Gospel.

And I am very particular when it comes to the “quality” of what is preached.

So, and he, must be either the worst pickers of churches to attend, or are purposely, for some reason, gravitating to these type of churches.

Don’t get me wrong, its not that I am arguing that they don’t exist, but it is a flat out lie that “most” churches are teaching this type of fallacious Gospel.

[SoConPubbie]

It is in its purest form in the "prosperity gospel" churches (think Joel Osteen), but is part of the warp and wook of the fading mainline Protestant denominations (ELCA, Methodists, Episcopalians, United Church, etc.) as well as indiviual ministers and priests in Catholic and Protestant churches.

I know its out there, its just not as prevalent as the author of this piece makes it out to be.

You would have to be looking for a certain type of church for it to be "most" churches.

As presented, the statement comes across as a lie.

[SauronOfMordor]

As Jethro Tull has in his song on the great “Aqualung” album:

So I asked this God a question
and by way of firm reply,
He said I’m not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays
So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares):
before I’m through I’d like to say my prayers
I don’t believe you:
you had the whole damn thing all wrong
He’s not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ-79fwassg

[invoman]

I understand, but I wasn't considering the "health and wealth" fake Gospel.
It was the part about Jesus with the 'hard edges'.
I've been 'shown the exit door' for talking about this in MULTIPLE 'evangelical' church houses.
Oddly, the exit door squeaks...
I learned to bring some WD-40...
:)

[EternalHope]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

As for the complaint about “most” churches preaching the “health and wealth” gospel, this is a classic example of making a mountain out of a mole hill. There is no doubt that some churches DO preach this. Whether it is “most” vs. “some” is not the point. To focus on this is to ignore the point of the article.

Side note and personal opinion: In my view the “health and wealth” doctrine is extraordinarily damaging. In essence it is luring in people with the hope of earthly reward. In other words, bribing people to “believe”. For the many who do not become healthy and wealthy, what next?

[SoConPubbie]

On this we agree.

Too often, the preachers are focused on tickling the ears of the users instead of pleasing God by preaching an unadulterated Gospel of Repentance and Faith.

There is no 80%, 90%, or even 95% Christian.

You either commit your whole life and will to God, or you can’t be saved and be called a Christian.

It is very black and white, no gray areas.

[beethovenfan]

” ...it is appointed for all men once to die and after that the judgement...” Hebrews 9:27. Nobody just sleeps forever.

[TBP]

Finally, the New Testament also puts such false claims to rest with its narratives.

The fact that the New Testament tells us about Jesus isn't proof of his existence.