True Understanding of Christianity - True Disciples of Jesus Christ Follow Him in Love - Not Act in Terror

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Sep 22, 2008 at 16:27

While this series of postings by our host Dr. Pipes is nominally directed to the world influences of Islam and how world societies might come to terms with such influences in peaceful terms, there is a subliminal undercurrent of philosophical inconsistencies that have parallel influences, some of which can have direct impact; some of which do not.

In bringing up the Oklahoma Federal Building Bombing, the perpetrators of that horrendous act of violence operated in direct antipathy to the government and the laws which formed this country under the auspices of principles found in the Holy Bible. In committing the acts, they demonstrated that they, in fact, were not Christians as supposed by the previous post, for they dishonored every tenet of a true Christian disciple. No true disciple of Jesus Christ would have condoned such an act, let alone commit it.

It may be said, as it has by readers of a Muslim mindset, that Islam itself is not a terrorist philosophy that condones the violence, except only to those who have an extremist's view of life, and in acting out their frustrations in violence against a world that does not hold to the same beliefs, are they able to demonstrate to fellow Muslims the darkened depths to which they hold their beliefs.

This cannot be said to be the same for a disciple of Jesus Christ. In the upper room on the night before the crucifixion, Jesus embraced His disciples and spoke to them of His love for them, and to love one another as He had, and did love them. In another expression of His love for the disciples, Jesus made this statement to undergird their faith in relationship to Him, ‘if you love me (Jesus speaking), keep my commandments.' In Matthew 28, the commission was to make disciples of the world, IN HIS LOVE. Neither the Oklahoma City bombing conspirators, nor the extremists of the Islamic ideology demonstrate this kind of love to be held for all, nor any who do not bear the same love for Jesus Christ as He demonstrated to us.

Now as to the underlying reason for the war, or for the extremist antipathies exploding here and around the world, (the Marriott being the latest) all of these have a central issue in these contemporary times, and the oil interests are merely a tool of the discontented. America was formed out of a central and common goal, to provide a place to seek out the Almighty and Eternal Sovereign without governmental interference. But as America became so associated with her Christian influenced existence, she became enemy number one with the enemy number one of the Holy Bible. The battle was joined long before 1776, and it has continued until this day. America is the Adversary's favorite national target, right after Israel.

In the current context, after the crushing defeat of Islam not being able to prevent the re-establishment of Israel in her own ancient homeland, the proponents of Islam found themselves faced with diminishing and eliminating Israel, or face the impossible consequences, that the Islamic Prophet is wrong in what is written in the Quran, and Israel as promised in the Holy Bible is, in fact, the land of the promise, and her King, Jesus Christ is King of kings, LORD of lords.

America stands today, at least nominally for the moment, as a defender of Israel, as promoted by the President of the United States. The character of America's defense though, is compromised by acts against the Biblical promise (Road Map for Peace-read disaster for any attempt to divide the land for a false promise of peace), and for that America stands in the shadow of the Almighty's judgment, such as is seen in torrential weather events for the past several years, as well as being targeted by terrorist activities going back to 1978, when plans for such things were crystallized in the fall of Iran to the Islamic Revolution. From then: the Beiruit Marine attack; the Khobar Towers; the USS Cole; the World Trade Center, take one; the Federal Building bombing, on and on until we saw the inconceivable, September 11^th, 2001.

Continuing still, Katrina, Rita, and Gustav and Ike; how much more do we want to deny the Divine influences of such things? Unfortunately, they are to be denied for the lack of community faith, and that will have an effect on the upcoming presidential outcome. That outcome has been determined already, and only in its execution will the nation see how it will fare.

Many blame Christians and Christianity in general, for outside of faith in Jesus Christ, such blame is laid in ignorance or in rebellion to Almighty God. Such attempts to blame is a scriptural fact, to be expected. Obversely, many continue to see Islam as a world threat, and it is, primarily directed against true Christianity and its support of Israel. In thwat vein, World War Three has already begun in its initial stages, which will later be culminating in the showdown in the Middle East. And in concurrence the previous post about the Farsi speaking malcontent who just gave his own rhetoric of his cause to hate Israel to the United Nations and the contemporary rise of Russian discontent, we can see that the sparks are about ready to fly.

The only question remaining is to those who will continue to deny that the words of Jesus Christ are being fulfilled as this is being written. Will you be counted as a disciple of Jesus Christ, embracing His love and mercy, and having your name written in the Book of Life when He appears in the middle of the upcoming conflict? If not, mind one that it cannot be said that the Holy Bible did not warn everyone, that His words are true, and His truth will remain after all else fails in the face of His glory.

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