WARNING: This post is expected to offend Christians.
It will also offend Jews, Muslims and Atheists too, but they are not my target audience.
In fact, I recommend that non-Christians use this opportunity to click away from this article just as fast as they can. Why listen to me chew out my fellow Christians, especially when it will offend you as well?
We'll play a little Jeopardy music for 30 seconds until the room clears...
Still here Christians? Good.
The reason I'm writing this is because of some false arguments I see other well-meaning Christians making in their apologetics efforts all over this and other forums. The most recent is here: Islam Has Nothing to Do with Terrorism
Here is how the argument typically goes:
Christian: "Muhammad advocated beheading infidels, Jesus commanded that we love our enemies."
Muslim: "Whoa! What about all the mass killing God orders in the Old Testament?"
Christian: "That's the Old Testament! I'm talking about Jesus!"
Guys, have we really become so weak we can't even face Who our God really is? Yes, Jesus is loving. Yes He was willing to take on human form and die for us. Yes, He is nice to little children and lost sheep.
... and yes, He will not hesitate to kick your butt or to wipe all but 8 people off the face of the planet.
Have we spent so much time listening to milk toast sermons that we no longer can handle the truth? Let me recall a few episodes and verses that should be familiar to you:
- For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:31
- But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. - 2 Sam 6:7
- Jesus said, "You study the [Old Testament] Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me," - John 5:39
- Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." "You are not yet fifty years old," they said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" "Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" - John 8:56-58 This is the same Lord who spoke to Moses from the burning bush and called Himself "I AM" in Exodus 3:14. It was the pre-incarnate Jesus that Abraham unsuccessfully pleaded with to save Sodom and Gomorra from destruction in Genesis 18:16-33.
- Jesus refers to Himself as Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last in both Old and New Testaments: Isaiah 44:6 says, "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God." Isaiah 48:12 includes, "I am he; I am the first, and I am the last." In Revelation 1:8 Jesus repeats this: "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'"
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1-3,14
- I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. - Revelation 19:11-16
I could go on, but you get the idea. We do unbelievers a disservice when we only talk about His patient, loving and meek "Lamb of God" side. People need to know they should take the Lord seriously! How many rebels have you seen with the raw nerve to say to the Lord, "I don't like what you did to people in the Old Testament so I reject you." Really?
They think they can get away with that largely because we don't give them the full story about God Almighty.
Jesus is all knowing, all powerful, amazingly loving, slow to anger ...and will not strive with men forever!
Quit apologizing for Him when he shows the Lion side of His nature.
That Lion side is coming soon and it won't be pretty for those who haven't been properly "calibrated" because we have misled them by marketing Him all warm and cuddly like a typical political candidate.
He doesn't plan to give us a vote.