Thursday, September 18, 2008

Check Yourself

Gentlemen,
I know that Listen Up groups have spread far and wide, and that many of you might not know me. I'm just a small part of what Jesus has done with the Coastlands of Southern California, but I wanted to share this article with you all.

1 John 2:6...you guys know what that is right? Isn't it our group verse? "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.-(NLT)" Below is an article from an Atheist writer in the UK calling this truth out, and the sad fact that many of our "brothers and sisters", including ourselves, are not truly living out the faith we claim to have in Jesus.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4761159.ece

Honestly, reading this pissed me off. It made me angry and I wanted to write back telling this guy he didn't have any idea what Christianity is about. But after testing some of what he said in prayer, the Holy Spirit showed me that some of what he said rings true in my heart. Conviction and growth can come from some of the most unlikely places, but that's our God. You never know what He's going to do. So instead of get pissed and "sin in my anger", I'm posting this because I love you all, whether I know you or not. If you follow Jesus, you're my brother. Let's check our hearts men and make sure we aren't giving anyone the opportunity to say our faith isn't expressed in the lives we lead. There's a battle going on. Are we living like it?

- Kyle

1 comment:

1 John 2:6 said...

Thanks for the post, Kyle. I read the article and thought to myself this guy is a moron. Then I felt sad for him. Then I read the responses to his article...very interesting. We have our work cut out for us indeed.

Love you man. Keep it real.
tarik

Here are some of the responses that stood out to me:

A causal read would mislead one to think that it is an insult directed to Christians. However, Jamie is challenging Christians to stand up for what we belive like Muslims do.
I dare you to re-write this article and anywhere Christain/Christianity is mentioned, replace it with "Muslim/Islam."

I am a Christian & i think the point over inaction is well made. Sadly 3 problems persist: 1) a massive misunderstanding of the message of grace in the Bible 2) misunderstanding of the Christian view of people's hearts: we ARE all rubbish and sinful 3) people who say they are Christian and aren't..!

Hi Jamie, so you don't believe in Heaven, and Hell, I "bet" you know little of what you don't Believe, and God is infallible.
Yet you are gullable to believe in sience, which is very fallible
indeed which is manmade also Darwins fallacy of deception

How can anyone be 100% certain that there is anything after this life. It is only the religious who believe in things 100%. Religion offers certainty without proof;science offers proof without certainty.

Great article! Let's see how the "believers" will argue their way out of this one. America is one nation under God, but the God is called Mamon.