It is my opinion that many men are hesitant to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, because to do so involves “submission”.

Submission is a “womanly” thing. It shows weakness. It isn’t macho. This might cause a man to no longer be “manly”. Well, none of that is true. Actually, the opposite is true.

First of all, how could it be “unmanly” to submit to the one and only omnipotent God, who created you and me? Men sometimes think of Jesus’ speaking so much about love in the Gospels, and see it as weak. Obviously, they have failed to read what He says in the book of Revelation. We will all stand before Him one day. Those of us who are saved through Him, will have nothing to fear. Those who are not, will wish they had not been so foolish.

Is it possible that many men see Jesus as weak because they visualize much of the artwork depicting Jesus, and some who have portrayed Him in films? As an effeminate Jesus, none of those are real. We do not know what He looked like while in the flesh upon this earth. There is no doubt, in my mind anyway, that there was anything effeminate about Him. Of course, Satan wants us to have these erroneous thoughts in order to pull us away from any chance to come to Him to be saved.

Have you ever considered the physical torment Jesus suffered on our behalf? No sissy could endure that. Dr. C. Thomas Davis, among others, have provided us a detailed explanation of a Roman crucifixion. (By the way, the Persians were the first to come up with this ghastly form of slowly putting someone to death.)  It isn’t pretty. But get this. The thing that makes Jesus’ crucifixion even worse is the fact that He knew exactly what He would endure physically, could have easily avoided it, but because of His great love for us, He suffered death by crucifixion anyway. It was the only way to provide for us eternal life through Him. Now that is love of the highest order.

How many of us, would willingly allow ourselves to be beaten and crucified, as Jesus was, especially if we knew we could easily avoid it? For those of you men who think submitting to Jesus is sissy, He didn’t think it was sissy to submit to a gnarly, wooden cross and be crucified for you.

So where does this put the issue of submission? Let’s throw it out the window, and get over it guys. If you stand before Him on judgment day without His Spirit living within you, you will sob like a little girl, knowing the tortures of hell that await you. That is why He submitted for you! He doesn’t want you to be lost forever in Satan’s hell. He wants to give you all the riches of His glory in Heaven, and He will, if you will submit to Him now. If you’re alive, and I’m sure you are if you’re reading this article, you can call upon Him now. But once the last breath leaves your body, it will be forever too late.

So, are you going to hang on to this nonsensical sissy idea of Jesus, or are you going to wise up and realize that He is God in the flesh, and the only hope you have of eternal life?

By the way, I haven’t even mentioned the Apostles and thousands and thousands of others who have suffered the tortures of hell while upon this earth, because they knew that Jesus has something much better in store for those who are His.

Grant Phillips

Dogmatism is out. The world hates a “straight shooter”. Society loathes “black and white”. To call a “spade a spade” is not being politically correct. And you can’t get any more dogmatic than God’s Word.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Now that it as dogmatic as you can get, and the world hates it. Jesus said He is the way to the Father, and that exempts anything and anyone else. All religions, cults, etc. are of Satan. Only through Jesus Christ, can we go to the Father.

Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) The world and religion want to portray Jesus as a good person, but not God. Jesus emphatically claims His divinity and that He is God. You can’t get any clearer than that.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44) Jesus makes it clear in this passage that if we are not with Him, our father is the devil, Satan, and we are a chip off the old block.

The Holy Word of God says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) That exempts no one. We all, without exception, fall short of God’s glory, and have sinned.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14) If we do not keep Christ’s commandments, we do not love Him and we are not His friend. Isn’t that what it says? That certainly is to the point. (Obviously, no Christian is perfect, but he/she will strive to obey our Lord.)

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12) The Scriptures say that none of us are righteous, none of us understand, none of us seek after God, and none of us do good. It says that we all have gone the wrong way and have become worthless. Wow! That really stings. And there is more. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews (9:27) Is there any hope for us? That’s scary … death … judgment!

God says just as emphatically, “… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Our world is becoming more and more an attitude of; “don’t rock the boat, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, there are many ways to God, I’m okay you’re okay, my good works are all I need, it’s my life and my business”, and it goes on and on.

From Hollywood to Washington, D.C. and everywhere in between, it’s all about being “politically correct”. “Political correctness” will get you nothing but an eternity in hell, separated from God forever.

Even in “church” circles the Gospel has been watered down to the point that multiplied thousands are being led to hell by the satanic teachings that come from the pulpits of America. It’s all just one big party, a game, social hour, pat each other on the back time, but no true repentance and coming to Jesus Christ to be saved and living a new life in Him.

Whether Tytler (at least attributed to him) presented an often quoted self-destructive cycle of democratic behavior:

·        From bondage to spiritual faith

·        From spiritual faith to courage

·        From courage to liberty

·        From liberty to abundance

·        From abundance to complacency

·        From complacency to apathy

·        From apathy to dependence

·        From dependence back into bondage

This same self-destructive behavior can easily be applied to mankind’s spiritual state of affairs. Mankind has become dependent upon the seductive enticements of Satan, instead of the saving power of Almighty God. I realize that all men, at all times, are in bondage to Satan, if they are not of Christ. The striking thing today however, is the dependence upon self and outright apathy to the Truth of God.

Dear friend, you may be one of those who just can’t stand a “straight-shooter”. Well, God is a “straight-shooter”, and there is no room for compromise. He made the rules, and we cannot change them. They are what they are. We either go to Him and live for Him His way, or we suffer the consequences. He has paid the supreme price, His Son, to redeem us from the clutches of Satan. Now is the time to make the most important decision you will ever make in this lifetime. What is it going to be; remain with Satan, or come to Jesus?

Grant Phillips