Turning to the Knowledge of Christ or Holding on to Secular Views! :: By Lucie Kirouac

In today’s world, many feel fed up with the Christianity they grow up with.  Sometimes, “unanswered questions” and lack of love in the church can easily lead to disappointment and even a sense of betrayal.  Little by little, faith is whittled away until one day we wake up and realize we don’t much believe anymore.  It’s a very sad place to be in!

Despite our deserts or moments of doubt, we must persevere in trusting God and his plans for our lives.  Many Christians have died for their faith over the centuries; others have been persecuted or martyred, but they remained on the narrow path out of love for Christ.  To honor their Saviour was more important than their own lives.

If we have an intimate and sincere relationship with Christ as we discover him through his Word, the Bible, he protects us from heresies, lies, apostasy and Satan’s attacks.  He grants us his discernment and wisdom if we ask for them—which we really need.

It’s really tragic that well-intended Christians, regardless of their calls, mislead those who yearn to find the truth, needing answers to their “existential questions,” the meaning of life and their purpose on earth!

Suffering is a two-edged sword.  It either makes people turn to God, the Creator of the universe and mankind, or to secular humanistic values which destroy so many lives.

As true children of God, we must be prepared and willing to share the hope found in Christ for people to gain the stability and sound mind God longs to give anyone eager to find the truth.

Followers of Christ also go through valleys, so their understanding and compassion is felt and genuine for the lost.  God’s love is so powerful, it can completely change lives with his promise to forever live in his company in his glorious dwelling: Heaven!

As human beings, we make mistakes because we still live in a perishable body of sin.  Jesus understands what we’re made of.  He gets that life on earth can be tough and can bring our way overwhelming trials, and at times—despair!  When faced with such issues, there are only two options available: to remain close to our Saviour and best friend, or go back to our old life and secular-humanistic views we used to cling to.

Many modern Christians are decidedly uncomfortable with the reality of Satan and the biblical accounts of Jesus Christ’s encounters with “deranged spirits” called “demons.”  Sooner or later, we must come to terms with the truthfulness of Christ’s personal witness.  He paid our “death penalty” to offer us eternal life.  If you haven’t met Jesus Christ yet and still live without his forgiveness, you automatically belong to Satan!  What a horrific state to be in!

Jesus had to die for you in order to deliver you from your very worst enemy, Satan himself!  He doesn’t want you to turn to Christ… and he will do his very best to keep you from running to him.  Do you want to remain in his bondage, or get set free by the power of Christ and go live immediately in his presence the moment your body dies?  Our souls are eternal and were made to live with our Creator.

I’ve known many Christians and pastors who departed from the faith and have shamed the Lord.  He doesn’t want any human being to perish, but “out of love” he can’t force anyone to turn to him!  That so many intelligent and capable individuals rely on their abilities and competences to choose their own destiny is the worst mistake they will ever make!  It’s a good thing that our status in society doesn’t matter to the Lord.  He looks at the heart!

My point in this article is that no matter how long you’ve known the Lord (if), and you decide to leave Christ behind to go back to your old lifestyle, you do yourself no favor!  You expose yourself to Satan’s attacks; and believe me, he’s good at trying to destroy all those who are in Christ!  The Lord won’t force you to follow him, but he can discipline you not only for your own well-being but to prevent you from damaging his reputation and denying his Word!

He’s a loving God, but we must fear his justice too!  He can become a fierce enemy if you antagonize him!  Get a Bible and read the many accounts testifying of that fact.

The Bible is clear that the “knowledge” of God is the most valuable knowledge a human being can possess, but simply being aware of his existence isn’t sufficient.  It requires an intimate relationship with Christ, and “it must be received by him.”

Psalm 19:2 tells us that God’s creation reveals his “knowledge” and glory.  Apart from God, we’re flawed; and without love, we’re nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).  The knowledge that man possesses tends to make him “proud.” It puffs up and leads to foolishness!

In the Old Testament of the Bible, Solomon declares that the pursuit of knowledge “for its own sake” without seeking God is foolishness!  He applied himself to the “understanding of wisdom,” but he “learned that this too is a chasing after the wind.  For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Ecclesiastes 1:17-18).

Worldly knowledge is false and is opposed to the truth.  Paul urges us to “turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

Human knowledge is opposed to God and has no value.

In John 8:32, Jesus told his disciples that they will know the truth which will set them free.

Hosea 4:6 makes it clear that people are “destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  That’s why it’s so dangerous.  Israel has often rejected God and his will, and they faced his wrath!

Psalm 41:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt; they do abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.”

If you abandon Jesus Christ, 1 John 2:4 mentions this: “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sin is left” (Hebrews 10:26).

That verse is talking about a “deliberate, premeditated” rejection of Christ – turning your back on him.  Salvation isn’t involved here, because a child of God cannot lose his salvation.  If you go through the “motions” of walking as a Christian without surrendering your life to Christ as your Saviour for whatever reason, what can Christ do for you?  Why should he accept you in his eternal presence if you refuse him?

Realize that there are only two destinations after death:  Eternal life with Christ or without him, which is called “hell” forever!  That’s certainly not where he wants you!

I plead with you to run to God’s arms of love and mercy, for he longs to deliver you from Satan and transfer you into his marvelous kingdom, glory and love where nothing from your earthly and sorrowful life will be remembered!

Why should you be “indifferent” to such an amazing grace?

Lucie who cares!  luciekirouac@videotron.ca

 

You know, in light of the increasing violence, corruption, acts of terrorism and the destruction of God’s creation, I felt compelled by Christ to search for these Scriptures, which I will share with you:

“The arrogant cannot stand in your presence.  You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord  ‘abhors’ the bloodthirsty and deceitful man” (Psalm 5:5-6).

“The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins and you have uprooted the cities; the very memory of them has perished” (Psalm 9:6).

“The Lord examines the righteous, but the  wicked, those who love violence, he  hates with a passion.” (Psalm 11:5).

“For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into confidence. The Lord  curses the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the upright” (Proverbs 3:32-33).

“This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:5-9).

“Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nations which I shall drive out before you, for they did all these things and therefore I have abhorred them” (Leviticus 20:23).

Are all these verses hard to read? Do they make you feel uncomfortable? They should.

God hates sin, but He doesn’t punish sin—He punishes the sinner!

Sin is a rebellion of the heart and it breaks God’s laws.  He’s both holy and just and the person who sins offends Him! I have so often heard and read that God loves the sinner but not his sins.  It has confused me for a long time but after finding convincing Bible Scriptures, I must come to the conclusion that God hates both the sinner and his wicked ways.

I can’t help but feel that whatever I think, say and do reflect who I am. I can’t separate myself from my behavior.

Some well-intended Christians will quote John 3:16 as proof that God hates sin but loves the sinner. That Scripture says that He loves the world. But what world does He love? That’s the world He originally created as GOOD—not the present corrupt world!

The book of Genesis talks about God’s creation and giving life to the first couple, Adam and Eve. All was perfect but is was cursed because of Man’s sin.

If you live contrarily to the true God of the universe by harming and killing others for religious purposes because of your need to belong to groups as you seek your true “identity” and the why’s of your life on this earth, then you are  a very lost soul. While fighting internal conflicts and viewing yourself and others in a very negative way, needing to prove to yourself that you can have power over others—you must realize that God forbids destroying and killing innocent citizens.

Let’s admit it, anyone who does this does so for satanic reasons which will lead to an eternity with your master—Satan.

Many kill and commit suicide truly believing that their cause is just, but they are under God’s most severe judgment. These terrorists may not believe it but it doesn’t change what the Lord, the true God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob has declared.

Morality and values cannot be legislated. They come from the heart and unless the Lord regenerates it, chaos will continue to increase.

In the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Acts, before the apostle Paul was converted to Christ, as he was on the Damascus road with the purpose of killing God’s children for religious reasons. But the Lord manifested Himself in a very powerful way to Paul. Suddenly, Paul found a shining a light around him from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?” (Read the entire story in Acts chapter 9.)

Later on, Christ made Paul understand the truth about who He is and the necessity to obtain His forgiveness. Eventually, Paul became a chosen vessel to bear God’s name before the Gentiles,  kings and the children of Israel. He was called to suffer for the Lord.  He lived entirely for Christ and many got saved and delivered through his ministry.

I share Paul’s story to show that  even murderers can  receive a full pardon from the God who  created them. They too, could live like Paul; not in their own strength but rather by the Lord’s power. For those who want to terrorize and kill for religious reasons, please put aside your brainwashed convictions and open your hearts to your true Creator. I can assure you that Christ will manifest Himself to you in no uncertain way!

In our modern Western churches, we have without any shame, lost our fear of God and hatred for sin—resulting in a watered-down gospel. With so many false teaching people are under the impression or the conviction that they are saved, but indeed they are not! Many souls remain unregenerate and doomed for hell.

Even God’s children tend to sit on their salvation thinking that even if they sin, God will forgive all the time, rendering His sacrificial grace into cheap grace.

Sin is so grievous to God that He sent His Son on the cross to receive His WRATH AND DEATH sentence which is upon all sinners who aren’t truly born-again.

God’s hatred is not like fallen mankind’s hatred; it is a righteous hatred as He cannot look upon sin. Man’s hatred is a wicked self-centered hatred from a wicked heart for his personal selfish way and gain.

God’s ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8 ).  He pours rain on the just and unjust out of His MERCY without loving the sinners. In Romans 9:15,  God said to Moses  “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”

You cannot understand that you’re a sinner unless God reveals it to you. He can forgive the worst sins—so don’t allow yourself or Satan to deceive you. Satan hates you with a passion and desires to keep you away from believing in the truth. Remember, you’ve been created to be God’s child. He’s waiting for you with open arms of unconditional love!

Go to Him, be at peace and made well.

Lucie who cares!