Book 1 of Musings Like Father, Like Son
I want to be just like my Father in Heaven. Don't you?
The Lord Jesus came to forgive our sins so we could be acceptable to God. This does not mean we have changed; it means rather that God's sense of justice has been satisfied. Now He can receive us.
Next He works with us through the Holy Spirit until our personality is pleasing to God.
The Lord Jesus is our elder Brother. He rejoices greatly when He can bring another son to the Father. Christ brings us to His God and our God; to His Father and our Father.
Getting to know the Father is the most wonderful opportunity available to mankind.
The Apostle Paul spoke of getting to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings. This has been my lifelong goal.
Lately it seems Christ has been making me more aware of the Father.
You know, it often is true that religion does not correctly portray God - sometimes this is true even of the Christian religion.
I don't think the ordinary person in America is repulsed by God or Christ. I think the ordinary person is repulsed by what he sees of religion and sometimes by the way Christian people behave.
The Hollywood-style flashy approach to evangelism is distasteful. Unsaved people know instinctively that this is a money-making racket. I know numerous individuals "accept Christ" under the ministry of such evangelists. Nevertheless, such showiness is not a true witness of God.
There seems, at least in our day, to be a distinction between ministering and bearing witness.
The pleading for money is certainly a poor testimony. Is God impoverished that His servants have to accompany their service with drawn-out appeals for money? Is this a true testimony of the Creator of Heaven and earth, or is the minister building something of his or her own choice?
Can you imagine a prominent evangelist sending out his agents to persuade widows to change their wills in favor of the evangelist?
Can you imagine the evangelist investing in real estate and begging for money from old people who share a can of cat food with their cat? Is this a picture of our Father in Heaven?
Does He endorse such behavior?
Think of the "heretics" who have been murdered by the Christian churches, or the other mean things that have taken place in the name of Christ. Think of the cathedrals surrounded by poverty.
Other religions are not exempt. Many of us know of Aztec human sacrifice. Today the Muslim people, although they claim the Koran does not teach this, and I believe them, are associated with the murder of innocent people in several countries of the world, including Pakistan and the Philippines.
Why do people who claim to be serving God do the works of Satan?
It is as the Lord Jesus said to the Jews of His day, "You are of your father, the devil, and the works of your father you will do."
The Lord Jesus is the perfect witness of the true Nature of our Father in Heaven.
He received and loved little children.
He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.
He made no appeals for money.
He was a simple, plain Man at home with the lowliest of people.
This is what our Father in Heaven is like. He is not actually represented by any religion I know of, including the Christian religion.
The trend today among some Evangelical churches is to "market" the Gospel.
Can you imagine using modern marketing techniques to persuade people (whether or not the Father is drawing them to Christ), to join our group so we can be heralded as a church-growth expert? It does get a bit much at times!
The Kingdom of God is created as the living Word is sown in the hearts of people.
Sometimes no evidence of germination is shown for ten years. How then can a minister preach and invite closure by inviting people to "accept Christ," and then count them as saved?
Is this what the New Testament teaches us to do? Is this what Jesus did?
Is this how God works?
You know, we need to love our Father in Heaven and look to Him constantly that we might portray to all people His true Personality.
Then we need look to Him for our proper place of ministry, not taking anything for granted.
Unless I am mistaken, there is going to be a great need in America in the near future for the average person to come to know God through Jesus Christ.
People are going to need help surviving the chaos we are facing.
But where are the American people to find God?
Won't it have to be through people like you and me?
Let's you and I be counted among those who are becoming more like our Father each day.
The Lord Jesus will help us do just that.
All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)