This is the "Christian" message given the other day on Hannity & Colmes by the people who wanted to protest at the funerals of the slain Amish children:
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER, WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH: The message is that God has put a standard in the earth. He expects his creatures to obey it. If you obey, he'll bless you. If you don't, he'll curse you. America has sent away her day of grace. America is doomed.Exactly what "god" is she serving by making statements like that? I think it is the god of her imagination because it certainly is not the God of the Bible. Her message is a distortion of biblical truth. Her message offers no hope to sinners (which she did admit she still was; talk about mixed messages).
... those children were killed at the hands of a raging mad God to punish those families, to punish the state of Pennsylvania, because you've got a governor in that state got on FOX News and lambasted us because we serve God.
I will however agree with her on one point: God does have a standard, and it is called perfection. God requires perfect holiness and obedience; 100% perfect holiness and obedience.
You and I both know that "we have fallen short" of that standard, and I might also add, we continue to do it every single day. I do not revel in that fact but what I DO revel is the cross of Jesus Christ. Why? Because this is the message of Christianity:
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.You see, I can rejoice in the cross of Christ because Jesus Christ has met God's righteous standand, by living the perfect obedient life, for me. That is the message of the gospel, that's why it is called good news! Because my debt has been paid.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. [Romans 5:6-11]
As a christian, I am no longer under wrath; I am under grace. Through the righteous sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God has declared me "not guilty". He has imputed, meaning clothed me in the perfect righteousness of Christ, and it is only because of His work that I am reconciled to God. The only "work" I do is to try and live my life in light of this truth. And another great truth is that God is at work conforming me to the image of His Son, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and His Word. I can trust that "He who began a good work in [me] will bring it to completion...[Philippians 1:6].
That's the message, in a nutshell, that people need to hear. Not the false, hateful message this woman is spewing.
The graciousness of the gospel, the good news of it is "much more" than the world thinks it is.
technorati tags: Christian, Gospel, WestboroBaptistChurch, Amish
