As a casual and interested observer
of the ways of man, I have watched the President recently make a
whirlwind tour of three nations of the earth, which represent
vastly different cultures, which are in fact the seed of three
completely different religious persuasions. Yet there is a common
thread which is being promoted by our leader as a grounds for
unity and cooperation and the hopes of lasting peace in the
earth. As a nation's leader, it is an
admirable quest to seek peace with other nations and an honorable
intention to promote unity and cooperation in order to achieve
this goal. This quest for peace, however,
is actually a hopeless endeavor which is ultimately doomed to
fail simply because of the corrupt nature of men that brought about
war and division in the first place. But in this world, it
is the desired activity of men and their governments to at least
make a show of seeking peace with one another, and I certainly
would not oppose that effort. We are exhorted by Paul to pray
for those in places of leadership. Yet there is the notion that
such a peace can be realized by appealing to the common thread
of morality and the supposed basic nobility of the participants
in each religion which is thought to give grounds for unity among
them. In fact, the average person actually
believes that this is a true and fruitful ground to have hope
that such a cooperation will bring a measure of peace. Dogmatic
religious fervor of all types has fueled wars and rumors of
wars since the early days of man's existence. Many have slain
and been slain in a quest to see their particular god or ideology
triumphant. So it would make sense to the
natural man to try to find a common ground upon which all of these
dogmas and gods could exist in harmony. Such a place is thought
by them to exist since the average man believes that all of these
religions are actually serving the same God, but just approaching
Him in different manners and calling Him by different names.
The teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ go completely contrary
to the prevailing notions which are naturally received by men.
While it is true that the Lord Jesus was a man of peace and
did not so much as breathe a threatening word to those who meant to do
him harm, yet he also said, Think not that I am come to send peace
on earth. I came not to send peace, but
a sword. Christ himself is the very touchstone
of hatred which the world and all of its religions do rebel
against. as they did in the days when
he walked the countryside preaching and teaching the precepts of
his kingdom, to the present hour when he has sent his emissaries
into the world declaring the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ
and him crucified. Natural religious men despise
him and will choose their religion rather than fall down and worship
him. There is but one prophet who
has spoken the final Word of God, since He is the living Word. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made. There is
but one truth. As Christ said, I am the way,
the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father without
Me. There is but one priest and mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. There is but one
offering for sin. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. There is but one God. As Christ
said to Philip, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Those who love the Lord Jesus
Christ and acknowledge His sovereign rule over all things cannot walk
together with any who declare any other message than Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. The followers of Christ seek
no other ground of standing than He who is the stone which the
builders rejected. Upon what do you stand? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream.net.