[ for the Truth shall set you free ]

   I just really felt like expanding more on my Facebook status I put tonight. It was largely motivated by the Bible study today that I've begun being a part of every Wednesday.

   For those of you without the annoyance of Facebook, here's what I said :

   "Christianity is becoming watered down and "nice" to be "politically correct" so we'll have larger congregations and won't offend people. that's messed up. and you're left with things far from the truth."

   The responses I've recieved thus far definitely agree. One friend [shoutout to T.J.] commented, saying "*Like*, that you were willing to say it, not that you had to." I couldn't have summed it up any better than that.

   It's a shocking reality that we as Christians need to be aware of though. And quite frankly, there are Christians out there as well that are preaching these new ideas and spin-offs of verses and theology that don't line up with what the Bible is truly saying.

   Churches have started accomodating homosexuality. No big deal or anything.

   But see, it didn't start with that. It's little by little, you let things slide. It's not like this just "crept" in. You begin to make way for things here and there, and pretty soon your standards have so far deteriorated, that it doesn't seem like a big step anymore.

   We've grown soft, as I've heard several people say lately. And we have.

   It seems the number of people we have in our congregations is more important -- rather than being concerned about the quality, or the overall actual truth to it; whether the lifestyles of the people follow the Word. And I mean Jesus.




   What's even more frightening is that there are well-known and respected teachers/leaders/speakers out there with loud voices that are teaching wrong ideas. For example, Rob Bell with his idea that "Love Wins". Essentially, that God works everything out, so that no one goes to Hell.

   .. So what happened with free will?

   See, here's the other thing. We were given free will by God, yes? Yes. So we have the choice of choosing God or being against Him.

   So by not choosing Him, you choose an eternity without Him : Hell.

   The problem with people is that they're not willing to take responsibility for their actions. Their idea of "good" will never measure up to what's truly good, because no human is perfect, so how do you even know what's good? But that's a whole different conversation. Some other time for that one.

   My point is, people put so much blame on God, saying that He is so cruel and unloving because He sends people to Hell.

   Well yeah. But that's because that was their decision.

   And that, right there, is what people don't want to hear. They want to to be told that God loves everyone, and that everyone is going to be okay.

   Bottom line :

   They can't handle their consequences.

   Fact is?

   God loves you. He wants you to choose Him -- so desperately. He's loved you since before you were born. He wants you so badly to know Him, and know His love. It's beyond anything you can ever hope to know from any created being.

   Trust me.

   It hurts my heart so much to know that right now, so many people I love don't have that guarantee of eternity. Because I've had a taste of God's love, and know there is so much more than I can even imagine. And I want so badly for them to have that too.

   Let your mind feast on that. And heart, truly.

I'm writing this because I feel the urgency to.
And it was written from my heart with love, though it may not seem like it.