Last I saw, the church pews were filled
with all the same people I’m used to seeing, so they haven’t been destroyed
yet. What on earth could this be about? Reading
one verse at a time in the Bible can be dangerous because you might think it’s
about one thing when in context it is about something entirely different. Take
care to read the surrounding verses.
My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge*. Because you have rejected *knowledge… Hs. 4:6 (…knowledge of God... Hs. 4:1)
*H1847- daath- knowledge, perception,
discernment, understanding
*H3988- maas- reject, despise, refuse
So we see here the people are God’s people
(specifically Israel )
who are going to be ‘rejected’ and ‘forgotten’ by God because they have done
the same to Him. They didn’t know and understand God enough to truly understand just how
vile their lifestyles of sin were to Him- or they wouldn’t behave that way,
right? We don’t behave sinfully, do we…
All of our spiritual lives are
destroyed when we lack/ reject knowledge of God. Here are some common beliefs
many have wrong:
Jehovah is God, Allah is God, they are the same God.
LIE!
Allah cannot be a father and
cannot have a son: he shares his name with no one. Jesus was created by Allah,
was his messenger, and did not die on the cross. All good Muslims know these
things as fundamental to their faith.
Christianity is: Jesus is God in
the beginning, is also God the Father’s Son in the flesh (Jh. 1:1,18,29) Jesus
died for our sins, was buried, and
rose again (1Cr. 15:3,4) and only through Jesus can we have eternal life. (Jh.
3:16; 14:6)
(Jesus said) that they all may be one,
as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that
the world may believe that You have sent
Me. Jh. 17:21
(Muslims will never use
Jehovah or Jesus to call on their God.)
As long as I believe in Jesus, do good things and/ or go to church I’m
a Christian.
LIE!
We are all sinners, none are
righteous or good, and for that we all deserve death. God loves us enough He
sent Jesus to die for our sins, therefore we must confess Jesus as our Lord
(Master), believe God raised Him from the dead, and call upon His name which
will lead to repentance. (Rm. 3:23; 10-18; 6:23 ;
5:8; 10:9,13; 2:4)
(Jesus said) If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow Me. 9:23
Therefore by their fruits you shall know them. (…love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control…
Gl 5:22 ,23) Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall
enter the kingdom of Heaven