September 03, 2014
Co-Existing
The Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant (ISIL) hides behind a religious structure to justify their terrorist
behavior. It’s going to be interesting to see how the flower children of the
1960’s and the New Agers are going to include ISIL into their visions of world
peace and “all paths lead to God” mantras. Actually, all people of faith will
be tested on their views of acceptance, inclusiveness and tolerance. Jesus
said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my
Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (Jn 14:6-7
NIV).
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2 comments:
Gail;
-----I’ve always found it interesting that there is usually at least one perspective on most anything from which truth in it can be seen. All paths lead to God because any path will eventually lead to your death, whereupon you indeed are face to face with God. This is not to say the path deliberately led to God, but it says you did get to God while you were on it. Nor does it say you’ve come to God upon that path unto salvation, for most will come on their path for judgment (ouch!) We can find agreement, then, all paths do lead to God. But only one path leads to salvation.
-----Now maybe we can also see how ISIL brings one to God. They recently brought two journalists to God. But they failed to take note of unintended consequences. As these two journalists are there deliberating destinies with God, they will cross the topic of how they came to be before God. I can just see them turning back towards the world and proclaiming, “Those guys there, see, the ones with my blood all over their hands, they sent me.” And God responds, “Mmm. I see. Azriel, get those guys up here. We‘ve got something to straighten out.” (Uh-oh.)
-----Imagination can produce anything. It mostly embellishes what reality produces. The flower children of the 1960’s and the New Agers have not spent enough time pondering this. For when one does ponder it, he soon notes how much of what we think is real is actually imaginative embellishment. And some is simply outright imaginative creation. Living by imagination is like floundering in a sea, groping for a handle on anything and coming up with nothing but more water. The flower children and New Agers and others who buy into the “all paths to God‘s salvation” theory have settled for the process of kicking onto their backs and floating upon the sea. For this is easy to do.
-----Reality is quite different than imagination. You can’t just kick back and float on it. It does not conform to you like does water (which will conform right into your lungs.) Finding reality is hard work. It is a search. And it requires the end of much of you. To find reality you must conform to what of it you have found. And the more of it you conform to the more of it you find. It is like choosing it as your path and God as the director of your steps. Then you must stay on it to go where it goes, and you must go to get there. When you’ve committed your life to finding what’s real, Christ finds you. For reality is truth, which is Christ. “Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps 16:11) “My steps have held fast to thy paths, my feet have not slipped.” (Ps 17:5)
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Steve,
I love your insight on "all paths" leading to God. Wish I'd thought of that!
Gail
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