Christian Bowhunters of America - Is it really Christian? - Comment by Lance Landall - 10 Dec 2007

Christian Bowhunters of America: Is it really Christian?
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Christian Bowhunters of America
Is it really Christian?
Comment by Lance Landall - 10 Dec 2007

Hi Frank and Mary,

The response from Wayne is a very sad and common one. Regardless of the evidence, most still don't change their ways. Why? Because it dose not suit them. Everyone, so to speak, wants to go to Heaven, enjoy God's paradise, and receive an eternal life of bliss. Yes, many grab at God's gift of grace, but when it comes to doing His will, it's another story.

They somewhat remind me of people who want their pay packet, but don't want to turn up for work, not that I'm saying we work our way to Heaven.

You may be interested in going to my contents page. At the beginning of the Christian poetry I have a heading called "The Triplets", which follows:

THE TRIPLETS

LOVE AND TRUTH - FAITH AND WORKS - MERCY AND JUSTICE

When one or more of the following-------Love, Truth, Faith, Works, Mercy, Justice-------are missing in a Christian's life, that Christian is incomplete, not truly balanced, and not in total harmony with God's Word and His will.

Quote: We do not work to be saved but work because we are saved.

God intended that Christians not just be a light but also a voice.

Following is an enlargement of the The Triplets

LOVE and TRUTH, FAITH and WORKS, MERCY and JUSTICE

Everything in our life needs to be balanced. Not enough sleep can leave us tired and irritable. We can start making mistakes as a result. To much work and not enough rest, can have a similar effect, and we can become stressed.

Overeating can cause weight problems, and ill health. And so it goes. It is just the same with our spiritual walk. Here too, we can get things out of balance, with negative results. So, how do we get the balance right in this area?

Let�s take a very quick and simplistic look at � LOVE and TRUTH, FAITH and WORKS, MERCY and JUSTICE � essentials in the Christian�s life and spiritual realm.

If one or more is missing in the Christian�s walk, there is an imbalance. Likewise, if we focus disproportionably on any one of these six, we again create an imbalance.

Let me explain. We�ll start with Love and Truth:

As much as we need to know about God�s love, and should be expressing that love, we also need to have a mature understanding of the importance of His truth � that is, doctrine, God�s Word.

�Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth [sound doctrine] so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart� (1 Peter 1:22).

God�s Word strongly reproves those who think we only have to be loving and nothing more; those who think that just accepting God is enough; and those who think that just a basic understanding of His Word is sufficient (Heb 5:11-14; James 2:19; Jude 3; 2 Peter 3:16; 2 Tim 3:7; Hosea 4:6; Eph 4:14). God�s Word shows that truth is of the utmost importance to God (John 17:17; Eph 6:14; John 16:13; 8:31,32; 1 Tim 2:4; 4:6; 1:3; 2 Thess 2:13, KJV; 2 Tim 2:15; 1:13; Titus 2:1; 1:9; 3 John 3,4; Rom 1:18). In fact, not having a sound knowledge of His truths can prove disastrous (1 Tim 4:1,3,4; Hosea 4:6; Eph 4:14; Matt 24:24; 15:9; 2 Thess 2:12). Those who diligently check things out are actually commended (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1; 1 Thess 5:21).

Now let�s take a look at Faith and Works:

As much as we need to understand faith�s rightful place in salvation, we also need to have a good grasp of works corresponding role.

�But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?� (James 2:20, NASB).

While God accepts us where we are, saving us at the very moment we accept His gift of grace by faith (Rom 10:9; Eph 2:8,9), for we�re saved by grace alone, He gives us no excuse for remaining there (Heb 10:26,27). While a Christian should not act as though God will jump on them the moment they err, neither should they act as though God will overlook any wrong they do (James 4:17) � in other words take license with His grace (Rom 3:31; 1 John 3:4). Though God won�t zap us the moment we do wrong, He does not excuse sin (James 4:17), nor necessarily ignorance, thus failure to respond appropriately, could not only have its mean-time consequences, but its ultimate result, eternal death (James 2:12). God�s Word instructs Christians to walk in accordance with God�s will (Matt 7:21) � obedience to His commandments (1John 2:4), the standard of Christian conduct (Rom 2:13; Eph 2:10; James 1:25; Rev 14:12). Hence the importance, and place of works, in the Christian�s life. Heb 10:26,27; 6:4-8 and Gal 5:4 clearly show us that we can in fact void God�s grace!

The great "For by grace..." verses in Ephesians 2:8,9 are usually only quoted partially. Verse 10 is still part of that context and includes the following balancing element: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them" (Eph 2:10, NKJV).

� �In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father
in Heaven� � (Matt 5:16).

�...we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us�� (2 Cor 5:20).

�You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness� (Eph 4:22-24).

And lastly, let�s take a look at Mercy and Justice:

As much as we need to know about God�s mercy, we also need to have a healthy respect for His justice � that is, His judgment.

�For if we willingly persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment�� (Heb 10:26,27).

God is a God of justice (Ps 89:14) and He clearly would not be able to govern justly without a law (James 4:12). No government could operate or stay in power if it did not have laws to keep order. There would just be confusion, chaos, and rebellion. Hence why we will be judged by His law (James 2:12) � the Ten Commandments � the standard of Christian conduct. God�s Word clearly tells us, that before Christ comes back to this earth He sets up a court room (Dan 7:9,10), and a judgment time, in heaven (Rev 14:7; Heb 9:24,27; Acts 17:31; 24:25; Eccl 12:14; Matt 12:36,37; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Tim 4:1; James 4:12). After all, our works prove whether we are truly genuine or not (Matt 7:20).

There are situations of course where a heavier focus on any one of the above may be appropriate. For example: One should hardly encourage a Laodicean condition [spiritual sleepiness] with a disproportionate focus on love for example. Such a condition is more needful of the stirring straight testimony � the pointed truth, the importance of obedience, and God�s corresponding judgment.

Not having a healthy respect for the seriousness of our daily need of remaining in God�s saving grace may result in the loss of our heavenly home. Sometimes we need a wake up call. Likewise, a legalistic condition [works obsessed, based] would be better served by a greater emphasis on grace, faith�s rightful place, the worthy attributes and application of Godly love, and its corresponding mercy.

The cloth should be cut according to the situation. Willful sin requires reproof, carelessness requires warning, weakness requires encouragement, hurt requires sympathy, repentance requires mercy, discouragement requires hopefulness, wrong requires justice, and so on.

Biblically, love cannot be divorced from truth, nor faith from works, nor mercy from justice, nor any from each other, otherwise such balances necessary for our spiritual and general well being will be destroyed, and we endangered. Our own imbalance could negatively affect the lives of others (1 Cor 8:9).

Respecting others views dose not mean keeping quiet. Oh, no. Plus, while our salvation isn't based on what we eat, we show our genuiness or not, by how we respond to what God desires of us. It's clear He wants us off meat!. It was not our original diet. Evidence clearly shows it is harming and killing us. Though God later allowed flesh (He had His reasons) He stated, no blood, and no fat, and He tried to wean the Israelites (who were His witness to the world) off flesh. There's no doubt that the Quail was God's angry response to their moaning. They hankered for things they had enjoyed in Egypt, and flesh food. God was constantly trying to bring them up to a higher standard, a better way of life that would bring them greater happiness and health. The other nations observing them would be drawn to their way of life, and Israel's God, by the great results that would be manifested by the Israelites responding to God's desires. The eating of flesh back then, led to a rapid decline in the human life span.

Flesh food is far worse today because of what is going into the meat (antibiotics, hormones, etc) along with mercury, etc, contaminating fish.
It's a different world. I remember a little old woman telling me how she thought the rise of more homosexuals/lesbians was due to the hormones injected into meat. There is evidence that homosexuality may occur in the womb. An imbalance of some hormonal sort. I've often wondered whether that little old lady was right on the button. As for Christ eating fish: Its easy to use that as an excuse, isn't it. Christ took men where He found them. His mission at that critical time was not to point out the dangers of flesh (they wouldn't have listened, no doublt) but to impart His salvation message. Though Christ ate fish, the weight of evidence and Scripture, show that flesh is best removed from our diet, in fact, critical. God wants what's best for us. To ignore that is to put self first. Are such deserving of paradise?

Wayne quotes from John, overlooking that Christ says "I am the truth".
Rejecters of truth, we're told, will be rejected by God (2 Thess 2:12; 1 Tim 2:10; 2 Tim 4:3,4; 2 Tim 3:7; Rom 1:18; 2 Peter 3:16).

Kindest regards,
Lance.

Go on to: Comment by Richard Serzy - 12 Jan 2008
Return to: Christian Bowhunters of America: Is It Really Christian?

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