A quite remarkable statement is found in chapter five of Acts. It
has to do with how the founding apostles reacted upon being threatened,
imprisoned and then beaten–all for teaching in the name of Jesus
Christ: “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).

One
of those apostles, Peter, reminds us of the approach we are to have:
“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let
him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16).

This teaching lies at the heart of Christianity, because it is the way in which Jesus lived His life.

Rejoicing
and glorifying God in the face of persecutions is, undoubtedly, a great
challenge for Christians, but what happens when we suffer for our own
mistakes? What kind of attitude must we show when we are corrected?

When
things just don’t go well in our lives, do we become discouraged? We
all do, but we must never give up–even if our trials seem
overwhelming. Consider what is said in Hebrews: “‘My son, do not
despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are
rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every
son whom He receives'” (Hebrews 12:5-6).

When we make mistakes,
God–because He loves us–will discipline us! He does this in order
that we can complete our calling and “…that we may be partakers of
His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). God has very specifically chosen to call
each one of us at this time! He is offering us an opportunity to be in
the first resurrection, called “a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35),
because those who attain this will not be subject to destruction, that
is, the second death (Compare Revelation 20:4-6).

Because we have
been given this incomparable calling, God is working with us to insure
our success. That means there will be times when we will have to face
and endure correction: “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the
present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable
fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews
12:11).

James addresses this aspect of our calling with a
stunning challenge: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into
various trials” (James 1:2).

When you become discouraged, when
life seems to overwhelm, when there just appears to be no help–take it
to God! Take time to realize that God is still there for you and with
you–regardless of whether you are suffering as a Christian or you are
being corrected.

What are we to say in times such as these? As
paradoxical as it might appear to others, our response should be one of
gratitude to God. You might consider starting your conversation with
God with these words–Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Baptized members of the Church of God will soon partake of the
annual Passover symbols of bread and wine to reflect on the death of
Christ and to renew their commitment to God to continue living the Way
of Life to which they have been called. When meditating about the
Sacrifice which Jesus was willing to make for us, we need to realize,
in a very PERSONAL way, its tremendous meaning and greatness.

We
need to understand that Jesus Christ is God now and that He was God
since all eternity. He never had a beginning. But He was willing to
temporarily set aside His divinity and BECOME a man–like you and I are
human beings today. He was willing to face the possibility of ETERNAL
death. He was willing to carry out the fight of overcoming sin in the
flesh. He knew and was fully convinced that He could never slip–not
just once–and He was willing to take the risk of failing. He knew full
well that one sin would end it all for Him, as the penalty for sin is
eternal death (Romans 6:23), which would have also applied to Christ
Himself if He had sinned. He knew that in case of sinning just once, He
would never again be united with His Father in a glorified state, which
He had enjoyed before He became a human being.

Why did He do
it? He did not have to do it. Nobody forced Him to do it. He lived with
the Father in the spirit realm of unspeakable happiness and joy. He
could have remained in that state forever.

But He did not. He
BECAME a man! And He did it for you and for me. God the Father GAVE His
Son, Jesus Christ, for you and for me! Both understood and consented
that Christ would have to live as a human being for 33 1/2 years, and
that He would have to ultimately DIE a terrible death on the cross–for
you and for me!

We must understand that Christ’s death was the
ONLY way to pay the penalty for YOUR sins and for my sins–because, as
stated, the penalty for sin is ETERNAL death. Without the shedding of
blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22). And so, Christ
who, as God, had created man, would die for man–and His death would be
much more precious than the death of all of mankind combined. The
Creator of man would die for His creation. He was willing to die for
rebellious and disobedient man so that man, upon repentance and the
receipt of the Holy Spirit, could be freed from death and live forever.

God
the Father and Jesus Christ made this Sacrifice willingly, freely and
joyfully! Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus, the author and finisher of
our faith, endured the cross and despised the shame “for the joy that
was set before Him.” He looked at the future, while He was suffering
and dying on the cross–He saw in His mind the millions and potential
billions of people who would ultimately enjoy with Him the glory of
being immortal sons and daughters in His Father’s Kingdom. He saw you
and me next to Him in the Family of God. That is why He was willing to
do what He did.

How much do we thank God the Father and Jesus
Christ for this Sacrifice? How diligent are we NOT to sin so that we
don’t have to remind God over and over again of the actual events of
Christ’s suffering and death–what He went through? It is true, of
course, that when we sin, we can and should come before God’s throne in
heaven, in repentance, and ask for forgiveness. When we slip and fall,
God is true and faithful to forgive us upon repentance, and the blood
of Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). But
this is not to be understood as a license to sin–or, that we can look
at sin in a casual way. We are commanded NOT to sin (1 John 2:1). We
need to fully realize that every time we appear before God, while
repenting of our newly committed sins and confessing them to Him, we
remind Him of the terrible ordeal that Christ went through, in order to
make our forgiveness possible.  And much worse yet, if we become
so casual and indifferent to sin that we don’t see the need anymore to
repent; if we, instead, proceed to sin WILLFULLY, trampling the Son of
God underfoot, counting the blood of the New Covenant by which we were
sanctified or set aside for a holy purpose a common or unimportant
thing; then we are again deserving the punishment of eternal death
(Hebrews 10:29). Because, we crucify again the Son of God for ourselves
and put Him again to an open shame (Hebrews 6:6).

When you and
I partake of the Passover in less than two weeks from now, we need to
reflect on the great Sacrifice of Jesus Christ which He brought for us.
Don’t ever take it lightly. Christ DIED for YOU–so that YOU, having
died to sins, can and might live for HIM in righteousness (1 Peter
2:24).

Very often the big events in Biblical prophecy are the ones that
catch the eye, excite the imagination and stir the blood. Into this
category, events that may immediately spring to mind may be, amongst
many others, the formation of the nations in Europe as a forerunner to
the Beast power; the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord; and the
fate of the incorrigible wicked. While it is understandable that such
events can set the pulses racing, there are other prophecies that may
be somewhat overlooked but have great significance at this time.

One
such prophecy is found in Matthew 24:12: “And because lawlessness will
abound, the love of many will grow cold.” This is addressing those in
the Church who at one time had the love of God, but who had begun to
let it slip. That’s why it says that the love of God will grow or
become cold–so it was hot at one time. We also read in the book of
Revelation that the first era of the Church had lost their first love.
The love of many growing cold–NOW–is really quite scary because of
the problems that will emanate. We read in verse 10 that “…many will
be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” And
why? Because lawlessness will abound! The true Church of God has always
been a Church that has taught and kept the law of God, but we have
seen, in recent times, incorporated Church organizations blown to the
four corners of the earth because of lawless teaching and behavior. The
pull of the world seemed to have been far too strong for too many who
should have known better.

Why does love grow cold? Because of not
keeping the law of God and because of apathy, hostility and
carelessness! In John 16:1-2, we find these chilling verses: “These
things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that
whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”

We
read about people whose love will grow cold and who will, as a
consequence, hate and kill, supposedly, in God’s service. These are
spine chilling verses, but how is this possible? Perhaps we can find
the answer in Matthew 13:24-30, which is the parable of the wheat and
tares. Verse 30 offers more than a clue: “Let both grow together until
the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them,
but gather the wheat into my barn.'” Wheat and tares grow up together
in the Church. Events over millennia culminating in more recent times
have shown the accuracy of these prophesied events–and there is, no
doubt, more of the same to come and probably with increasing intensity.
And, it stands to reason that the tares will be participating in the
killing of God’s people–the wheat.

In less than three weeks,
baptized members of the Church of God will be taking the Passover.
Verses in Matthew 5:23-24 are among those that will show God whether we
are serious: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift.” If we follow this
instruction, it will show God that we mean business and clearly
indicate our love for others.

Studying prophecy is a fascinating
subject–but we should ONLY engage in it for the ultimate purpose of
acquiring and living God’s love in us. We must be very careful that
God’s love does not grow cold in US. The time just prior to Passover is
a good occasion to reflect on this vital truth.

At my last job, my employer had all the employees account for every
15 minute block of the day. While this is a common practice in fields
such as law and accounting, I had never come across it in my line of
business: computer networking. Learning this system was a pain in the
beginning…and in the end and all points in between. I would much
rather have been working on some technical issue beyond my
understanding or with a problematic customer. But nonetheless there was
no getting around it.

During the course of this exercise I was
forced to look critically at what I did during the day at all times.
Naturally it should go without saying that the boss was interested in a
term that I became intimately familiar with–“billable hours.” This was
time that the company was able to charge the customer for work that I
did. With this realization, I quickly came to some conclusions about
the typical work environment.

First was that when someone says
that they are “busy” that does not necessarily mean that they are
“working.” When someone says that they are “working” it does not
necessarily mean that they are being “profitable.” When I was being
micro-managed, I suddenly became accountable for everything that I was
doing for the company and it really made me consider my every action.

As
we come into the Passover season we need to be asking ourselves this
same thing–even more seriously than we have been doing throughout the
past year. If we say that we are busy, are we busy laboring and
striving, not in vain, but according to the good work that God has begun
in us (Philippians 1:6; 2:6 )? If we say that we are working, are we
doing a work which is good and profitable (Titus 3:8)? Only each one of
us individually can answer these questions and we must do so carefully
and prayerfully as we will soon have to give an account (1 Peter 4:5).

We often stop and examine the actions of our individual lives to be
certain we understand the path upon which we are traveling; the way we
are living our lives. This is the season when we are told,
specifically, to be examining ourselves. Is our present path in line
with the calling which we have received?

Once God allows us to
begin receiving the precious knowledge of His Way and allows us to
receive the gift of His Spirit, He does expect to see us moving more in
the direction of His Way. And God’s Way is totally contrary to the ways
of this world.

With this being Satan’s world (See Ephesians
2:1-3; Matthew 4:8-9; John 12:30-32; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4), we find the
world moving more in the way of war, in the way of hate, in a way
totally opposite from God’s approach to life to which we have been
called. God’s Way is the way of peace!

How are we doing, collectively and individually?

James makes a profound statement in James 3:13-18, which says:

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

“But
if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast
and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not come from above, but is
earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist,
confusion and every evil thing will be there.

“But the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to
yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without
hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who
make peace.”

Thus we have been called to be a people of peace–not a people of war!

Through
the power of God’s Spirit within us, and with the true knowledge of
God’s Way, which He is revealing to us, we have the ability to receive
true wisdom and understanding within our lives. It is this wisdom, this
understanding that should be motivating us to be able to live peaceably
within our homes, within the Church and in the community as a whole.

How are we doing?

In
the new world, which God the Father and Jesus Christ will be
establishing soon on the earth, this approach will be the order of the
day. But in the meantime, the world we live in is at war–nation
against nation, kingdom against kingdom–and people cannot seem to get
along peaceably within the boundaries of their own households.

We
have been called to move in a different direction from the way the
world is living. We have been called to live a new and a better
way–the way of love, the way of peace, the way that will bear the
fruit of righteousness!

How are we doing?

There are times when we really need help!

That need may arise
because we find ourselves caught up in disaster–such as the terrible
plight we have witnessed in the devastating tidal waves of Asia; or the
hurricanes in the southeastern United States; or the heart-rending
starvation in parts of Africa; or the countless other traumas that
continue to scar this earth with unrelenting persistence.

Many
governments, as well as individuals, have generously responded with
help for those who could not help themselves, but the need is simply
greater than either the willingness or the ability of those who can
help.

In that massive landscape of trouble, we might feel helpless–but that is not the case at all! Not for those who serve God!

Note
what God says–a statement that we need to be reminded of, especially
when we need help: “‘Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is
there anything too hard for Me?'” (Jeremiah 32:27).

Among many
Psalms that reveal God as our Helper, one by the sons of Korah is
particularly reassuring: “God is our refuge and strength, A very
present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the
earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of
the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains
shake with its swelling” (Psalm 46:1-3).

Add to this the
confirmation that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, now stands as our High
Priest: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Sadly,
this world and its inhabitants in this age of Satan’s rule do not have
this help (Compare Ephesians 2:11-13; 1 John 5:19; John 18:36). But it
is different for those whom God has called out of this world.
Considering this contrast of Satan’s rule to our unparalleled promises,
we have reason for hope in times of need. However, along with this
comes responsibility to fulfill our own calling by being willing to
help–to do as Jesus did by doing our part in proclaiming the good news
of God’s Kingdom to this world–and to continue teaching those who
respond.

Speaking of the time that immediately precedes God’s
intervention in order that He might help and save this world, this is
stated: “He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no
intercessor…” (Isaiah 59:16); Also: “‘I looked, but there was no one
to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold…'” (Isaiah
63:5).

That indictment testifies to the utter helplessness of a
world that will soon face its own destruction, should God not intervene
to save it! The way we can help (and find help for ourselves) is to
continue to proclaim the wonderful truth and the certain hope that God,
with whom all things are possible, ultimately will give this world the
greatest possible help–He “will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no
more pain…” (Revelation 21:4).

Several weeks ago, I watched an interesting movie in black and
white, which was made in the early sixties. It did not contain the kind
of violence and perverse scenes, which a lot of the modern movies have.
The story line was about a four-star general and head of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, who was not happy with the manner in which the U.S.
President was administering his policies towards Russia. He felt the
President was weak in a lot of areas and that he, the general, could do
a much superior job in leading the country.

This general
convinced four of the five generals of the other branches of the armed
forces that he would be better suited to rule as President. With their
help, he planned to overthrow the President and take the office for
himself.

His plan would have succeeded but for a colonel under
his command who became suspicious of this plot. He reported it to the
President, who set in motion steps to successfully thwart this coup. At
the end of the movie, the President was addressing the nation. His last
statement struck a chord in my mind. He said that in due time people
would come out of the corridors, caves [referring to the North American
Air Defense Command, or NORAD] and bunkers, to embrace freedom.

I
found that this movie contained a remarkable parallel to what Satan
did. He determined that his way was better than God’s. He turned the
minds of his top lieutenants to his way of thinking, and then he did
the unimaginable. He attempted to throw God off His throne and take
over the universe. He was, of course, thwarted in his efforts and shall
receive a just reward for his actions (Jude 12-13).

Just like in
the movie, there is coming a time when men will come out of their caves
and hiding places. This will happen when Christ returns to this earth
as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. At that time, He will dethrone
Satan and his demons as the present rulers of this earth. Instead, He
will authorize His faithful saints to rule with and under Him during
the Millennium. Then, we shall truly have “Freedom At Last.”

Many of us probably have friends or neighbors who would consider
themselves to be patriotic, and supporters of the United States of
America. Maybe they take the time to display the flag on the 4th of
July, remember the men and women who sacrificed in the wars of this
country, or with pride hold their hand to their hearts when the
national anthem is played.  Service to one’s country still holds
true as a virtue and serving those around you are still ideals held by
many.

But are these the ideals to be held by Christians? 
And should Christians practice patriotism?  The answer is,
Yes!  But to whose country should we show our true allegiance?

During
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, through God’s Spirit, interpreted
the king’s dreams, and because of that service was made “ruler over the
whole province of Babylon” (Daniel 2:48). Continuing in verse 49, we
read that Daniel appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to be “over
the affairs of the province of Babylon.”

In that particular case,
for God’s specific purpose, He chose to have men performing civil
service for a foreign county (as they had been deported from Judah to
Babylon), who also had God’s Spirit guiding them. Undoubtedly, they
performed their duties as was prescribed by the appointments Daniel
gave to them.  But when decrees were set before them to disobey
God, by worshipping an idol of gold, what was their response? 
“…let it be known to you, O King, that we do not serve your gods, nor
will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:18).

God
came before ALL men for these three, and because of their belief God
saved them from their trial, and the king honored them greatly (Daniel
3:28).

What are our duties, then, in our respective
countries?  While we are to honor and submit to those in
authority, we are not to obey them when their demands conflict with
God’s instructions.

But we are expected to be patriots–patriots
of a kingdom that has yet to be set up, but is no less real.  We
are “…ambassadors for Christ…” (2 Corinthians 5:20), and as
ambassadors we are required to show complete patriotism for God’s
soon-coming Kingdom. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippines 3:20).
While coming out of our earthly country, in a spiritual way, we are
desiring a better country: we are waiting for God’s heavenly kingdom to
be set up here on earth (Hebrews 11:14-16). We are to be patriots of
God’s very Kingdom.

A patriot is defined as: “One who loves,
supports and defends one’s country.” Can that be said of us in how
proudly we “show our colors” to those around us? Matthew 5:14 states:
“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden.”

It is our responsibility and duty, not just to ourselves, but to mankind as a whole to let the light of God’s truth so shine.

In our day-in and day-out struggle to live a Christian life, we may
sometimes become discouraged and frustrated–even to the point of being
willing to quit. We may look at others–especially Hollywood
celebrities–who seem to have it so easy: a fine mansion with a fancy
swimming pool, several expensive cars, nice clothes, a high
position–yet, they don’t walk God’s way of life. And so, we might
wonder: Is it really worth it? Why can’t I live like that? Why can’t I
have all these beautiful things? Wouldn’t it be better if I had not
been called in this life–so I could enjoy what I’m now missing?

These
thoughts are not unusual, nor are they new. But they are not right.
Solomon tells us in Proverbs 23:17-18: “Do not let your heart envy
sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; For
surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”
God tells us in Malachi 3:18 that ultimately, at the time of Christ’s
return, we “shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.” It says
that we will “again” discern these things at that time. This means that
we should have already discerned it before that time; that is, NOW!
When we walk in God’s way, we will reap blessings in this life. John
10:10 tells us that Christ came to give us life “in all its fullness”
(Living Bible). We are to enjoy the lifestyle that God offers us.
Rather than envying others for what they have, we are to thank God for
what He has given us–and what He will give us in a very few years from
now.

The Christian life is supposed to be a life filled with joy
and happiness. It is not supposed to be a continuous burden for us,
causing us to constantly moan and groan all day long. We are not to
regret what we gave up, and are giving up, for Christ. Paul expressed
it very succinctly: “But what things were gain to me, these I have
counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for
the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I
may gain Christ… if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection
from the dead” (Philippians 3:7-8, 11). Paul did not envy the
evildoers. Neither did Moses. He had it all, but he left it all behind,
“choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
enjoy the passing pleasures of sin… for he looked to the reward”
(Hebrews 11:25-26).

Overall, we should be happy people. Others
should be able to see that we identify with God’s Word, because we want
to and love to do it–because we understand that it is good for us to
live in the way that God tells us. If others observe us and conclude
that we are deeply unhappy people who only grudgingly do what we are
“commanded” to do, they might have a hard time wanting to live God’s
Way of Life.

The Bible predicts that many will fall away. They
will cease to live God’s Way of Life. They will begin to envy the
wealth of the sinners, wanting to be like them. They will cease to do
good, thinking that it does not pay to do so. They will reason in this
way: “While I suffer, the sinners live happily ever after.” But this
concept is a deceptive self-delusion. Sinners DO suffer–even though
their suffering might not always be obvious to casual observers. As
Brian Gale explained in his editorial in Update #229, many take their
own lives, become alcoholics or drug addicts. Their marriages fail.
Their family life is in shambles. The late millionaire Jean Paul Getty
once said: “I would gladly give all my millions for a happy marriage.”
And when it’s all said and done, many millionaires lose all of their
money and become heavy debtors.

Christ tells us time and again
that we are “blessed” or “happy” when we follow His example. And people
should be able to see how happy it makes us to live God’s Way of Life.
For instance, we are happy when we are peacemakers, because we are
accomplishing something which is good and lasting. Anyone can start a
fight or a war, but only very few are willing and able to advocate
peace, and to step in and stop the fight.

Ultimately, it boils
down to how we look at life. Proverbs 15:15 says: “All the days of the
afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual
feast.” Even when we mourn, we can be happy. We can look around us and
cry and weep about the evils that are being done, but this does not
have to affect our life in such a way that WE become depressed. We know
that we have a future, and that knowledge should give us great
happiness. And, we are to share this happiness with others, as they
have a future, too–although they might not know it yet. That is why
God’s Church has to continue to forcefully preach the gospel of
God–the GOOD and HAPPY news of God’s Kingdom which is going to be
restored on this earth. Our zeal for God will motivate us to
wholeheartedly participate in this commission–but the depressed,
frustrated and self-centered person will shrink away from that
responsibility.

We all may have met people who refuse to be
“happy,” unless they find something about which they can be unhappy.
They just love to complain. They are unable to live in peace with
others. They are not an example to follow. Rather, we must show
happiness in our lives–even and especially in times of trials. When
the early apostles were beaten because they were Christ’s disciples,
“they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41). People
saw how they reacted. The trial did not break them–rather, it made
them stronger. They refused to become unhappy, but rather rejoiced “to
the extent that [they partook] of Christ’s sufferings, that when His
glory is revealed, [they] may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter
4:13).

Yes, it IS worth the fight! Our trials are “manifest
evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that [we] may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which [we] also suffer” (2
Thessalonians 1:5). With God on our side, how could we be anything but
happy? So, let us all notice, and take great courage from these
inspired words in Psalm 146:5-10: “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob
for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and
earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who
executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The
LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the
blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the
righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the
fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
The LORD shall reign forever.”

During the month of January, Channel 4 television in the UK screened
two programs presented by an atheist who is also a scientist–not an
uncommon combination.  The first program was called, “The God
Delusion,” and the second one was titled, “The Virus of Faith.” The
presenter’s purpose was to convince one to accept the theory of
evolution as a scientific fact and to dismiss religion and the belief
in a supernatural, all powerful Being as just a myth. This surely fits
into the category of calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

Christianity,
amongst other religions, was under attack, and from many different
angles. Many who are atheists or who have no interest in God or
religion take the view that if this is all there is to this life, let’s
just enjoy what we have–and that can often lead to a really selfish
approach. When you’re dead, you’re dead, according to their approach,
and with nothing to look forward to, they can make the most of the here
and now, irrespective of any other considerations.

It can be
assumed–and it was by the presenter–that religious people sacrifice
happiness in this life for the afterlife. In fact, some may do just
that. But didn’t Mr Armstrong mention many times in his writings about
the abundant life–here and now? By living according to God’s way, we
can avoid the problems experienced by those who ignore it. We don’t get
sexually transmitted diseases because we follow God’s instructions on
sexual behavior; we avoid many of the health problems that can be
caused by eating pork, certain seafood and other unclean foods; and we
can have peace of mind about our future because of our faith–without
having nervous breakdowns that some may suffer because of their anxiety
about the future.

Our life can be more fulfilling and enjoyable
because of our faith–not grinding out this life before we enjoy
eternity, as this presenter assumed. We can enjoy life now more than
others because we follow God’s instructions on how to live and behave
in this life, and we also have a wonderful future to look forward to as
a member of God’s family in the Kingdom of God. Yes, religion and
belief in God was under attack in these two programmes, but that does
not alter the reality of our calling and the fact that we do have the
best of both worlds.