In the short piece below, Bono is quoted as saying, "The main thrust of the Scriptures is to meet Christ in working with the poor."
WRONG! If we follow that logic, those walking closest to Jesus are the very wealthy. Bono would have all of the "Creekers" believe that our greatest need is to be set free from the bondage of poverty. Poverty is a symptom. Polio is a symptom. Warfare is a symptom. Dead children are a symptom. AIDS is a symptom. Death is a symptom. The disease is SIN.
Think about this for a minute: How many millions of dollars have the American Cancer Society or the Muscular Dystrophy Association spent in helping people with their physical problems? How many of those same people swiftly entered into eternal damnation immediately upon their deaths? We pat ourselves on the back for dealing with symptoms, and the disease - if not dealt with before our death - makes all of those efforts look rather ridiculous in the end. I'm not saying we shouldn't do our best to aleviate human suffering, we just have our priorities messed up. It's like treating a hang-nail on a man who just had both legs blown off by a land mine.
Who loves his neighbor more, the rock star who relieves a man's poverty in this short life of 70 or 80 years or the one who warns that person of the tremendous peril that awaits him should he refuse to accept the free offer of Christ's work on his behalf? All who reject Christ's sacrifice for their sin will pay in their bodies themselves for eternity. No amount of good works or charity can overcome the Rock that makes men stumble. Christ is an imposing figure who stands between us and the Father. All must go through Him if they want to reach the true safe haven.
People today, including many so-called Evangelical pastors, haven't the courage to address the disease. We'd rather have our ears tickled by men and women who often make large amounts of money and fame skirting the issue and messing around with peripheral matters. Lou Gehrig's Disease, diabetes, cancer - these things can only assault us for 100 or so years at most. Eternity is forever.
Bono's pretty cool and all that, but he doesn't have the medicine that fallen men and women need - the Good News of a Savior who died to satisfy the wrath of a God who is still, in our modern, technologically-advanced age, very angry with sin. Even Bill Gates and his billions can't earn him enough credits with God to pay for even one sin.
It is very uncharitable to give a man suspended by a thread over the fires of Hell a simple remedy for his poverty or some physical disease which might destroy his body. Poverty and disease can only last a lifetime - but the punishment of a soul who rejects Christ is a torment which never ends.
The church in America has been so severely compromised by men like Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Robert Schuller and Benny Hinn that one wonders how often one can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ anymore in this nation. Even out here in this Bible-belt which is West Michigan, it's not an easy chore to find a solid, Christ-centered church.
America may lose many things, but when we lose the Gospel none of the rest really matters that much.
Pray for a modern Reformation. We are in the midst of the worst kind of famine.
U2's Bono Serves as Preacher for a Day
WRONG! If we follow that logic, those walking closest to Jesus are the very wealthy. Bono would have all of the "Creekers" believe that our greatest need is to be set free from the bondage of poverty. Poverty is a symptom. Polio is a symptom. Warfare is a symptom. Dead children are a symptom. AIDS is a symptom. Death is a symptom. The disease is SIN.
Think about this for a minute: How many millions of dollars have the American Cancer Society or the Muscular Dystrophy Association spent in helping people with their physical problems? How many of those same people swiftly entered into eternal damnation immediately upon their deaths? We pat ourselves on the back for dealing with symptoms, and the disease - if not dealt with before our death - makes all of those efforts look rather ridiculous in the end. I'm not saying we shouldn't do our best to aleviate human suffering, we just have our priorities messed up. It's like treating a hang-nail on a man who just had both legs blown off by a land mine.
Who loves his neighbor more, the rock star who relieves a man's poverty in this short life of 70 or 80 years or the one who warns that person of the tremendous peril that awaits him should he refuse to accept the free offer of Christ's work on his behalf? All who reject Christ's sacrifice for their sin will pay in their bodies themselves for eternity. No amount of good works or charity can overcome the Rock that makes men stumble. Christ is an imposing figure who stands between us and the Father. All must go through Him if they want to reach the true safe haven.
People today, including many so-called Evangelical pastors, haven't the courage to address the disease. We'd rather have our ears tickled by men and women who often make large amounts of money and fame skirting the issue and messing around with peripheral matters. Lou Gehrig's Disease, diabetes, cancer - these things can only assault us for 100 or so years at most. Eternity is forever.
Bono's pretty cool and all that, but he doesn't have the medicine that fallen men and women need - the Good News of a Savior who died to satisfy the wrath of a God who is still, in our modern, technologically-advanced age, very angry with sin. Even Bill Gates and his billions can't earn him enough credits with God to pay for even one sin.
It is very uncharitable to give a man suspended by a thread over the fires of Hell a simple remedy for his poverty or some physical disease which might destroy his body. Poverty and disease can only last a lifetime - but the punishment of a soul who rejects Christ is a torment which never ends.
The church in America has been so severely compromised by men like Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Robert Schuller and Benny Hinn that one wonders how often one can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ anymore in this nation. Even out here in this Bible-belt which is West Michigan, it's not an easy chore to find a solid, Christ-centered church.
America may lose many things, but when we lose the Gospel none of the rest really matters that much.
Pray for a modern Reformation. We are in the midst of the worst kind of famine.
R.J.
U2's Bono Serves As Preacher for a Day
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10:26 PM in Commentary | Permalink