Can we join hands with EVERYONE?

This is something brand new for me. Those of you who got here probably got here through my Facebook page. I have been putting off writing for some time, and I'm not sure why, but here goes...

Who I am is really very unimportant. I am simply a follower of and lover of truth as it is found in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...the One and only Jesus Christ of the Bible, the only true God. All others gods are of man's imagination and are nothing. I know that I was created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever, and that's my purpose in this life and the one to come. Anyone who does know me would probably characterize me as being somewhat controversial, but that is because truth in Jesus is controversial in this sin-infested world which is growing darker and darker every day. I love to contend for the faith that was once-for-all delivered to the saints any opportunity I get.

Sometimes knowing that there are true believers out there who are like-minded does not make it any easier to stand alone when one lives in a small town virtually with very little camaraderie in the battle, especially when there are so many professing soldiers who say it is their passion to defend Christ. Honestly, I have witnessed little to no real "defense" or "contending" being done in my neighborhood by those who profess His name. Why? One would think that almost anyone would defend to the death the one they truly loved when his or her honor was at stake, wouldn't he?

Talking with many professing Christians who have come in AND OUT of my life over the years, I have come to realize that not many truly know who He is. They simply don't take the time to get to know Him. They believe that they can say a prayer one time in their lifetime, walk an aisle, or whatever they want to soothe their conscience with and call themselves followers of Christ for the rest of their lives. Absurd! This has no reality in Scripture whatsoever! If your idea of "defending Christ" is to say a quick "Praise the Lord!" here and there when something you like happens around unbelievers, then this blog will make you angry; I'm almost certain of it. That doesn't matter to me. What matters is truth. Period.

I guess my purpose in "blogging" would be to exhort regular, ordinary Christians everywhere to stand for Christ, to remember the cost they should have counted to follow the only one worthy of being followed and to stand strong for the truth in Christ. And that calls for knowing the truth so that you can stand for it.

Today I was reading Mike Gendron's January-March newsletter. The theme of this article was the joining of hands of Evangelicals with unbelievers in the ecumenical times in which we find ourselves. John MacArthur preached a fantastic sermon as the kick-off of the Shepherd's Conference the other day on the very subject of the separation of the church. We cannot join hands with the world in any attempt to do anything in the name of Christ with them when we do not even follow or serve the same Christ. The following are some quotes that I would wholeheartedly agree with and was greatly encouraged by (but I can always expect this from this man). I hope you are encouraged by them as well. Mike said this:

"Anytime born-again Christians link arms with unregenerate professing Christians, even for ostensibly moral purposes they are impeding the Great Commission."

"Evangelicals and Catholics: submit to different authorities, read different Bibles, worship a different Jesus, believe a different Gospel, have a different view of sin; and are on a different path to eternity. Also, we disagree on the necessity, sufficiency and efficacy of our Lord Jesus Christ in the salvation of sinners."

"Believers and unbelievers are as different as light and darkness."

"Have we forgotten the Reformers who were tortured and burned at the stake for refusing to compromise with Rome?"

"People who preach another Gospel are not Christians; they have betrayed Christ. The true church ought to rise up against such persons and declare that they are not Christians. They are counterfeits who shame the name of Jesus."

"The true Gospel is denied by every Catholic priest when he offers the Eucharistic Christ upon his altar for the forgiveness of sins."

"Throughout the history of the church Satan has unleashed his fiery darts against the Christian faith. He has been most successful when God's children lack discernment."

Charles Spurgeon (love him!): "To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus."

Have you considered?

"Truth is the antidote for willful ignorance, but if ignorance remains after truth is revealed, it is not longer ignorance but stubborn pride that continues to reject the truth."

"Failure to embrace and defend truth will always lead to deception. We who have been entrusted with the truth can never let a lie of the devil go unabated."

"Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error; except that it is innocent looking and therfore more dangerous. God hates such a mixture! Any truth and error mixture calls for definite exposure and repudiation. To condone such is to be unfaithful to God and His Word and treacherous to imperiled souls for whom Christ died!" H.A. Ironside

Gives us something to think about this day!