Friday, August 21, 2009

What is the Reason?

So today I finished reading the book of Revelations. I have read it before but it was refreshing to dive back into it. *Before we go much further I would like to share with you a study tip on reading the Bible that has helped me out a lot. Always answer these three questions. Who wrote it? Who did they write it to? And when was it written? This approach has helped me to retain a lot of what I read by placing the message with the messenger. The time reference helps me map out the events as they happened and to whom they wrote it to defines the character of the author. For this book the info is as follows:
Who wrote it? Apostle John
Who was it written to? Seven Asian churches and believers everywhere.
When was it written? About 95 A.D. (A.D means Ano Domini=year of our Lord, not After Death)

Where was I? Oh! So as I finished reading Revelations today it hit me that no one preaches out of this book. What I mean is verses are used to make additional points to their sermon but rarely used for the sole purpose of a direct study. Why do you think that is? As a Christian I think the vision John received is the very hope Peter referrers to in 1 Peter 3:15-16.

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

I've noticed in the modern church movement that it is no longer politically correct to imply that there is a Hell and that majority of people are going there. Not my words; His! "Narrow is the path and very few find it." Even just having typed it, I feel as if I might have crossed the line. Did I? He also said "They hated Me first!" and last

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34, NLT


I must admit it was not the fear of hell that brought me to the Lord, but the realization of His love for me. I have met Christians though that said that the thought of hell scared them to death and that was why they came to Christ. I don't have an agenda, I was just making an observation.

What do you think?


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