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“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

Psalm 24:1

Whose world is it? Some Christians say that it is God’s world because He created it and is therefore sovereign over all of it. Other Christians say that the world belongs to Satan because he was cast out of heaven to the earth and “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) So, whose world is it, God’s or Satan’s? Let’s examine the evidence from Scripture.

Who God Is and What He Did

Genesis 1:1 tells us that “God created the heavens and the earth.” He also created man in His image (Genesis 1:27). God is the creator of all we know and see. Through His Son Jesus Christ all things were made, “for without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3) God created the world for human beings, his most valued creation, and put us in charge of all of it (Genesis 1:28). But when Adam and Eve sinned, they corrupted the perfect world God had given to them. In order to restore His creation, God sent His son into the world to save the world from the sins of its inhabitants that He created (John 3:17). Who did He save? Every human being that is willing to repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in Jesus!

Who Satan Is and What He Did

Revelation 12:9 tells us that “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Satan created nothing and he opposes God and what is good. Why? Because he craved to be like God and have power over the world and everything in it. It was not his world to begin with, but he still wanted to control it. He is the source of evil, a deceiver, and the one Jesus calls a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan works tirelessly to draw us away from God and lead us into a life of evil against God and against one another. He offers us the world at the expense of our very souls (Matthew 16:26). Satan is clearly not on our side.

What God Can Do and Does in Our World

God is not only our Creator, but He is also Love (1 John 4:16) and He is Good (Psalm 34:8). God loves us immeasurably (1 John 4:9-10) and He is always working for our good (Romans 8:28). How does God demonstrate that He loves us and is good to us? First of all, only God forgives us through His Son Jesus. It is God who has restored our relationship with Him through the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, for our sins. Second, only God heals us and is able to take away our infirmities and illnesses (Psalm 103:2-3). His Word encourages us to pray for one another so that we may be healed (James 5:16). Third, only God carries us through our difficult times in this life. God is always present for us (Psalm 139:7) and will always respond to our prayers and needs (1 John 5:14). Fourth, only God blesses us out of the goodness of His love for us (James 1:12). And lastly, only God saves us from our sins and give us eternal life with Him through Jesus’ death and resurrection (John 3:16). God is truly the one on our side!

What Satan Can and Can’t Do in Our World

First of all, it’s important to mention that Satan is not all-powerful. Only God is all-powerful. Only God gives life and takes it away. Therefore, Satan cannot kill us. He can only do what God allows him to do. And he cannot heal us, does not love us, will not forgive us and he will never save us. As matter of fact, Satan wants us to all die and to go to hell to be where he is and where he rules. However, while he roams the earth until he is finally vanquished (Revelation 20:7-10), he has the ability to tempt us to sin, deceive us, exert his influence over us, and lead us away from God! The only way Satan can hurt us or lead us away from our loving God is if we let him! We get to decide who we will follow, listen to, or worship because God gave us free will to choose. So, we must choose wisely and not fall prey to Satan’s negative influence in our lives.

Who Really Controls the World

The evidence is clear. God created our world and only He has the power to forgive, heal, carry, bless and save us. Satan can only try to tempt us, deceive us, influence us and lead us away from God. But he has no true power over us. He only has power over us if we reject God and allow Satan into our lives. God alone is sovereign over our world, and He will bless us if we let Him!

Whose world is it? As the words of the famous Christian hymn declare, “This is my Father’s world / Oh, let me ne’er forget / That though the wrong seems oft so strong / God is the ruler yet / This is my Father’s world / The battle is not done / Jesus who died shall be satisfied / And earth and Heav’n be one.”

Amen!

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – John 3:17

Our America culture seems to be obsessed these days with naming who they think is the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.). It is usually in reference to sports figures, but also includes actors, singers, scientists, authors, historical figures and others as well. It is an evaluation as to which person has accomplished the greatest achievements in their chosen field of endeavor.

Stacy Wentworth, an MD, said, “To be the greatest at something requires dedication to the point of obsession, a singular focus that most of us don’t have.” In other words, to become the best at anything requires complete dedication and sacrifice. Greatness is earned, not bestowed!

There are 4 criteria that are used to determine which person should be awarded this title of being the G.O.A.T. They include achievements, impact, influence, and legacy. Let’s look at these criteria and see why there is really only one G.O.A.T. – and his name is Jesus!!

Achievements

In our world, human achievements are typically measured by accomplishments, results, and awards. This is usually the first criterion for determining who might be the greatest. Here are a few examples: Michael Jordan (basketball), Serena Williams (tennis), Whitney Houston (singer), Dustin Hoffman (acting), Abraham Lincoln (U.S. president), Isaac Newton (science), and William Shakespeare (writer). All these people accomplished great things during their lifetimes and might be considered the best in their fields. However, it is difficult to compare people from one era to another due to differences in culture and the equipment and the technology of its time. To say that they were the greatest of all time is still very subjective.

When we consider Jesus, however, His accomplishment dwarfs all of theirs put together! His accomplishments were not just in our world; they were for the entire world! This past Easter the world once again celebrated Jesus overcoming death and the grave! His achievement was victory over sin and Satan when He declared from the cross that “It is finished!” (John 19:30) He died, was buried, and rose to life again. He is the only person ever to do so. His accomplishment also gives eternal life to every person who is willing to put their faith and trust in Him for what He did for them. Every one of these other famous people has died or will die, but only those who put their faith and trust in Jesus will live forever. As the Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Impact

The second criterion we can look at is the impact a person has on the culture and the world. All the famous people I list above are well known around the world today. In our age of technology and the internet, people can watch their performances, read about their accomplishments, and follow them no matter where they live or when they lived. These people have also had a significant impact on the culture and the world we live in. Some of them achieved something so important that it changed the world or the way things are viewed today. And quite often these individuals take on a huge cultural following due to their uniqueness and personalities in addition to their accomplishments.

But there is no question that Jesus Christ has had the biggest impact on the world and its culture. He brought hope to the world when there was none. He also changed the way people thought about marriage, justice, government, and care for the poor. Christianity formed the basis of our Western culture of democracy and freedom that still dominates the nations of the world today. As Christians, we know that we “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil.” (1 Peter 2:16) Without Christianity, there would likely be no freedom and no United States of America. We could be living in a world controlled by the evils of atheism, Marxism, and terrorism!

Influence

The third criterion is to look at the influence these famous people have had on people’s behavior and beliefs. For example, how many kids wear Michael Jordan Nike shoes? How many young girls sacrifice their childhood to be the next Serena Williams or Whitney Houston? How many young people aspire to become scientists like Isaac Newton? Ordinary people often “worship” those who are famous and successful. They will sometimes dress like them, copy their mannerisms, or emulate their abilities if they can. They are also often influenced by their personal political or religious views. Yet, their influence is generally limited to only those people who admire and follow them.

Jesus influenced the world as well. But His influence extends to every human being, both positively and negatively! Famous people often display their wealth, their pride, and their status while Jesus displayed His poverty, His humility, and His servanthood. Jesus taught the world about forgiveness, loving our enemies, serving others, and sacrificing our wants for the needs of others. As Philippians 2:6-7 says, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.” His example has led His followers to live as He lived – serving others. Those who reject Him and His sacrifice for them live godless, self-focused lives.  Either way, Jesus has had the greatest influence in our world!

Legacy

The final criterion is the number of followers and lasting memory an individual has. In today’s world of social media, many of today’s athletes, singers, and actors have millions of followers on Facebook, X, Instagram, and other platforms. They have devotees who attend every performance to show their support. They buy clothing with their idol’s name, accomplishments, and endorsements to show they are a true fan. And they memorize and can quote any statistic from their career.

But no matter how many millions of followers they have, they don’t come close to the number of followers that Jesus has – now estimated to be about 2.6 billion globally! Additionally, the calendar the world uses today is based on the life of Jesus. Now that’s a legacy!

Over time, people often forget the accomplishments and names of famous people that took place several centuries in the past. But Christians (followers of Jesus Christ) are the largest body of believers in the world still today! Jesus is celebrated every week through worship, especially when Christians partake in Holy Communion and remember His words, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) His sacrifice on the cross is well known and acknowledged to this day, and His legacy continues to positively impact our world.

Conclusion

Even though two thirds of the world do not believe in Jesus, He is still the Greatest of All Time for what he did on the cross for all humanity over 2,000 years ago. Jesus sacrificed His life for the sins of mankind so that all people could be saved from their sin and have the hope of eternal life with God our Father and Creator. As Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He laid down His life for us so that we can lay down our lives for Him!

In time, what people have accomplished in our world will eventually be surpassed or forgotten. But what Jesus did will be remembered and celebrated forever! As 1 Peter 1:24-25 says, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”

Help us, Lord, to lead all people to worship Jesus – the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.)!

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.” – John 15:22

Every Christian is someone who recognizes their sin and their need for forgiveness and grace. And they also know that forgiveness only comes through Jesus and His death on the cross as payment for that sin. When Christians put their faith and trust in Jesus, they become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) that has been cleansed by the blood of Christ.

But old habits are also hard to overcome. Because of our sinful nature from the beginning, our sins don’t automatically end once we accept Christ as our Savior. The only way that we can stop ourselves from sinning is through a daily submission to Christ and the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

But the reality is that no matter how hard we try to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we still fail and need to repent of our sin and receive the Lord’s forgiveness. Yet it seems that some Christians think that once they are born again of the Spirit they don’t sin anymore. But that’s not true. We are not sinless! As Paul says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The best that we can do is minimize our sins by letting the Holy Spirit help us not to sin.

And yet some Christians still won’t recognize their sins and try to make excuses for them when they commit them. Here are what I consider the 4 major excuses that Christians make for their sins.

1. It wasn’t my fault (blaming others)

As humans we are often unable to see our own failings and instead blame someone else for things we did wrong. It all goes back to the garden of Eden where Adam blamed Eve for his sin of eating fruit from the tree that God had told him not to eat from. Eve also knew what God had commanded and instead chose to blame the serpent rather than her own decision to do something that God had forbidden (Genesis 3:12-13). This is the original sin committed by mankind through Adam & Eve that still lives in all of us to this day! If we are Christians and followers of Christ, we should only listen to God’s voice. If we choose to listen to the voice of others, we are at fault for our sin by choosing to ignore God’s commands.

2. I didn’t know it was a sin (ignorance)

Every Christian should know the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). These are God’s moral law intended for our benefit. Sadly, a 2023 Pew Research Study shows that 52% of American Christians don’t read their Bible or read it only seldomly. Knowledge of God’s Word, especially about sin, is essential for every follower of Christ. As Paul says in Romans 3:20, even though we can’t keep the 10 Commandments, they reveal how sinful we are. Every Christian should read and meditate on God’s Word so that we will know His voice and what He desires for us. This is the only way that we can live Godly lives.

3. I knew it was a sin, but I won’t do it again (rationalization)

In our lives, Christians are often faced with difficult choices. While we may seek to follow Jesus and do God’s will, we sometimes choose to follow secular or worldly wisdom instead of God’s wisdom. We rationalize our choices by saying that it was a one-time decision and likely won’t happen again. We buckle under the pressure of earthly expectations and often choose the sinful choice rather than suffer the consequences of the Godly choice. One example is abortion where young pregnant girls (and often their parents) see a baby as infringing on their life plans instead of as the murder (ending the life) of an innocent child (Psalm 139:13-16).

4. I didn’t sin (denial)

There are voices in our American culture that continue to want to redefine Biblical values and principles. They argue that God’s Word must keep up with the times and reflect our modern society. This does not just come from the secular culture, but also from the pulpits of many Christian churches in our nation. Consequently, these voices keep trying to claim that what was once considered sin in our culture is no longer sinful because they and our society say so. But God’s Word has not changed and will never change (Malachi 3:6). As Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is flawless.” It contains no errors. It does not need to be updated based on changing times or the will of man. God’s Word is Truth and stands forever!

It saddens me to see how far our American society has fallen away from Biblical principles and God’s Truth. But it disturbs me even more that much of it is coming from Christians and not just the secular society. When Christians make excuses for their sins, they are essentially telling God that they know better how to live their own lives. That demonstrates a lack of faith and trust in God and what Jesus did on the cross.

All Christians need to take responsibility for their choices and their sins and stop blaming others, claiming ignorance, rationalizing them, or denying them altogether. God sees everything and knows our sins. Our only hope is to acknowledge them, repent of them, and be “cleansed from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Every Christian is called to be a witness for Christ. Jesus said the words above from Acts 1:8 as His last instruction to His disciples before he left the earth and ascended into heaven. For all those who would follow Christ as His disciple, they are never to be silent about their faith and what Jesus has done for them. Instead, every Christian is commanded to share the gospel of what Jesus has done for all people. We are also called to stand for God’s Truth in our world (Zechariah 8:16). Unfortunately, there are many Americans today who call themselves Christians but rarely utter a word about Him or witness to their faith in Him and the truth of His Word.

Here in America, Christians have recently come under attack for expressing their Biblical views in the workplace, in schools, on social media, and in the public arena. Christians have been bullied, harassed, ridiculed, suspended, sued, fired, and even killed (e.g.- Charlie Kirk) for speaking publicly about their religious beliefs. I suspect many American Christians are afraid to speak out because of the potential ramifications of doing so.

Yet Jesus proclaims in John 16:33 that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In other words, followers of Christ are not promised a life of ease but a life of suffering! The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:17 that we must share in His sufferings if we are to share in His glory (resurrection). When we put our faith and trust in Christ, we must accept all that goes with it – the suffering as well as the peace and joy that the gift of eternal life gives us.

However, I really don’t think that fear of suffering is the main reason many Christians do not speak out about their faith or witness for Christ.  Instead, I think it is because they don’t really trust Him or love Him enough to be a witness for Him. Their relationship with Jesus is most likely weak and based only on the promise of salvation they’ll receive by claiming to be His follower. To them it’s like a life insurance policy that pays off when they die but doesn’t impact how they live. Consequently, they are more afraid of losing what they have in this life rather than what they will gain in the next life. As Jesus said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

I know many Christians today, both inside my church and outside of my church, who rarely share their faith in public. I know that they go to church but then rarely talk about their faith in conversation or post anything about their faith on social media. They are often able to share their secular (worldly) beliefs and activities but not their faith or their church activities. If Christians won’t share their faith or witness for Jesus, are they truly worshipping Him and obeying Him (John 14:15)? Is their faith alive or dead (James 2:17)? If Christians can talk about worldly things and not about Jesus, does that not indicate where their true treasure is (Matthew 6:21)?

I used to be a Christian who kept my faith to myself. I would only talk about Jesus or my faith inside the church or with other Christians. Although my parents took me to church from an early age, during that time I don’t recall that they ever talked about their faith explicitly at home while I was growing up. I attended a Lutheran Church where many people like my parents believed that faith was a personal and private belief. As a result, sharing one’s faith was not emphasized. Lutherans were good at Bible study, singing, and fellowship, but not necessarily in that order!

When I began my business career in the late 1970’s people in general did not talk about their faith or church activities in the workplace. It wasn’t forbidden; it just wasn’t something most people did. I also thought it might hurt my chances for advancement in the company. But as my faith grew in the 1980’s it began to bother me that I never talked about my faith in the office or with my coworkers. One day I decided to say something and see what would happen.

On a Monday morning when people returned to work after the weekend, the most common question I got was, “So, how was your weekend?” Instead of just saying it was good, I responded that it was great because I played guitar for the children’s choir at our church yesterday and also sang in our church choir. If they were Christian, they would respond with “what church do you go to?”, and we would then discuss our respective churches and talk about our faith and church involvement. I discovered that most of my coworkers were Christians, but we had never talked about it in the workplace.

If they were not Christian, it opened up a dialog about what we each believed. It was so natural and comfortable. I wasn’t trying to evangelize or convert anyone to my faith; I was simply sharing what I did and why. In other words, I witnessed my faith! After that discovery, I felt comfortable about witnessing for Jesus (sharing my faith) around the office when I had the opportunity and it was natural.

A few years later, one of my coworkers left the company for a new job elsewhere. But before he left, he pulled me aside and told me how witnessing my faith in our office conversations impacted his life. He said it caused him to reflect on his own faith. As a result, it led him to return to his church that he had stopped attending years earlier. This really helped me understand the importance of witnessing our faith to others so that we “encourage one another and build each other up” as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

As Christians we need to be Christ’s witnesses and to share our faith so that others can hear the Good News and have the chance to respond to His invitation. We must not remain silent when we have the chance to share Jesus with others. The Apostle Peter says we should “Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Our job is simply to witness our faith and share the Good News of Jesus with others. God will do the rest!

So, will we be true followers of Christ and witness our faith? Will we be prepared to give an answer to someone who asks us about our faith? I earnestly pray that we will!

Can I get a witness?

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

Another Christmas is upon us when we as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is also often portrayed as when the Light of Christ entered our darkened world and when Jesus came to bring love and peace to the world. The emphasis seems to be about Jesus’ coming down to earth to bring us a better earthly life.

While that is true, I also think it sometimes masks the most important reason why Jesus came and what His most important purpose was for becoming a man and entering our world. And that purpose was to resolve our sin problem!

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, every human being was created with a sinful nature. The Bible declares in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God gave mankind the 10 Commandments to show us how to live a righteous and God-pleasing life. But no matter how hard we try, we are unable to overcome our sinful nature on our own (Romans 3:20). The Bible further declares in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death”! In other words, left unresolved, our sinful nature would eventually condemn us to death and eternal separation from God our Creator.

But the truth is that God loved us so much that He was unwilling to leave us in our sinful state that could only end in our own demise. To resolve our sin problem, God sent His own son Jesus into our world as a baby to become a man, and to eventually take the punishment for our sins that we deserve. Why did Jesus come as a baby? He came the same way that all humans come into this world and to fulfill the prophecies spoken about Him. He also came to live the perfect life we humans could not live and to teach and show us how to live for Him instead of ourselves. His primary purpose all along was to save us from our sin. God made a way and Jesus Himself accomplished what we could not! The Bible tells us that “God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6).

So, why did Jesus come into our world? In a word, to give us – HOPE! Instead of facing eternal separation from God, we received forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life with God! We did not deserve it nor did we earn it ourselves. Our salvation was given to us as a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).

Hal Lyndsey, an American evangelical writer, once said that “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air…but only for one second without hope.” He was stating the importance for human existence that we need hope to survive and thrive. Without hope, humans fall into despair and often lose the will to live, which then hastens our death. But when we have hope, we have the Holy Spirit and the ability to persevere and endure. As a result, we can live victoriously in Christ and in grateful response to His grace and mercy given to us at the cross until He calls us home to our eternal rest!

Here are several Bible passages that confirm the importance of hope in our lives and in our Christian faith:

“Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.” – Job 8:13

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” – Psalm 33:18

“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.”

– Proverbs 10:28

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

– Romans 8:24-25

“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:10

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23

Can you see why hope is so important to our life and eternal destiny?  With hope we can persevere amid the struggles of this world (John 16:33) and receive the promise of eternal life. Without hope, we are lost and destined to be forever separated from the God who created and loves us. Because we are sinful by nature, our only hope in this life is to put our faith in Christ!

So, this Christmas, let us look upon the Christ child in the manger as not just our light, love and peace, but also that He came to this world to save us from our sin so that we might have hope!

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:5)

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Mark 3:25

The Church in America has become divided between those churches who maintain Biblical authority and those who don’t. It is the result of the acceptance of secular beliefs by many Christian churches in America. Four of the major Protestant denominations have split over this issue in the past 15 years (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopalian). The one thing that once united all Christians denominations was the adherence to Biblical teaching. But that is no longer true. Instead, there are many progressive and liberal churches today that are actually advocating and affirming sins that are part of our secular culture. This is what I would call Secular Christianity!

So, why have some Christian Churches in America removed Scriptural authority from their theology and doctrine? Why do they now more closely align with our secular culture than the Word of God? I believe that it is due to 4 major reasons which are science, reason, technology, and complacency. I will discuss them in turn.

Science

Belief in the Bible and its truth began to erode with the advent of scientific discovery in the 1500-1600’s. It began with Copernicus discovering that the sun was the center of the universe (1515). Then Johann Kepler discovered that the sun emitted a magnetic force that moved the planets in their courses (1609). Next, Galileo discovered the telescope and proved the acceleration of the planets is constant (1609). These discoveries led to Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity and the laws of motion in the heavens and the earth (1687). These all resulted in the recognition by man that our world was an orderly system that sustained life. The physical laws of nature made more sense than their previous belief in the supernatural and spiritual creation of our world by God.

Reason

The Age of Reason (1648-1789) followed scientific discovery and that was when mankind began to believe that they could attain knowledge about the earth and the heavens through science and reason. Instead of relying on the Word of God to guide them on this earth, they saw it the other way around, where man could determine by his own reason how to better live life in our world. This was the birth of secularism. This is the belief that humans are better able to determine truth and what is right and wrong by our own reason, not revelation from an unseen God.

Technology

Technology began with the Industrial age (1900’s) and the movement from an agricultural to a manufacturing-based economy and workforce. The mechanization of producing goods enabled rapid economic growth. Man saw that they could develop machines to do what man had to do by hand before on their own. Then the development of the personal computer, internet, and cell phone technologies over the past 50 years enabled people to have quick access to information at their fingertips. It also brought about instant global communication and the ability to see the news as it happens anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, many people thought that technology was from man’s own knowledge and not from God, further eroding the need for God.

Complacency

While this was all taking place in the world around us, the Christian Church became complacent and did not recognize the danger inherent in these developments. While some Christians may have recognized that these advancements were guided by the Hand of God, others attributed them to science and man’s own reason and intellect. Additionally, we began to see many churches adopt a “seeker sensitive” approach to evangelism, using secular motives to draw people to church instead of the truth of the Word of God. As a result, today most Americans (64%) do not believe the Bible is true and accurate in its teachings, and most Christians (58%) do not even read their Bibles anymore, according to a 2025 American Bible Society study. Consequently, with the Church divided on the authority of Scripture, it is effectively unable to speak out with God’s Word against what is happening around us in our culture and nation.

What we’ve seen happen is what many refer to as a “Slippery Slope”, the expression used to describe a slow decline in something over many years that has gone unaddressed until it’s too late. It’s the boiling frog example. If you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, they will jump out right away. But if you put a frog into a pot of tepid water and gradually turn up the heat they will eventually boil to death. I believe that is what is happening within the Christian Church today with the rise of Secular Christianity. We have not stayed true to our faith and Biblical teaching. As a result, Christian influence in our culture and nation has declined and deteriorated.

And while Christians were essentially “asleep at the wheel”, Satan has been “prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He has succeeded in reducing the influence of the Church in our culture, turning our nation against God and turning many American Christians against God’s Word.

So, what does the Christian Church in America need to do to reclaim its influence in our culture and nation? I believe that there are 3 things the Christian Church must do.

First, the Christian Church needs to call out and rebuke publicly those who are false teachers from within our ranks (1 Timothy 1:3-4). If they will not repent and embrace Biblical teaching, the Church needs to remove them from their pulpits and leadership positions so that the Christian Church is once again only teaching and preaching God’s Word and His Truth. This will set it apart from the culture and enable it to influence our nation towards Godly values and Biblical truth.

Second, the Christian Church must put a greater emphasis on discipleship and Bible reading. This is necessary to prevent Christians from succumbing to “what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). This will teach them how to discern true Biblical teaching from false teaching so as not to be led away from the Truth.

Third, the Christian Church needs to find new ways to connect with the current generation and become more effective in evangelizing them (1 Corinthians 9:19-22). The world is different today and the old methods of evangelizing aren’t working. If we desire to grow God’s Kingdom in America and reinstate Godly values and principles, it must be done through all true followers of Christ who will share God’s Word through God’s truth, God’s power, and God’s Spirit!

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

There are many religions in the world today. Besides Christianity, there is Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism, and Caodaism, just to name the top ten. Of these, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism comprise about 75% of the world’s population (see above chart). Judaism is very small and only represents around 0.2% of the global population. Although most people are familiar with these 4 largest religions, they may not know what they actually believe and teach.

First, let’s look at when and how these major 4 religions began. Hinduism is the oldest and was founded between 1800-1000 BC in India, but there was no specific founder. Buddhism was founded by Gautama Siddhartha, or Buddha (meaning “Enlightened One”), around 500 BC in present day India & Nepal region. Christianity was founded around 30-33 AD in Jerusalem by the disciples of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion and resurrection. Islam was founded in Mecca, Arabia around 600 AD by its prophet Muhammad.

However, it is also interesting to note where these religious followers are located. Christianity is the world’s largest religious group with 33% of the world’s population identified as its followers. There are 120 nations where Christianity represents more than 50% of the population of that nation. Islam, which represents 21% of the world’s population, has 49 nations where Muslims represent more than 50% of the population of that nation. Hinduism, with 13% of the world’s population, has only two nations, India and Nepal, where its followers represent at least 50% of the population. And finally, Buddhism, with only 6% of the world’s population, has only 7 nations (concentrated in Southeast Asia) where its followers are above 50% of that nation’s population. It is clear that Christianity is not only the largest religion in the world but is also the dominant religion in the majority of the world’s 195 nations as well.

So, how did Christianity become so dominant in the world? One reason is that it is not tied to a specific culture or nation. Christianity is based on freedom of the individual to choose to follow it based upon its teachings. There is no forced acceptance of it by any nation. Another reason is that Christianity more closely represents the reality of our creation and our sinful nature. It comes directly from God through His Word and is not an ideology or a man-made belief system. A third reason for its dominance in the world has been its focus on spreading the good news of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Christ by its followers as well as its teaching to “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19). A final reason is that Christianity was also the foundation of many of the prosperous western nations of the world. This helped propel economic growth, higher education, better medical treatments, scientific discovery, and equal rights for the individual. No other religion or belief system has benefited the nations of the world as much as Christianity!

Another question we should ask is that if Christianity has been so good for the world, why is Islam now the fastest growing religion in the world that is projected to overtake Christianity by 2070? I believe that it is primarily due to 3 reasons. First, the birth rates among Christians have been declining for years. As a result, many western nations are not replenishing their populations, especially their Christian population. Muslims, on the other hand, continue to have many children and so by demographic statistics alone they will overtake Christianity eventually. Secondly, Islam is a forced religion in nations where they have a majority or political control. Muslims will often kill those who leave Islam for Christianity (or another faith) and force their citizens to follow Islam under penalty of Sharia Law. And thirdly, Muslims do not assimilate in other cultures. They remain separate and distinct and wait until they have sufficient numbers to enforce Sharia Law and overtake the culture of a nation. The influx of Muslims in Europe and America provides ample evidence of this.

It is also important when comparing religions that we focus on what it teaches, and not what its followers do. It’s because humans are sinful and they often do things against or opposite of what their religion teaches. This is certainly true of Christians as well. If we truly want to compare religions, we must focus on its beliefs and teaching and not just the actions of its followers.

Christianity teaches that we should love our enemies (Matthew 5:44) and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39). It commands us to be humble (Philippians 2:3), love & serve others (Galatians 5:13), and not to lie, kill, or take things that don’t belong to us (Exodus 20:13-17). Islam teaches that they must obey Sharia Law, that infidels (non-believers) can be mistreated, cast out or even killed. It also teaches that Muslims are allowed to deceive and lie to infidels to achieve their goals. Buddhism and Hinduism are more peaceful, spiritual and ritual focused religions. They are about self-realization and believing in many gods represented by man-made idols to achieve personal enlightenment.

But perhaps the biggest difference between Christianity and these other 3 religions is that in the other religions its followers must earn their salvation and hope they have done enough good to go to heaven. There is no assurance or guarantee of eternal life. In Christianity, God came down to us in the form of his Son Jesus to take upon Himself the sins of all of us so that we might live eternally with Him! In Christianity, God does it all and promises everyone eternal life by simply putting our faith and trust in Jesus alone (John 3:16). We can’t earn our way to heaven and so it’s not about what we do, but what Jesus did! Jesus alone is the one who earned our way into heaven! This is truly what distinguishes Christianity from all other religions.

So, when comparing different religions or belief systems, don’t just look at the actions of their followers whether good or bad. We must also consider their values, beliefs, and teachings and ask these questions: Does this religion reflect the reality of our world and the people in it? Is there physical evidence for their religion’s god in our world? Is it man-focused or God-focused? What does their religion’s god demand of these who believe in it?  Does this religion provide a guaranteed path to its god? What has this religion produced that has benefited our world?

Asking these questions will help us to discern if a religion is from God or from man.  We would be wise to place our faith in the one true God who created and loves us and represents the reality of our world and not in a religion that meets our definition of what a god should be or what we want him to be.

The choice is ours (but to me it’s also obvious).

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.”

1^st Corinthians 5:12-13

Christians today in our culture are often depicted and perceived to be judgmental of others. We are accused of judging the actions of others while often neglecting our own behavior. Being called judgmental is not a compliment. Instead, it is a condemnation of a Christian’s character if we point fingers at others for what they do while silently asserting our own righteousness. Sadly, this is sometimes the case and deservedly so.

While this characterization of Christians contains an element of truth, in my personal experience I have found that most Christians are not judgmental. Instead, they are generally faithful servants who are simply trying to explain and share God’s Word about sin with others. Non-Christians who are confronted with the truth about a sin usually react negatively to it and often respond defensively with something like “who are you to judge me?” They attack the person who mentions God’s Word about a sin as if they are accusing them of committing it and therefore judging them. And to be fair, sometimes Christians can come across that way. But the reality is that people don’t want their behaviors pointed out as negative or to be held accountable for them. This is true for Christians as well as non-Christians.

Why do non-Christians accuse Christians of judging them? One reason is that we live in a culture where God’s Word is not revered or respected and many people think the truth is relative. In other words, they think they have the freedom to determine what is right and wrong themselves. And they don’t like being challenged with a different viewpoint from a God they don’t believe in. They consider any reference to a behavior that conflicts with their personal values or choices to be a condemnation of them as a person and hence is judging them.

So, how should Christians speak the truth about sin and its consequences to non-believers without being perceived as judging them? I learned something years ago when I started writing my blogs which has helped me to avoid doing this. The key is to not make statements directed at an individual. We should always refer to issues in a general sense so that the person we are writing to or talking to does not take them as a personal attack. For example, we can write or talk about God’s view on abortion without attacking another person’s point of view or position on it. We need to respect different viewpoints while sharing our own and never make it personal. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-2, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

What I believe Jesus is saying here is that God’s law applies to everyone. We are all sinful and break God’s laws every day. We should be careful not to point out the sins of others when we ourselves are sinful too. Jesus said that before we tell someone else about the speck in their eye, we should remove the larger plank in our own eye (Luke 6:41-42).  Christians must not condemn or judge others but should gently speak the truth from God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit convict others of that truth. The Apostle Paul clearly says in 1^st Corinthians 5:13 above that we are not to judge those who are non-believers. That is God’s job, not ours. Our job is to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and let God be their judge (and ours).

But what about judging other Christians? Do we have the responsibility to do that? According to Paul in 1^st Corinthians 5:12, the answer is yes and that we are to “judge those inside the Church”. In other words, Paul was telling the Church in Corinth to “judge” their fellow believers who were living in open rebellion to God’s Word. He was telling them to hold other Christians accountable for their faith and their behavior. We must do the same today!

Perhaps a better word to use than judge is to rebuke them. Rebuking refers to letting a fellow believer know that what they are doing is contrary to God’s Word, His standard for behavior, not ours. Rebuking someone is not judging them but rather reminding them of God’s commands and truth and encouraging them to repent and be restored in their faith. The goal of rebuking is to encourage obedience to God’s commands for their benefit!

All followers of Christ should already know that sin is what separates us from God. When we acknowledge and confess our sin, God will “forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). In other words, when we repent, our sins are forgiven, and we are restored into a right relationship with God. But Jesus also said in Luke 13:3 that “unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Without repentance, our sin remains unforgiven, and we are not in a right relationship with God. It is a clear warning to all of us that if we don’t repent of our sins, we too will perish!

As Christians, we are accountable to God, but we are also accountable to each other. The Bible tells us as followers of Christ to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), love one another (John 13:35), confess our sins and pray for one another (James 5:16), and teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16). These are all ways that we as Christians can help each other to “live a life worthy of the calling we have received” (Ephesians 4:1) as His followers.

As Christians, therefore, let us not judge others. Instead, with non-believers, let us faithfully share God’s Word and Truth with them in the hope they too will find forgiveness and salvation in Jesus. With our fellow believers, let us humbly and gently rebuke our Christian brothers and sisters to encourage them to repent in order to restore them in their faith and walk with God.

“But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” – Romans 2:8

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s, there was a television game show called Truth or Consequences. The premise of the show was that contestants would have to answer a trivia question and if they got it wrong, they had to face crazy or embarrassing consequences. According to Ralph Edwards, the original host of the show, most contestants preferred to get the answer wrong to perform the consequence! They preferred having fun over knowing the truth. The same seems to be true today as well!

Today, we live in a world where truth has become relative, and many believe that each person can make up their own truth. As a result, these people prefer to distort the real truth or ignore it altogether. What is this “real truth” that I speak of? It’s God’s truth contained in God’s Word – the Bible! It is the real truth because it comes from our Creator and not ourselves. In Isaiah 45:19 God declares that “I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” And in 2 Samuel 22:31 it says, “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”

And while many people don’t recognize God’s truth, there are consequences to ignoring it. How do we know that? God’s Word assures us that there are. Romans 1:18 tells us that “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” And 2 Thessalonians 2:12 says, “All will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” These are powerful warnings to mankind that there are consequences for denying or ignoring God’s truth!

Let me share 7 key truths from God’s Word that all people should be careful not to ignore.

1. God created the world and everything in it. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, details God’s creation of the world and everything in it. It also describes God’s purpose and role for mankind in His design, which is to be fruitful, subdue the earth, and rule over it (Genesis 1:28). Man has never been able to offer a credible alternative to this truth that we are God’s creation and not a cosmic accident. Every attempt to do so has essentially been to discredit or deny God.

2. God is sovereign over the world. As the Creator of all that exists, God is therefore sovereign over the world. Since He made everything, He determined how it should function according to His design and purpose. The Bible also clearly spells out what He expects of us who are made in His image. It is summed up in Deuteronomy 11:26-28 that says, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.” In other words, not following God’s truth, design, or commands will not bless us!

3. All humans are sinful. God’s Word declares in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It also says in 1 John 1:8 that “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” If anyone doubts this truth, they deny the history and reality of our world where mankind’s evil has known no boundaries.

4. Sin has consequences. Sin can be defined as disobeying God’s commands or anything we do that is contrary to God’s holiness and righteousness. The most obvious sins are from the Ten Commandments that include worshipping idols, swearing, murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting. God’s Word declares that there will be consequences for our sins. Ezekiel 16:58 says that “You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.” Make no mistake, God sees our sins (Proverbs 10:9) and will punish them (2 Peter 2:9-10).

5. Jesus is God’s Son. The Bible declares that Jesus was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-4, 14), that “This is my Son” and “with Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus confirmed this in John 10:30 when He declared “I and the Father are one.”

6. Jesus took the punishment for all of our sins. God’s Word tells us the awesome truth that Jesus went willingly to the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. As recorded in 1 Corinthains 15:3, the Apostle Paul wrote that “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” This is the incredible gift that God gave to us, the forgiveness of all of our sins through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus for all who would put their trust and faith in Him!

7. Rejecting Jesus is rejecting God. The truth is that God doesn’t send anyone to hell. People choose hell by rejecting God’s offer of salvation through Jesus (John 3:18). This is the ultimate consequence of denying God’s Word and His Truth. Instead of receiving eternal life, rejecting this truth results in eternal death and separation from God.

Throughout history, many people have refused God’s offer of eternal life and denied His Truth, existence, and sovereignty. But doing so has come with a steep price. That price is separation from God for all eternity. Hell is a place with no love, no forgiveness, no peace, no joy, and no hope. Just darkness, evil, and suffering. All day and every day.

The good news is that there is still time for those of us who are willing to accept the Truth of God’s Word and His promise of eternal life in Jesus. Everyone has a choice to make. You can either choose the door that leads to life or the door that leads to death and hell. There is no door #3. I suggest that we all choose wisely!