Sunday, July 15, 2007

Who is a Real Christian?

Is TV & Radio personality Glenn Beck a Mormon & a Christian?

I recall that on May 10, 2007 while listening to the Glenn Beck Radio Show. I heard Al Sharpton say that he thought Mr. Beck and the Mormons were Christians. I thought, “This is sad.” Al Sharpton had said, “…not to be concerned about Mitt Romney because God would support the real Christians.” To which I thought, “How sweet. That leaves out all those running for the office of President in the Democrat Party.” The only Democrat who might be a Christian is Gov. Richardson. I say this because I know nothing about the man. All the other Democrat candidates by their positions and actions present no evidence that they are true Christians.

Glenn got very angry with Al Sharpton because felt that “Rev.” Sharpton had implied Governor Mitt Romney and the Mormon Church are not Christians. How could anyone not believe Mormons are Christians? Ann Coulter is reported as saying Mitt Romney is as Christians as she is. I am sure that is true. More than likely neither of them are true Christian.

Mormons may proselytize a Christian, who does not know God’s Word (the Bible), and in that way have a confessing Mormon who is a Christian. However, Mormonism fundamentally is not Christian, nor do people become Christian by being Mormon. Glenn Beck told of a position he has in the Mormon Church which if he knew God’s Word he would know his position is bogus. Glen said that he is a priest after the order of Meklchizedek. This priestly position was conferred on him by the Mormon Church.

Melchizedek is a man like unto the Son of God who is without mother or father, without beginning of life or end of days. In order to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek one must have an endless life. What Glen and the Mormon Church contend is that Glenn Beck has an endless life without beginning of life or end of days. In other words, Glenn is God. Anyone knows that this is not true.

Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He is so by means of an endless or eternal life having been so designated by God the Father. Jesus is God, creator of the universe. I doubt if Glenn has an endless life and will never die nor does God consider him a priest after the order of Melchizedek. This is only one of the false beliefs of the Mormon Church.

Mormons also teach that the family is forever. This is not true. “Family” exists only for as long as both man and woman shall live. Jesus says there is no marrying or giving in marriage for those who attain to the resurrection. A woman had married seven brothers one at a time in order to raise children to the oldest brother. Finally the woman died. The question asked of Jesus was, “Whose wife would she be in the resurrection?” Jesus said there is no marrying or giving in marriage in the resurrection. The family relationship ends and the people are as the angels in that they won’t marry or have children in resurrection of the righteous. Mormons teach that each family will be able to populate a whole world for themselves. This of course is not true.

Sadly, Mormons teach that one is made right with God by the works of righteousness done within the Mormon Church. Unfortunately this is not true and the Mormons are lost and not Christian. They are going to perdition (hell and the second death, the Lake of Fire.)

To determine who is truly a Christian one must look at the Word of God and see what it says and then look at a person’s life, conduct, and speech to see if they line up with the truth of God’s Word. Most conservative talk show hosts all claim to be Christians. At least those talk show hosts to whom I listen - Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Laura Ingram and Michael Reagan - make that claim.

Of the conservative talk show host listed above only Michael Reagan appears to be a genuine Christian. Bill Bennett is close for I heard him say that one is not a Christian by their good works but by faith. This of course is correct as Martin Luther said, “Faith Alone.” I question whether Bill Bennett has applied this to himself by repenting of his sins and inviting Jesus into his heart. Rush Limbaugh is close for he said that the consensus of Christians is that by believing in Jesus one gets to heaven. Jesus said no one goes to God the Father but by me. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Whether Rush has appropriated this to himself by repenting of his sin and inviting Jesus into his heart I don’t know. The Sunday school class, which I once attended did not think so. Laura Ingram said of James Dobson that she wasn’t sure about those who determine the Christianity of others when Dobson said Fred Thompson wasn’t a Christian This shows she is not Christian. Sean Hannity seems to think that most everyone is a Christian. His criterion for who is a Christian does not seem to be Scripturally-based.

There is a God; He is self-existent, all-powerful, holy, just, faithful, loving, jealous, all-knowing, good, wise, and concerned about His creation. Not acquitting sinners, yet desiring that no one should perish. Every word He says is important for it is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” God is triune yet one. God is one spirit, which is capable of being everywhere at the same time and indwelling many individuals simultaneously. Those who obey God’s Word live and those who choose to disobey God’s Word die. Adam and Eve both chose to disobey God’s Word and died. Today we are all born dead, separated from God.

God promised Adam and Eve that someone would destroy Satan. That person was Jesus of Nazareth. God in His mercy sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. He lived a sinless life, fulfilled the law and took in His own body the sins of all mankind and received from God His wrath for all people. Then He said it is finished and gave up His spirit at the time of His choosing. Three days later He rose from the dead. For those who ask God’s forgiveness and repent of their sins in the name of Jesus, the Spirit of God comes into their heart (brain) and gives them eternal life.

It is the entering into ones heart by the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus that makes one a Christian. This is the born again experience which is also referred to as being saved. Paul writes that unless you have the Spirit of Christ you ado not belong to Christ. An example was the man who went into the temple and would not so much as look up into heaven but beat upon his chest and prayed, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus said this man went home justified.

How about you? Are you born again? Have you ever invited Jesus into your heart? A sample prayer is: “Lord Jesus Christ please forgive me of my wrongdoing, my evil, my proclivity to sin and please come onto my heart.” To find out more please click here.