News You Should Be Aware Of...

Are You an Universalist?

(These articles were written by H.B. London of Focus on the Family.)

Did you happen to read the newspaper column by Cal Thomas last week? It referred to some comments made by President Bush in an interview with Al Arabiya television. In that interview, our president made the statement:

"I believe in Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian or any other religion, prays to the same God." He went on to say, "I believe the God that the Muslim prays to is the same God I pray to. After all, we all came from Abraham. I believe in that universality."

Thomas reacted by writing, "The central doctrine of the Christian faith is that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners and by repenting of sin and accepting Christ as Savior, one is 'saved' and is guaranteed a home in Heaven. Muslims do not believe God had a son and, therefore, no atonement for sin is necessary."

I would be interested in how you react to both the words of the president and Mr. Thomas.

The comments of both men take us back to the age-old question of can a man be saved and inherit eternal life through any other means than through faith in Jesus Christ? The Muslims deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we may be saved" (Acts 4:12). The scripture is pretty plain.

If you are a Universalist, then do we really pray to the same God? Does God have different requirements and expectations for different creeds? Or was our president attempting to be inclusive and say to the Muslims, we respect your beliefs even though we do not embrace them?

Mr. Thomas concluded his article with the following statement:"No Christian who believes the Bible believes in universalism. And no Muslim, who believes the Koran, does either."

I know we must be tolerant of other faiths — even though, when I was a kid, the only ones getting into Heaven had to believe like me — but I wonder how healthy it is for the church to become so inclusive and accepting that, in our preaching and teaching, we fail to draw a very important line in the sand that cannot and will not be compromised — namely, faith in Jesus Christ.

From our Sunday school days, we memorized a lovely verse. For God (whose God?) so loved the world (what world?) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever (anyone?) believes (accepts) in Him (God's only Son) shall not perish (be lost), but have eternal (live in heaven with God) life (forever!). I wonder what President Bush was really saying?


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In California this week, Schwarzenegger signed a bill requiring all public school instruction and activities to promote transsexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality as normal to children as young as five years old, and to protect anyone "identifying" with these behaviors. The bill, SB 777, which goes into effect January 1, will force teachers to present a one-sided positive message about homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender issues. Further, it will ban lessons that present marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

Analysts have warned that schools across the nation will be impacted by the decision since textbook publishers must cater to their largest purchaser, which is often California, and they will be unlikely to go to the expense of having a separate edition for other states.

The governor, no longer concerned about reelection or a backlash, also approved bills to end local oversight of school discrimination policies; change rights for domestic partners; and add even more special protection for homosexuals to state laws.

As a result of these new laws, terminology like "mom," "dad," "husband," "wife," "male" and "female" will no longer be tolerated in schools and will be viewed as sexual harassment if used in the presence of a non-heterosexual. Public schools will also be forced to allow boys to use girls restrooms and locker rooms, and vice versa, if they choose. Offending schools will be punished severely by the state Department of Education, not their local school boards.

"With this decision, Gov. Schwarzenegger has told parents that their values are irrelevant," said Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Institute. "Many parents will have no choice but to pull their children out of the public schools that have now become sexualized indoctrination centers."

"This means children as young as five-years-old will be mentally molested in school classrooms," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, which helped lead the opposition to these bills.

Also affected by the new legislation will be day care, preschool and after-school programs, food and housing programs, senior services, anti-gang efforts, jobs programs and every hospital in California — whether private, religious or not. The laws could also affect churches, non-profit organizations and corporations that offer state-funded social service programs.

While pro-family organizations are rallying to challenge these new laws, they cannot be very optimistic since California has some of the most liberal judges in the country.
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It is obvious that our world is becoming more and more anti-Christian as the days go by. Don't hide your head in the sand though...we are priviledged with the most powerful weapon in the universe...PRAYER! Let's all recommit to learning how to use it. "The fervant prayer of a righteous (person) avails much!" It's a promise!
- Pastor Russ