There are three real Christians now!
I made a challenge some weeks back saying that there are no real Christians and that I could prove it. The article for the premise is here.
In a nutshell I quoted Jesus where he is purported to have commanded his followers to give to everyone who asks of them, without reservation. I also prove through very words of Jesus that the motives of the asker are not to be considered in deciding whether or not to obey the command to give. The only option for the true believer is obedience to the words of his GOD.
Anyway, I only asked for $10.00 to make the stinginess and disobedience of Christians even more striking by their ignoring a plain simple command, when it affects the pocket.
I expected to receive absolutely nothing. However, I was wrong. My sister sent $10.00, someone sent a donation through Pay Pal for $10.00, and another contacted me with an interesting challenge to give to charity and he would match funds with whatever I gave. So, I contacted that person and said I would give $100.00 to MDA. He in turn said he would match my donation, and send me the $10.00 I originally asked for in the aricle referenced above.
True to his word, I did receive his check. I am waiting for it to clear now, though I have no reason to doubt that it will. I already paid my share to MDA, and as soon as the check clears I will forward his donation on as well.
This man claims Christ, but is presently between churches. Isn’t it odd that an ex-Christian would have such influence on a Christian as to motivate generosity? On the other hand, is it vice-versa?
I need some feedback on this one! Any takers?
In a nutshell I quoted Jesus where he is purported to have commanded his followers to give to everyone who asks of them, without reservation. I also prove through very words of Jesus that the motives of the asker are not to be considered in deciding whether or not to obey the command to give. The only option for the true believer is obedience to the words of his GOD. Anyway, I only asked for $10.00 to make the stinginess and disobedience of Christians even more striking by their ignoring a plain simple command, when it affects the pocket.I expected to receive absolutely nothing. However, I was wrong. My sister sent $10.00, someone sent a donation through Pay Pal for $10.00, and another contacted me with an interesting challenge to give to charity and he would match funds with whatever I gave. So, I contacted that person and said I would give $100.00 to MDA. He in turn said he would match my donation, and send me the $10.00 I originally asked for in the aricle referenced above.
True to his word, I did receive his check. I am waiting for it to clear now, though I have no reason to doubt that it will. I already paid my share to MDA, and as soon as the check clears I will forward his donation on as well.This man claims Christ, but is presently between churches. Isn’t it odd that an ex-Christian would have such influence on a Christian as to motivate generosity? On the other hand, is it vice-versa?
I need some feedback on this one! Any takers?
Comments
Although i'm sure that you already know the story being an "ex christian" and all, i'd just like to bring it fresh into your mind as you consider what you're asking through this challenge. You see Saul or Paul, as he was later named, persecuted the christians to no end. not by writing articles to disprove christians or encourage non believers, but instead by bringing them to the courts and forcing them to either disavow Jesus, or face punishment or death. He was infamous, fearsome, and unrelenting. He even watched as the apostle Stephen was stoned to death, giving his approval to it as described in acts 7. So what happened to this man and what does this have to do with giving $10? well it has to do with how Saul had his own question answered. Saul eventually became the greatest proponent of Christ of all time, writing 13 of the 27 books of the new testament. he takes the message of jesus to europe for the first time. he establishes churches all over the roman empire radically changing the entire world by bringing untold thousands to faith in christ. But what changed his mind from being the worst enemy to the christians to becoming the greatest friend? Well the answer is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ himself described in acts 9. verse 3 "as he neared damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 who are you, Lord? Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
But it wasn't the physical miracle and presence of Jesus himself that turned Saul towards him. It was what Jesus said to him, as recounted in chapter 26 as paul speaks to king agrippa.
1Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4"The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
12"On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[a] 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'
" 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23that the Christ[b] would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
29Paul replied, "Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
sorry for the long chapter but i think it's important to see it all. But i want you to focus on jesus' words, "saul, saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." See a goad is something that you stick an animal with in order to lead him into a certain direction. But sometimes the animal doesn't want to go and when he gets stuck, he kicks back against it and the person holding it. But what does that mean in context? Well Paul had been persecuting christians for a long time, he saw many sincere christians, people who were willing to die rather than disavow Jesus. Each time Paul saw one, Jesus was poking him saying... "Paul you know what, why don't you see who i am? how many christians must die before you realize they're not dying for no good reason?"
Well it's true, the majority of those who call themselves christians today do not obey Christ even 10% of the time. It's not easy, but that's why we needed him in the first place. I sincerely hope that you get rich and wealthy because there are enough people out there willing to give up a little, so that they can see Jesus Christ do a lot with it. I pray that for every $10 you get, you can hear Jesus' voice telling you to stop kicking against the goads. It's never too late to turn back, He loves you, he chose you, he died for you and me, while we were still sinners. While we were still sinners he did that, and while we are still sinners he will accept us, if we accept him. If you want my $10 ask me for it and tell me where to send it. If you want your sins forgiven, ask Jesus for it, and he is faithful.
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