According to a survey taken in April 2010, 80% of Americans claim that religious faith is somewhat important to their daily lives and 62% say that they pray everyday. If the majority of Americans believe religious faith is important to their lives and 62% pray everyday, then why is this necessary:
HOUSE VOTES TO EXPAND NATIONAL DNA ARREST DATABASE
Millions of Americans arrested for but not convicted of crimes will likely have their DNA forcibly extracted and added to a national database, according to a bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday http://news.cnet.com/830113578_3-20005458-38.html.
CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System. It is the core of the national DNA database, established and funded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and developed specifically to enable public forensic DNA laboratories to create searchable DNA databases of authorized DNA profiles. http://www.dna.gov/dnadatabases/codis
Apparently the U.S. House of representatives does not believe that religious faith is as important to the daily lives of 80 % of Americans as they say or they wouldn’t vote to expand the National DNA crime database. Perhaps they realize that religious faith or even just faith means different things for different people and religion can describe almost anything for some people.
I have often heard people say that we all believe in the same God. I question that. Do we really all believe in the same God ? Do we all have faith in essentially the same Lord or "higher power." Try this quick test and see.
Believer #1 - The God I worship loves me and accepts me and will take me to heaven no matter how I live so long as I make a profession of faith in Christ. I don't have to put forth any effort to overcome or resist sin because Jesus has done it all for me. He is so loving that I can never be lost even if I choose to. He loves me too much to let my personal choices and lifestyle habits prevent me from being saved. He will take me to heaven no matter what kind of character I have.
Believer #2 - The God I worship expects me to show that I believe in Him by shouting or jumping up and down or dancing or rocking to praise music. He wants me to always feel good. Anything that makes me feel bad is not from Him. I won't claim it. God loves me too much to not let me enjoy myself while praising Him with whatever worship style I feel like praising Him with.
Believer #3 - The God I worship lets me handle rattlesnakes and drink poison because He has promised in Mark 16:18 that these things will not hurt me. He is too loving to let me be injured in any way while I worship Him according to my interpretation and understanding of the Bible.- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-RnZ7T3XyA
Believer #4 - The God I worship has a beautiful character that He desires me to copy and this character is revealed in the Bible. He enables me to resist sin, to love others and to keep all 10 of His commandments. He looks for fruit in my life and causes it to grow as I cooperate with Him. He will not save me against my will or without my cooperation. He loves me too much to not let me demonstrate my love for Him by reflecting His image.
Believer #5 - The God I worship is a loving and healing God who will heal me of all diseases even if I keep smoking cigarettes and eating unhealthy. My lifestyle habits and choices have no effect on God's promises. God loves me too much to let me remain sick or in ill health, even if it is my fault. He will use the doctors to help me.
Believer #6 - The God I worship puts no restrictions upon me and allows me to live as I choose so long as I attend church. He loves me too much to limit my freedom or to keep me from pleasing myself and enjoying life the way I want to.
Believer #7 - The God I worship will ultimately save most people and allow them to go to heaven so long as they tried to live a decent life and did a lot of good things. He loves human beings too much to require any commitment from them or any changes in their lives before they can go to heaven.
Believer #8 - The God I worship wants me busy for Him all the time. I must constantly be at work for Him as I earn His favor or at least appear to be very active for Him while I do my best to be a good person so that I can be saved and have a place in His kingdom. He loves me too much to not allow me to contribute all my effort and work to my salvation.
It should be apparent to the most casual observer that these people do not believe or have faith in the same God. Nor is it possible that all these believers will reach the same destination with their faith.
What did Jesus believe that faith was ? What is the faith of Jesus and why is it important ?
Let us turn to the Bible for some answers.
This is continued on the "Christianity For the Last Days" page.
Click on "The Faith Of Jesus" at the top left hand corner of this page for more.
© 2010 Tyrone Keels
http://www.issues-of-life.com/
You have just been reading from part of a study/message delivered to an audience of very attentive listeners.
