"Strive To Enter" - Part I

For the last year, I have been reading on my Kindle J.C. Ryle, the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, England, until his death on June 10, 1900.  Prior to that period, Ryle held other noteworthy positions within the church between 1838 and 1880.  However, I believe Ryle's achievements were eclipsed by his position as the leader of the evangelical party in the Church of England, and was well known for his doctrinal essays and polemical writings, in which he aggressively attacked the teachings of the church of Rome, vehemently opposing its ritualistic doctrines and un-biblical papist leadership, and encouraging the Church of England congregants to stand firm on the truth of Scripture.

Although noted for his "Expository Thoughts" on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, perhaps Ryle's best literary works are his doctrinal essays, including "Old Paths," "Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots," and "Practical Religion," (all MUST READs, and kindly made free on the links!), to name just a few.  Ryle's writings are chock full of good exegesis and expository teaching on the foundations of God's character and holiness, the Gospel of salvation, worship, and communion with God, as well as clear and precise warnings against false shepherds and deceivers.

What I found truly amazing among the books I have read is the parallel between what Ryle was seeing, during his day, within and without the body of Christ and His true church, compared to what we are experiencing in today's Christian society.  It's obvious that Satan, when he devises a certain deception and finds it very effective in deceiving masses, continues to use that weapon in his attempt to tear down the church.  One would think that Ryle was writing about today's church, instead of the church he led over a century ago.

I am currently plowing through "Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians" that was written by Ryle in 1878.  I say "plowing," because when I read apologetics, such as this book, I take my time, absorbing one section of a chapter at a time, allowing it to soak in and benefit my mind, heart, and soul.  As I read this morning's portion, it occurred to me that it would be an excellent addition to my last post.   The warning contained within this section of the chapter of Ryle's book is drawn from Luke 13:22-30, and aptly applies to what Jesus said many can expect when they depart this world, or when the storm that is coming soon upon this world makes its entrance:

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.   And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them,  “Strive to enter through the narrow door.  For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.   When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’  Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’   But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.   And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.   And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” 

I would like to share with you an excerpt from Ryle's paper on these all-important verses.  Because of its length, I will do as I did in previous posts on Ryle's book, "Holiness," where I divided the chapter into more than one post (if you missed those posts on "What It Means To Count the Cost," here is Part I, Part II, and Part III).

Specifically, Ryle begins the third part of this chapter by begging the question, "At what period will the door of salvation be shut forever?  When will the 'making of every effort' to enter in be of no use?"  And, as Ryle continues in his introduction to this section, "These are serious questions.  The door is now ready to open to the chief of sinners, but a day comes when it will open no more."  (Please note that I use the English Standard Version for all Scripture verses.)

Part I

The time foretold by our LORD is the time of His own second coming to judge the world.  The patience of God will at last have an end.  The throne of grace will at last be taken down, and the throne of judgment will be set up in its place.  The fountain of living waters will finally be closed.  The narrow door will at last be barred and bolted.  The day of grace will be passed and over.  The day of reckoning with a sin-laden world will finally begin.  And then will be brought to pass the solemn prediction of the LORD Jesus, "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

All prophecies of Scripture that have been fulfilled up to this time, have been fulfilled to the very letter.  They have seemed to many unlikely, improbable, impossible, up to the very time or their accomplishment; but not one word of them has ever failed.

 The promises of "good things" have come to pass, in spite of difficulties that seemed impossible:

1.  Sarah had a son when she was well past the age for the bearing of children.
2. The children of Israel were brought out of Egypt and planted in the promised land.
3. The Jews were redeemed from the captivity of Babylon, after seventy years, and enabled once more to build the temple.
4. The LORD Jesus was born of a pure virgin, lived, ministered, was betrayed, and cut off, precisely as Scripture foretold.

 The Word of God was promised in all these cases, that it should be.  And so it was.  The predictions of judgments on cities and nations have come to pass, though at the time they were first spoken they seemed incredible.  Edom is a wilderness; Tyre is a rock for drying nets; Nineveh, that "greater than great city," is laid waste, and become a desolation; Babylon is a dry land and a wilderness - her extensive walls are utterly broken down.  In all these cases the Word of God foretold that it should be so.  And so it was.

The prediction of the LORD Jesus Christ, which I press on your attention this day, will be fulfilled in like manner.  Not one word of it will fail when the time of its accomplishment is due.  "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

There is a time coming when seeking God will be useless.  Oh, that men would remember that!  Too many seem to believe that the hour will never arrive when they will seek and not find; but they are sadly mistaken.  They will discover their mistake one day to their own confusion, except they repent.  When Christ comes "...many...will seek to enter and will not be able."

There is a time coming when many will be shut out from heaven forever.  It will not be the lot of a few, but of a great multitude; it will not happen to one or two in this area, and one or two in another, it will be the miserable end of a immense crowd.  "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."  Knowledge will come to many too late.   They will see at last the value of an immortal soul, and the happiness of having it saved.  They will understand at last their own sinfulness and God's holiness, and the glorious fitness of the Gospel of Christ.  They will comprehend at last why ministers seemed so anxious, and preached so long, and implored them so earnestly to be converted.  But to their grief, they will know all this "too late!"

Repentance will come to many too late.  They will discover their own surpassing wickedness and be thoroughly ashamed of their past folly.  They will be full of bitter regret and hopeless wailings, of keen convictions, and of piercing sorrows.  They will weep, and wail, and mourn, when they reflect on their sins.  The remembrance of their lives will be grievous to them; the burden of their guilt will seem intolerable.  But, to their grief, like Judas Iscariot, they will repent "too late!"

Faith will come to many too late.  They will no longer be able to deny that there is a God, and a devil, and a heaven, and a hell.  False religion, and skepticism, and unfaithfulness will be laid aside forever; scoffing, and joking, and free-thinking will cease.  They will see with their own eyes and feel in their own bodies that the things of which ministers spoke were not cleverly devised fables, but great real truths.  They will find out to their cost that evangelical religion was not lip service, extravagance, fanaticism, and enthusiasm: they will discover that it was the one thing they needed, and that the lack of it will cause them to be lost forever.  Like the devil, they will finally believe and tremble, but "too late!"

A desire of salvation will come to many too late.  They will long after forgiveness, and peace, and the favor of God, when they can no more be had.  They will wish they might have one more Sunday over again, have one more offer of forgiveness, have one more call to prayer.  But it will matter nothing what they think, or feel, or desire then: the day of grace will be over; the door of salvation will be bolted and barred.  It will be "too late!"

I often think what a change there will be one day in the price and estimation at which things are valued.  I look around this world in which my lot is the case; I note the current price of everything this world contains; I look forward to the coming of Christ, and the great day of God.  I think of the new order of things, which that day will bring in; I read the words of the LORD Jesus, when He describes the master of the house rising up and shutting the door; and as I read, I say to myself, "There will be a great change soon."

What are the "dear things" now?  Gold, silver, precious stones, bank notes, mines, ships, lands, houses, horses, cars, furniture, food, drink, clothes, and the like.  These are the things that are thought valuable; these are the things that command a ready market; these are the things which you can never get below a certain price.  He that has a lot of these things is counted a wealthy man.  Such is the world!

And what are the "cheap things" now?  The knowledge of God, the free salvation of the Gospel, the favor of Christ, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the privilege of being God's son, the title to eternal life, the right to the tree of life, the promise of a room in the Father's House in heaven, the promises of an incorruptible inheritance, the offer of a crown of glory that does not fade away.

These are the things that no man hardly cares for.  They are offered to the sons of men without money and without price: they may be had for nothing - freely and generously.  Whosoever will may take his share.  But, sadly, there is no demand for these things!  They go begging.  They are scarcely looked at.  They are offered in vain.  Such is the world!

But a day is coming upon us all when the value of everything will be altered.  A day is coming when banknotes will be as useless as rags, and gold will be as worthless as the dust of the earth.  A day is coming when thousands will care nothing for the things for which they once lived, and will desire nothing so much as the things which they once despised.  The mansions and palaces will be forgotten in the desire of a "house not made with hands."  The favor of the rich and great will be remembered no more, in the longing for the favor of the King of kings.  The silks, and satins, and velvets, and laces, will be lost sight of in the anxious need of the robe of Christ's righteousness.  All will be altered, all will be changed in the great day of the LORD'S return.  "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

It was a weighty saying of some wise man, that "hell is truth known too late."  I fear that thousands of those who profess to be Christians in this day will find this out by experience.  They will discover the value of their souls when it is too late to obtain mercy, and see the beauty of the Gospel when they can derive no benefit from it.  Oh, that men would be wise early in life!  I often think there are few passages of Scripture more awful than that in the first chapter of Proverbs:

Because I have called and you refused to listen,
    have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
²⁵ because you have ignored all my counsel
    and would have none of my reproof,
²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when terror strikes you,
²⁷ when terror strikes you like a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
²⁹ Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
³⁰ would have none of my counsel
    and despised all my reproof,
³¹ therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
    and have their fill of their own devices. ~ Prov 1:24-31 (ESV)

Some reader of this paper may be one of those who neither like the faith nor practice which the Gospel of Christ requires.  You think that we are extreme when we implore you to repent and be converted.  You think we ask too much when we urge you to come out from the world, and take up the cross, and follow Christ.  But take notice that you will one day confess that we were right.  Sooner or later, in this world or the next, you will acknowledge that you were wrong.  Yes!  It is a sad consideration, for the faithful minister of the Gospel, that all who hear him will one day acknowledge that his counsel was good.  Mocked, despised, scorned, neglected as his testimony may be on earth, a day is coming which will prove that truth was on his side.  The rich man who hears us and yet makes a god of this world; the tradesman who hears us and yet makes his ledger his Bible; the farmer who hears us and yet remains cold as the clay on his land; the worker who hears us and feels no more for his soul than a stone - all, all will in time acknowledge before the world that they were wrong.  All will in time earnestly desire that very mercy which we now set before them in vain.  "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

Some reader of this paper may be one of those who love the LORD Jesus Christ in sincerity.  Such a one may well take comfort when he looks forward.  You often suffer persecution now for Christianity's sake.  You have to bear hard words and unkind insinuations.  Your motives are often misrepresented, and your conduct slandered.  The reproach of the cross has not ceased.  But you may take courage when you look forward and think of the LORD's second coming.  That day will make amends for all.  You will see those who now laugh at you because you read the Bible, and pray, and love Christ, in a very different state of mind.  They will come to you as the foolish virgins came to the wise, saying, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." (Matt 25:8)

You will see those who now hate you and call you fools because, like Caleb and Joshua, you bring up a good report of Christ's service.  Some day they will say, "Oh, that we had taken part with you!  You have been the truly wise, and we the foolish."

Then do not fear the reproach of men.  Confess Christ boldly before the world.  Show your colors, and do not be ashamed of your Master.  Time is short: eternity rushes on.  The cross is only for a short time: the crown is forever.  "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

End Part I

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

I hope you will return to read the conclusion of Ryle's chapter regarding the door to salvation and its eventual closing.    Ryle ends his chapter with very pointed and precise questions that, prayerfully, will encourage you to "Strive to enter through the narrow door." (Luke 13:24)  It is imperative to your soul to remember that there is only One way to enter salvation's door, and the Holder of key, Jesus Christ, desires that you enter it while there is still time.

The Coming Storm

Since the destruction and death that was wrought during the tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma on Monday, May 20, 2013, we have all found ourselves grieving the loss of so many lives, especially the lives of small children.  But we must remember that God is sovereign in all things, including the death of those we consider to be too young to die.  In spite of our age, He has ordained a day for our death, as well as the day of our birth. 

After hearing about the terrible annihilation of the elementary school and the children huddling in a basement where some of them would die, we all wanted comfort for their families and peace to be restored.  It will be a long time before their tears and heartbreak will ease.  Our prayers are not only for them, but also that God would spare our own families if such a terrible event comes upon us.  And as the day of our Savior's return draws closer, the possibility of that happening increases.

Although there is little or no comfort that can be given by well-meaning people to a parent who has lost a child, regardless of the degree of faith the parent has, it is my firm belief that all of those children are safely in the arms of Jesus.  Charles H. Spurgeon wrote that there should be rejoicing when we suffer such a loss:

"Refrain from undue weeping, for they shall come again from the land of their
captivity. Thy dead ones shall live again. Mother of mortals, thou didst well to weep;
but thy children live, so that thou art the mother of immortals; then, why canst thou
sorrow? Dry thine eyes, and bless God that thou hast another link with heaven, and
that thou hast helped to fill the choirs that, day without night, circle the throne of
God with hallelujahs."

While believers remain on this earth, that advice is worth clinging to.  If there is loss, the pain believers experience is lessened, knowing that our loved one is in the greatest place possible, and with the One Who wipes the tears from their eyes and shelters them under His wings.  The reunion that will one day come will be glorious.

For the past couple of days, I have been pondering the disaster that affected the lives of so many.  Not why it had to happen.  If you are a believer, you know the answer to that question.  Nor does it have anything to do with what some believe to be God's wrath being brought down on this nation for our disobedience.   If you are of that mindset, consider that He still "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt 5:45b)  God's timing in bringing about the destruction mentioned in prophecy and the Book of Revelation is His own and until that day comes upon us, we shouldn't believe that we have extraordinary insight into His mind or His timetable.  When it happens, it will be unmistakable.

What I have been musing over, however, is the tornado's level of intensity and man's reaction in the aftermath.  Oklahoma City mayor, Mick Cornett, described it as "the storm of storms."  Of course, all of the secular media and the scientific community are ignorantly attributing it to "Mother Nature."  Satan knew what he was doing when he convinced someone centuries ago to give this term to God's creation and order.  In short, I was curious about its origin and quickly went to Wikipedia for the answer (this is only one excerpt, but there is more of the term's history on this link, if you're curious):

 "Mother Nature (sometimes known as Mother Earth) is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the mother.  Images of women representing mother earth, and mother nature, are timeless.  In prehistoric times, goddesses were worshiped for their association with fertility, fecundity, and agricultural bounty.  Priestesses held dominion over aspects of Inca, Algonquian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Slavonic, Germanic, Roman, Greek, Indian, and Iroquoian religions in the millenia prior to the inception of patriarchal religions."

In literature, it can be traced as far back as the 12th century B.C.  Pagan superstition and mysticism have a long and dark history.  Of course, why should we think otherwise?  It began in the beginning with Satan, who was and remains the author of lies (John 8:44).

Each time a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake occurs that is larger and greater in magnitude than the previous event, it becomes the new standard by which they are measured.  The tornado that touched down Monday in almost the exact location as that of a cluster of storms in 1999 was huge and considered to be one of the largest recorded in modern history.  It was equaled to one of 74 tornadoes that were spawned during a three day period between May 3rd and May 6th, 1999, causing extensive destruction and the loss of 36 lives in their paths.  Because of the intensity of the 1999 tornado that plowed through Chickasha, Bridge Creek, Oklahoma City, Moore, Del City, Tinker Air Force Base, and Midwest City respectively, scientists used it as their standard of measuring tornadoes, establishing it as an "EF5" and basing all others upon this scale.

The "Enhanced Fujita Scale" used to measure tornadoes begins at an "EF0" and as the severity of the tornado increases, so does the level on the scale, ending at an "EF5."  This link demonstrates the speed of the wind and the type of damage that can be experienced during the storm, and also breaks down the standard by which they are numbered.  It's an interesting graph and should be visited by those who are curious or who would like to  have broader understanding of this method of measurement.

If you find nature and weather patterns fascinating, all of this science is engaging, but there is an underlying problem with man assuming he can determine the size and scope of storms that threaten his very existence.  In the backs of their minds, they may be wondering if another cataclysmic storm of greater proportion is lurking in the future but, for now, they are content to dwell on the latest mega-storm.  However, what is more troublesome for secular science and all of their research is the fact that Scripture, which they ignore, tells us things are going to get much worse.  Much, much worse.   God has already given them a "graph" to turn to and to determine what's coming next.  The inclement events that are waiting in the aisles for their grand  entrance upon this world will make Monday's tornado look like a dust devil, and the destruction these disasters will bring will be unequaled to what this earth has experienced in its brief history.

When compared to past tornadic events, what we witnessed Monday was a tremendous storm of vast proportions.  The images and videos that have been seen on television are jaw dropping.  I can't imagine having that wall of destruction bearing down upon me, and not knowing which direction to run to get out of its path.  However, when we consider the minimal loss of life that was brought upon Moore, Oklahoma by this monster, and how many more people could have been taken, we should be grateful that God was so merciful.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus spoke to His disciples about the "signs" that would appear prior to the end of times and His ultimate return.  Earthquakes, famines, and nations and kingdoms rising against each other will all increase in intensity as the day draws nearer.  He likened these events to "birth pangs" that come upon a woman who is preparing to deliver a baby.  Each pain increases and quickens with less time between them, until the moment of birth comes.  For women who have experienced childbirth, the metaphor is clearly understood.  Like the pain her body goes through during the birth process, the earth, that has been subjected to the fall of mankind, will also be unsettled in the last days and demonstrate what man calls "natural disasters" in increasing degrees that will bring about untold destruction and devastation.

There is a word used throughout Scripture to describe great affliction, suffering, trials, persecution, and distress.  The word is "tribulation."  In Matthew 24:21-22, Jesus, when speaking of the time of the "abomination of desolation," or the Antichrist who will be allowed full reign during the Great Tribulation, or end of times when God pours out His wrath upon this world, revealed something that should be heavily considered, especially by those who have suffered through storms of great magnitude and have yet to receive Him as their Savior:

"For then there will be great tribulation, such has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.  And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved.  But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short."

Jesus is warning us that what will be coming upon this earth in the very near future will be immeasurable.  There will be no Enhanced Fujita Scale to consult, or Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale available to determine the size and scope of the boundless storms that will sweep across the world.  All of these will be tossed aside as the men who study them tremble and quake with terror, causing them to question the very science they relied so heavily upon.   As God causes the climate to become more unsettled and unpredictable, so will our planet experience more frequent tectonic plate shifting and upheaval, and volcanic activity unlike anything it has experienced since its creation.  And as the earth shakes and heaves, the Richter Scale that measures earthquakes will be rendered useless as they culminate into one of such magnitude that the very mountains that tower above us will be leveled (Rev 16:17-21).  Even the baseball and grapefruit-sized hail that accompanies hurricanes and tornadoes will be eclipsed as "great hailstones, about one-hundred pounds each" fall from the heavens upon the earth's inhabitants.

For man to assume he has the mental capacity and wisdom to predict and determine the magnitude of "Mother Nature's" wrath, is unbelief, idolatry, and arrogance at its worst.  We certainly should give scientists credit for warning us of the approach or possibility of a devastating storm so that precautions can be taken and the loss of life minimized.  But what unbelieving men refuse to acknowledge is that what we saw Monday could very possibly be only the beginning of that which Jesus warned us.  The forces that God will ultimately unleash upon mankind have been revealed to us in no uncertain terms, as well as mankind's reaction when they are:

"And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world." ~ Luke 21:25-26 (ESV)

So much violence and chaos will insue that mankind will have no place to run, no place to hide, and will wish for the very mountains to bury them from the sight of God Almighty Who is pouring out His wrath upon the earth.  (Rev 6:15-17)  For the purpose of enhancing upon this verse, the Greek translation for "faint from terror" (Luke 21:26 NIV) is as follows:

"To lose courage or resolution because of fear; 'aporea' - anxiety; painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind; causes doubt and lack of capacity to cope; fainting with fear: 'suko' - body away from the soul; so terrified that breathing ceases because of what mankind perceives."

When the Lamb of God opens the seven seals of God that begins the Great Tribulation - when the angels are commanded to blow the seven trumpets that causes one-third of the earth to be burned up, the sea to turn to blood, killing one-third of all the creatures living within it and destroying the ships that sail upon it; one-third of the fresh drinking water is poisoned; the sun, moon, and stars are darkened for one-third of the day; Hell is opened and demons released to wreak havoc and destruction; one-third of the earth's population is killed; and the final trumpet blast to herald the fulfillment of God's plan is blown -"in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them." (Rev 9:6)

Whether you are a believer or not, it's not hard to comprehend the true terror that is described for the end of this world as we know it.  And what has been briefly described is only the beginning.  For those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev 21:22-27), and who worship the Antichrist and take his "mark" in order to buy and sell (Rev 13:16-18), there will be no hope left, no second chance, no salvation offered, only an expectation of eternal damnation, suffering, and separation from all that is God.

This is the storm that's waiting to come.  No man is capable of fully understanding the devastation, destruction, and death that will ride in on its winds.  The magnitude and power by which it comes will be unstoppable, unequaled, and unparallelled from anything previously known or recorded.  There will be no storm shelters in which to hide, and no amount of hording food, water, gold, or guns will keep man secure until it passes, for the storm will continue and increase in intensity until God's will is completed and Jesus Christ is reestablished on His earthly throne (Rev 19:1-10).

 

There is little time left.  The "signs" are obvious and increasing daily.  Are you ready to face what is coming?  Are you prepared to meet your Creator God, face-to-face?  It's my prayer that you have been reconciled to God and have been drawn by the Holy Spirit to know your Savior Jesus Christ.  But if you haven't yet known salvation, I hope you will use what little time is left to seek after it.

" 'Yet even now," declares the LORD, 'return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.'

"Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster." ~ Joel 2:12-13 (ESV)

God's greatest desire is that all men would repent of their sins against Him and believe in and place their faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ.  But His patience will only last until He deems it necessary to bring upon this unbelieving and sinful world all of the divinely fierce chastisement He has stored against it.  And the storm of His wrath will be immeasurable against the unforgiven.

But for those of us who have believed and are anxiously awaiting the return of our Savior Jesus Christ, there is no fear, only great anticipation for that great and blessed day when He removes His church from the wrath that will bear down upon this world and when we are fully and eternally redeemed.

There may be a coming storm of immeasurable proportions that will wreak untold destruction, but those of us who know Jesus, and are known by Him, will rejoice when that day comes.

"Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."  ~ Luke 21:28 (ESV)

Even so, come LORD!

It's Time To Grow Up, Christian

I thought the recent vampire mania that was mainly brought on by the "Twilight" books and movies was bad enough, luring even so-called "mature" Christians to wait with excited anticipation for the next sequel because of the "romance" that was depicted.   I shouldn't have to point out that it was spiritually unhealthy, demonic and, not to mention, it caused many misguided children and adults to act out the more sinister side of their imaginations by having their teeth surgically altered to reflect pointed fangs, taking on the practice of drinking blood, and actually biting others.

As the old saying goes:  garbage in, garbage out. 

For the last couple of years, another disturbing fad has been sweeping around the world.  Scores of people, mostly young adults, have embraced a fascination with Zombies, modeling themselves after the gory visage of the "walking dead" who are mysteriously "resurrected" from their graves and, with outstretched arms, stumble through the streets and malls pretending to seek and devour the brains (and other body parts) of the living.  It's a ridiculous trend and large groups of them have popped up everywhere.

To make matters worse, governments in certain countries, including our own, have seized the mania and used it in a tongue-in-cheek manner as a way to prepare society for a national emergency, or a "Zombie Apocalypse."  Precious tax dollars were recently wasted on a campaign initiated by the Department of Homeland Security because of the rash of natural disasters that the United States has experienced in the last decade, enlisting the aid of the Center for Disease Control who jokingly used the phrase to encourage Americans to put together "disaster kits" in the event that another should occur.  Mind you, I see nothing wrong with preparing oneself for an emergency, but when it happens, no one is laughing.

Hollywood continues to pump out low budget, B-rated Zombie movies to "entertain" movie-goers and pad their already bulging pockets with cash from the easily entertained.  Toy store shelves sport Zombie action figures that lure the eyes of children and their imaginations into the occult and darkness.  And there are dozens of websites that shill everything from "Zombie Apocalypse" preparedness books and kits, to the top 10 vehicles that are designed to withstand such an assault. 

Unfortunately, there is also no shortage of the use of the term "Zombie" in Christian literature and Christian blogs whose authors borrow the term "undead" to describe the condition of many of today's churches.  If you're interested in how it's applied to a sermon or exhortation, Google it.   Granted, they are correct in their assumption, but I'm sure that Scripture could provide them with a more eloquent and affective way of describing their sorry state.

On February 11th of this year, a hacker was able to infiltrate a Montana television station and "alert" its viewers that "dead bodies were rising from graves in different counties of the state" and "attacking the living."  It was reported that at least four viewers believed the story and called local police to investigate.
 
In June of 2012, the Westboro Baptist bunch protested outside Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.  Among those who protested the appearance of Westboro Baptist was a group dressed like Zombies, some holding signs that said, "God loves everyone."  A "bloodied" woman who was interviewed stated, "Jesus wasn't a hateful person.  He loved everybody."   Were their genuine Christians among the protesters?  That's a good question, but it will have to remain unanswered, merely because there was no one there who demonstrated Christ-likeness.  Dressing up like a Zombie and speaking of the Savior is a bit of an oxymoron.  However, if there were true believers present, dressing like a ghoul probably didn't leave much of an impression on Westboro, or alter their ideals, other than to confirm in their depraved minds what they believe and represent.

I could add more of this nonsense, but I think you get my drift.  It's a "brainless" (no pun intended) and Godless activity and I'm not looking forward to the next demonic fad that hits the streets.

Naysayers will tell me that I'm an old stick in the mud, that this new craze is only temporary until the next one comes along, that "kids" are only having fun, and that I should lighten up a little.  I will be the first to admit that as I was growing up, my vivid imagination conjured up various forms of play to entertain me and my friends, and some of it came from the old horror movies we watched at the local theater which, by the way, were tame and almost laughable, compared to the special effects today's Hollywood is capable of producing.  But I was a child then, and what should be ignorant child's play is being acted out in this day and age by adults.  As we physically mature, so should our intellect, reason, and logic.  At least, that's what should happen.  Instead, an alarming number of this coddled and pampered generation refuses to grow up.  They seek after any form of entertainment to fill their vacant lives.  They view the world and their future through the eyes of the Zombie they're pretending to be: fixed, vacuous, mindless, and void of true and meaningful life.  Even professing Christians will say that it's all innocent fun, or that they're able to watch unwholesome television and movies and overlook sinful behavior because, after all, it's just entertainment.  In other words, they are trying to convince us that, while involving themselves in these things, they are capable of separating their hearts and minds from the world and the smut it has to offer.  They must be pretty special, because when I see images and hear things that disturb me, they stick to me like glue.

Is it any wonder that our society and the church is seriously messed up?

If the Apostle Paul was living in the world today, I am confident he would build upon his exhortation to the Corinthians, when he told them, "Brothers, do not be children in your thinking.  Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature."  (1Cor 14:20).  The nonsensical babbling that was occurring in the church at the time, or what is grossly misinterpreted by our charismatic friends as "speaking in tongues," was no less disruptive then us watching today's adults gather to immaturely playact like children.  Their behavior defies any level of maturity, causing me to wonder if they ever will grow up.  Factor in that the source of things like vampires and Zombies rises from the occult, a creation from dark and sinister minds, and have no redeeming quality that can benefit Christians.

When I consider the dire seriousness of mankind's eternal destination, the last thing I want to do is make a joke of it.  The whole notion behind vampires and Zombies, who are the "undead" who rise from their cold, dark graves and are never at rest for eternity unless they are beheaded (or done in by other violent methods), is insidious and flies in the face of the truth of the Gospel.  The trend should be avoided by every Christian who views the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the blessed hope that we also will be resurrected to an eternal life full of rejoicing and peace.  If you don't believe that we should avoid these kinds of fads, check out Google images , and for a real "thrill," these from Zombie fan clubs:  The Last Supper and Zombie Jesus

Pretty offensive for those of us who love Jesus Christ, aren't they?  Do you see the point I'm trying to make?

Without repentance, belief, and faith in the One Who secured reconciliation with the Father and eternal life for us, there are dead men walking the mean streets of today's world, and there certainly will be those in hell who are "undead," and who will stumble blindly in torment for all eternity.  And believe me, it won't be child's play.  There won't be any chance to go home, clean off all the fake gore, and reenter your normal every day routine.  Our departure here in this life means that our souls will leave our earthly bodies, and those who are in Christ will be given a glorified (beautiful, perfect, sinless) body.  But those who remain unbelieving and unrepentant, their bodies will rise from the grave to be reunited with the soul and be cast into utter darkness and torment.  It will be genuine horror, and it will be permanent.  (Rev 20:11-15)

But it doesn't have to be that way.  Jesus Christ purchased our salvation by becoming our substitute and taking upon Himself God's punishment that we deserved for our sinfulness.  He died and then He rose from death.  Not to remain "undead," but to be resurrected unto life so that we also may have true life - and that life, eternal.

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."  ~ 1Cor 3:11-12

If you're a Christian reading this, one who still plays dress up, it's time to grow up and forever end your "childish ways."  Stop playacting and start living out your profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

He was serious.  It's time you were, too.