Dear Editor,
In response to James Strachan’s article titled “Is the core of Christianity Bible or Jesus?” in the Ponoka News, Sept. 7, 2016, page 4.
Biblical illiteracy is unfortunately the norm now in this country, which this country was founded on and made it so great. The contradiction in the above title is that the Bible and Jesus are one in the same. His name is called The Word of God Rev 19:13. The unchanging, self-existent Word of God, John 1:1. In Heb 4:12 it says: For the word of God (the Bible) is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
One must take the Bible seriously. The Bible is 66 books written by more than 40 people over thousands years which is an integrated message system from outside our time domain. This is proven with a little homework. One of thousands of examples is the bible predicts to the exact day the re-establishment of Israel on the 14th of May 1948. God takes his name very seriously. God holds the Word higher than His name.
Mat 24:37 says: But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. When you read Genesis 6 it is like reading the news today. Are you ready for His coming? Have you done your homework? In the case of Pharaoh in Exodus God knows the beginning from the end and knew Pharaoh would reject Him ultimately. Knowing that, He was able to use Pharaoh to reveal His glory (Exo 14:18). This is the case with all evil in the world from the beginning. God wants you to love Him freely of your own accord. To remove all evil would make us puppets on a string.
1 Sam 15:29 says that God will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind. He is the same today as He was in the “old days.” His justice and mercy is no different. The person of Christ is the same from Genesis to Revelation on every page, which you will find him. If “Jesus’ life and teaching was all about nonviolence and forgiveness,” how do you explain Mat 10:34, which says: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. God is just and He would judge things against a fair standard and He will not be unjust in His righteous judgment.
Everyone needs to do their homework on where they are going, just like one would if they were to take a trip or move to another country. Who wouldn’t take the time to find out what currency is used and the customs of the area, etc.? At the very least you can tell your Maker, when you see Him, that you read His book.
Jeremiah 33:3
Jeremiah Doyle