An Appeal

You have heard it all before…

      Christians are hypocritical, racist, bigoted, immoral, judgmental, unkind, etc. The list could go on and on. May I be the first to tell you that everything you have heard is absolutely correct! Christians are all of that and a whole lot more! Every believer has it within their old heart to be the most hateful person imaginable. Notice the expression I just used—within their old heart. Every single individual is born into this world with an old heart that is fractured and unregenerate. People are capable of doing much good, on the one hand, and great evil, on the other. The lie is that if you only do good, and repress all of your evil tendencies, you will polish up your old heart and make it acceptable to God. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ tells us something entirely different. Let me divulge: 
      Every good deed I perform springs from a deep, often unseen, corrupt motive. It is a selfish motive that generates from "self" and is concerned only with "itself."  I do good only so that I will benefit in some way. I want people to like me, so I am not unkind to them. I want to rise to the top and gain power and prestige, so I am good to the people who will help me get there.  I want to be seen as one of the religious elite, so I devote my entire life to fasting, praying, and performing good works.  But all of this is done from selfish motives which are is contrary to the "selflessness" by which Jesus Christ lived his life. I may be deceived, though, into believing I actually am like Christ because I am not hateful, racist, immoral, or bigoted. I may even think I deserve to go to Heaven because I am so "good." The sad truth about this assumption is that many have fallen for it only to be sadly disillusioned at the end of their lives. However "good" your old heart is made to appear, there remains a seed of corruption in it, that when fully grown, develops into the worst form of treachery imaginable. The fruit of our old heart cannot manifest itself otherwise.
      The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6) By believing in what He did for you on the Cross and accepting Him into your heart, you become a brand new person who possesses a new heart.  You begin to live life according to Christ's righteousness, not your own. The new heart you are given is humble, kind, generous, loving, merciful, and truly good. It is actually the very heart of Jesus Christ, and its fruit is the never-ending multiplication of goodness and love.  
      Look a little deeper into the lives of many Christians, and you will find that they are not racist, hypocritical, immoral or bigoted, but loving, kind, gracious and accepting. It is not that they are perfect—no, not by any stretch of the matter! But they are learning to nurture their new heart as they are being transformed into beautiful beings.

Would you consider believing in Christ, so that you, too, won’t become like the rare type of true believer who never grows in his faith—the racist, hateful, bigoted type. I don't like to say it, but if you never reach out to the Lord, you don’t really have much hope for anything better. Please put your trust in what Christ did for you, today.

Simply pray,

“Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I know that there is nothing I can do to merit eternal life. So, right now, I put my trust in what you did for me on the Cross. I receive you into my heart by faith. Help me to grow more and more like you, each day. In Jesus name, Amen."

If you prayed this prayer, you now possess a new heart that will never be taken from you. Nurture it by making good decisions. Begin praying and reading your Bible. Ask God to enlighten your mind as to the true meaning of Scripture. Find a good Bible-believing church where you can fellowship with other believers and grow in your faith. Never give up. Stay close to God even if it means it will cost you something dear. You will never regret your decision to follow God.

God bless you.

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