ORLANDO

Repent or die? Changer de comportement ou mourir?

A wide variety of opinions concerning the horrible Orlando shooting will be expressed and aired in the coming days. It might range from, “This is God’s judgement upon the abominable gay lifestyle”, to “Here we have a clear confirmation of the intolerance caused by the teachings of Islam.” And others would say that this incident is just a further proof that religion itself is at the root of all calamity and strife on earth.

What is the truth? How should Christians view these all too frequent massacres? Is God in this and if in which sense?

Let’s be clear, the living and holy God who used the evil idol worshipping Babylonians to punish his disobedient people of Israel can use the evil Islamic ISIS to punish the wicked and immoral Western world.

Indeed, the gay lifestyle is part of this immorality and an abomination in God’s eyes, but be careful of what we say and let’s be brutally honest with ourselves. God also hates racism, abuse of foreigners, all kinds of idolatry (like greed!)… And most subtle of all, pride! Keep this in mind and let us humble ourselves before Him.

It’s not a time to judge others, but a time for repentance!

Jesus Himself (in Luke 13) clearly taught us how to interpret disasters and criminal events like these in Orlando or the Bataclan shootings. All these tragic criminal actions are indeed warnings of God’s coming judgement, but it is a warning to all of us. It’s a call to repentance to each and every one of us! We still have time to heed his call! There is still an opportunity to trust Jesus for salvation. God in his mercy has spared us, not to judge others but to bear the fruits of holiness and obedience to his glory! 

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” 

1En ce temps-là, quelques personnes vinrent raconter à Jésus comment Pilate avait fait tuer des Galiléens au moment où ils offraient des sacrifices à Dieu. 2Jésus leur répondit : « Pensez-vous que si ces Galiléens ont été ainsi massacrés, cela signifie qu'ils étaient de plus grands pécheurs que tous les autres Galiléens ? 3Non, vous dis-je ; mais si vous ne changez pas de comportement, vous mourrez tous comme eux. 4Et ces dix-huit personnes que la tour de Siloé a écrasées en s'écroulant, pensez-vous qu'elles étaient plus coupables que tous les autres habitants de Jérusalem ? 5Non, vous dis-je ; mais si vous ne changez pas de comportement, vous mourrez tous comme eux. »

6Puis Jésus leur dit cette parabole : « Un homme avait un figuier planté dans sa vigne. Il vint y chercher des figues, mais n'en trouva pas. 7Il dit alors au vigneron : “Regarde : depuis trois ans je viens chercher des figues sur ce figuier et je n'en trouve pas. Coupe-le donc ! Pourquoi occupe-t-il du terrain inutilement ? ” 8Mais le vigneron lui répondit : “Maître, laisse-le cette année encore ; je vais creuser la terre tout autour et j'y mettrai du fumier. 9Ainsi, il donnera peut-être des figues l'année prochaine ; sinon, tu le feras couper.” »

MUHAMMAD ALI

- BOXING AND GOOD WORKS?

The world is mourning one of its "greatest". Muhammad Ali, famous as well as notorious for his extraordinary boxing skills and political statements (he was opposed to America's involvement in Vietnam) has died.

Ali did a lot of good things. He used his notoriety for charity work, helping raise millions of dollars for food and medical relief around the world. In 1998, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

His good works should be appreciated by all, but what disturbs me intensely, is the following said by Lonnie Ali :

"Muhammad feels that everything he did prior to now was to prepare him for where he is now in life. He is very much more a spiritual being. He is very aware of his time here on Earth. And he has sort of planned the rest of his life to do things so that he is assured a place in heaven." 

This is the typical thinking of Ali as a Muslim. Islam is a man made religion based on the principle of human achievement. (unfortunately many so called Christians think along the same lines.)

Let's be clear, according to God's work, doing good things can never guarantee us a place in heaven. Salvation and eternal reward can only be found by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who took the punishment for our sins on the cross! Indeed, as Christians we need to do good works, not as a way to earn grace and acceptance with God, but as a way to thank God for His grace in Jesus.

“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV)

8 Car c'est par la grâce de Dieu que vous avez été sauvés, au moyen de la foi. Ce salut ne vient pas de vous, il est un don de Dieu ; 9 il n'est pas le résultat de vos efforts, et ainsi personne ne peut se vanter. 10 En effet, c'est Dieu qui nous a formés ; il nous a créés, dans notre union avec Jésus-Christ, pour que nous menions une vie riche en actions bonnes, celles qu'il a préparées d'avance afin que nous les pratiquions.