The Road Less Traveled Today
Many people are traveling a road of life without any serious concern for the after-life (i.e. that existence after physical death). I do not know very many people today that are seriously considering the possibility of a life after death. Most people live today as if they do not know anything about God or do not care anything about God. Perhaps this situation is partly due to the success that the Devil has had with the people of the past 75 years (i.e. the children and grandchildren of those born in the early 20th Century}.
Apparently the Bible is not read and consulted today as it was in past generations of American citizens. The condition of our elected officials conduct, the lack of helpful and healthy activities in our schools of learning from grade school through 4 years of college; is not what it was 50-60 years ago. Yes; the church is not as strong and as vocal with Biblical principle regarding marriage, chastity, cleanness, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and other redeeming qualities as in past times. Indeed; the population of America and the world has grown considerably but wickedness and dishonesty in many ways has increased in a much larger percentage than in past ages. My friends and dear readers this condition in our country and around the word today will continue to become worse and worse if we do not return to the principles of our forefathers who considered the Bible a necessary source for ethics, morals, family life, and human interaction in all situations. What can we expect from a society that is taught by the get rich quick by whatever means works for you – “Do your own thing” – “you only go around once” – “get all the gusto you can while it is there” – “join the “IN CROWD” – and other good time concepts that have for an ending nothing but sorrow, shame, and destruction.
CONSIDER THIS …
Indeed there is another way to live, raise a family, earn a living, take care of your family and develop lasting and delightful relationships with other people. This is the encouragement that I want to offer to those of you that have not thought about the life of a true Bible believing Christian. Some of the information that is contained in the Bible follows:
1 – God is forgiving and long suffering toward everyone – Rom. 9:22-26 –
22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. 25 as He says also in Hosea, “I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’ AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.'” 26 “AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.” (NASU)
2 – God loves mankind and wants nothing but the best for us all – John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)
John 13:34-35 – 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:12 – This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Rom. 8:37 – Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (KJV)
3 – God will forgive us of our trespasses {i.e. sins} if we will believe and obey His teaching – Mark 16:15-16 – 15 and he said unto them, Go ye into the entire world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (KJV)
Acts 2:38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (KJV)
John 14:15 – If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:23 – Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me , he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (KJV)
4 – The New Testament of Jesus Christ teaches us how to be a happy family and to raise happy and healthy children …
Husband & wife relationship – Eph. 5:22-25 – 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husband, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (KJV)
Col. 3:18-19 – 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Col. 3:19 – 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. (KJV)
Titus 2:4 – That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
1 Peter 3:5-7 – 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husband 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (KJV)
Parents & Children relationship – Eph. 6:1-4 – 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise 😉 3 that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (KJV)
Col. 3:20-21 – 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. (KJV)
1 John 2:12-13 – 12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
Consider this final thought …
God is good; we need to return to the standards that God has asked us to apply to our life and relationship to one another. Indeed we can have a better world, a better family relationship, a better society, a honest political system, etc. but only if we adapt ourselves and encourage others to follow the moral and ethical code that is found within the pages of the Holy Bible.
It is also true that if a person wishes to be a Christian one can find within the pages of the New Testament a process that will make it possible to be saved from past sin and be added to the Lord’s church by the Lord Himself (e.g. Acts 2:47).