I’ve been wrong. Really wrong. As an excuse for a progressive, I have said the very things that they say, and in doing so, I have failed God and myself, dishonored myself, and promoted lies.
What scares me and hurts the most is that this confession will be seen by people I have loved and will always love as a betrayal. They will turn away, continuing to believe wrong things, and I will have been partially responsible. That hurts. That is frightening and I am very sorry. I certainly never wanted to cause that or any level of harm.
What I mean is, I meant well. I thought I was standing up for their rights. And in one respect, that’s true. Because we all have the God-given ability to think, choose, and act freely. But I held back. To be an advocate for people who exercised the right to choose and in order to oppose laws that oppress and the growth of fascism in our country, I chose to oppose God, who does not change, has never changed and never will change. From the beginning, His laws for us were clear. Jesus did not change those laws, and He was not silent about them. Now we see the truth about enablers throughout the last century in the West. Whole countries pacifying a section of their populations to the displeasure of God, and in the end, we see how harmful and reckless we’ve all been. Ironically, my change will be seen as a reversal of my convictions, a betrayal, and make me a writer of hate blogs and may even mark me as a potential hate criminal on some federal watch list.
But I’m not doing this with swearing or slurs. Haven’t you noticed that my words are no longer laced with curse words? I don’t hate anyone. Haven’t I said, “hate the sin, not the sinner”?
I do hate, in addition to the sin, the knowledge that many will be judged by God and found wanting. They will arrive in His presence without true redemption, even those who think that they have earned it. That hurts.
The road to hades is wide, well paved, and easy to navigate despite the heavy volume of traffic. The road to heaven is not like that at all. First, because it isn’t well paved. You can miss it completely and not know it. The entrance is marked well enough. But it looks less traveled. It’s down to only one lane while the road to hades can’t be missed. It’s wide enough to handle all the traffic we can fit. There are no lane closures, no safety cones, no toll booths, no speed limits, and no police.
The road to heaven isn’t like that. Not nearly as many people are going to choose it. It’s because we have to take up our cross and follow Jesus. That life is one of restraint, of self-control. That road means no luxurious living. No idolatrous possessions. No sexual sin, no hate speech. No violence. No theft. No twisting of the Bible to fit what you do.
And it means hating our own sins and truly repenting, truly being sorry for them and never wanting to repeat them.
Now, keep in mind that that super highway has a way off. Through our sorrow that we’ve sinned. And through the change that we must commit to if Jesus is to be our savior and our way back to that path.
I’m no longer a progressive.
I’m certainly hoping that our Supreme Court will not choose to block the prosecution of Donald Trump. And I’m certainly not voting for him. I will vote my conscience. That’s how I have to live. Even if the Democrats want abortion without there being an emergency circumstance and they support gay rights. Unlike politics, I stand with neither side.
I’m a Christian. That’s all.
And that’s enough for me.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the chance to be here now to say this prayer for others and to offer a correction for my past words that displeased you and hurt others. I ask for your help in facing any revenge from Satan, but I know that you will be here through the Holy Spirit. I’m deeply grateful for that. And please let others see what’s going so wrong and how to save themselves by your grace through Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.
May God bless you, and may you be well and safe in this new week. Remember that being gentle and loving toward others is always the best way to be. Be kind, please.
Memoirs of an American Asshole 