Daily Devotional for Saturday February 11, 2012
Calling Yourself a Christian doesn't Make You a Christian
(Ephesians 2:8,9)
"My Christian faith then has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years. All the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time. We are reminded that, ultimately, what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we're being true to our conscience and true to our God," President Obama said at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, February 3, 2011
In the past, I have made the case that President Obama was NOT a Christian, based both on his own words about what he believes and just as important, his actions. Before he was even elected President, I made the case that according to the Bible, he is an enemy of God ( http://www.liveprayer.com/b4.cfm ). This has nothing to do with politics. This certianly has nothing to do about race. This has everything to do with what it means to be saved!!!
When asked why he was a Christian at a recent backyard campaign appearance, here is how President Obama answered the question, "I'm a Christian, uh, by choice. Um, you know, my family didn't - frankly, they weren't, uh, folks who went to church every - every week. Um, my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn't, uh, raise me in the church. Uh, so I came to, to, uh, my Christian faith later in life, uh, and it was because the, the, the, precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead - being my brother's and sister's keeper, treating others as they would treat me ... also understanding that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings, that we're sinful, and we're flawed, and we make mistakes, and that we achieve salvation through the grace of God.
But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people and do our best to help them find their own grace. So that's what I strive to do, that's what I pray to do every day. I think my public service is a part of that effort to express my Christian faith."
It is clear that without a teleprompter, President Obama's favorite word is "um." However, let's look at what he said in making his claim to be a Christian. The first thing that stands out is his claim that his mother was one of the most spiritual people he knew. President Obama's mother was a self professed ATHEIST! In past interviews, he has claimed his mother was in heaven, despite the FACT she had rejected faith in Christ and because according to President Obama, there was no such place called "hell."
He goes on to talk about how the precepts of Christ spoke to him in terms of the kind of life he wanted to lead, being his brother's and sister's keeper, and treating others as they would treat him. Sadly, that is what most Muslims say regarding Jesus, as well as people who follow Buddhism and other false religions, cults, and new age philosophies. Nothing he said here has anything to do with being a Christian.
The President stated he understands Jesus died for his sins and that humans are sinful and flawed. I was actually encouraged that he might actually get it, until he finished by saying that "we achieve salvation through the grace of God." Mr. President, that is only half correct. We achieve salvation through God's grace, PLUS, our faith! Again, as he has in many other interviews about being a Christian, at NO POINT has President Obama ever spoken of his personal faith in Jesus Christ and that moment when he made that personal commitment of faith through his freewill choice to surrender his life to Christ.
This is not a minor issue. The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. We can't be saved because we go to church, or because our parents were Christians, or by writing a check, or doing enough good works. The ONLY way to be saved is by exercising our freewill choice to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior...BY FAITH!!! For my Catholic brothers and sisters, SOLA FIDES!
President Obama than distances himself even further from Biblical salvation by regurgitating that universalistic lie from hell he has spoken of over and over in past interviews on his faith, when he speaks of helping others "find their own grace." Excuse me? I am sorry, but grace by definition is God's unmerited favor. You don't help other people find God's grace, you help lead other people to saving FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, since there is no other name by which men are saved!
Allah can't save you, Mohammed can't save you, Joey Smith can't save you, Scientology can't save you, Gandhi can't save you, Buddha can't save you, nothing can save you but faith in Jesus Christ!!!!! That is God's one and ONLY plan of salvation!
I love you and care about you so much. Please pray for President Obama and his family to make a personal choice to accept Jesus Christ by faith and give their lives to Him. Please share this with everyone you know, since sadly, in this time where the better percentage of two full generations have never been to church and those who do, for the most part, are in Biblically illiterate congregations.
People need to understand that simply going to church and calling yourself a Christian doesn't make you any more a Christian than standing on a runway makes you an airplane! You are a Christian because you have put your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, the ONLY ONE who died for your sins!!!
I would invite you to go to, http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm . Pray to ask God to open your heart, read the words, watch the short video, pray the prayer, and accept God's free gift to you today of everlasting life!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller