Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday July 27, 2010

Being of an old fashioned bent I do have trouble with people having trouble with the name of Jesus. Even though our family did not profess the Christian faith in the true sense of being a Christian, one of the first songs I recall hearing was the old stand-by, "Jesus Loves Me." I did not have the remotest idea as to just what this meant, but now, after 48 years of knowing Christ I sure get the drift. And the blessing.

I admit to being more than a little troubled at the men, women and organizations that claim a relationship to Jesus and then in blatant and subtle ways move away from mentioning His name, as to do so may/would be offensive.

I was assured by a friend who claims to be "ecumenical" that in the spirit of graciousness I should "down play" the name. I find this advice strange in that Jesus did NOT down play His role in salvation. He claimed exclusive rights to redemption, insisting over and again that He personally was/is the only way as stated brilliantly and vividly in John 14:1-6, especially the closing phrase in verse, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Thus I find a mild conflict as to what to do. Please my ecumenical friend/friends, the populace at large or Christ Himself. To ponder the question points out the absurdity of the musing. My ecumenical friends or the populace at large did NOT give their own lifeblood for me; Jesus Christ did and that graphically.

The early disciples were forbidden to preach, teach even speak in that name. Yet they, at the greatest peril to possession, liberty and life itself continued to boldly exalt the Name of Jesus. So must we in these perhaps closing days of this era. Notice this statement by Napoleon Bonaparte:

"Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever other religion the distance of infinity."

Christ is not merely a bridge over troubled water. He is THE bridge over infinity.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

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