When my wife and I watch a
movie or other program on television, I most always
record it first, especially
a ballgame. Now why is that Grant? There is a button on our remote that will
“fast forward” through certain parts of the recording. Those “parts” I have in
mind are what we call “commercials.” I do not like commercials. If you do not
believe me, ask my wife. The first button to eventually wear out on our remote
will be that blessed one called “fast forward.”
I suppose I have now revealed
my lack of patience in watching anything with commercials. Be that as it may, I
love that little fellow … the fast forward button.
I can easily recall the first
television set we had when I was just a pup. It was a large square box and had
three snowy channels. My Dad ran a television line to the top of the mountain
in front of our house. As I got older, I had to go up the mountain, to the top,
and clear the line of debris. Now I was raised in eastern Kentucky, so we are
not talking about a short jaunt, then back to the couch. No, no, it took a
while. One more thing, there was no remote. To turn the TV on or off or change
channels, someone had to actually get up, go to the TV and do so.
I also remember seeing the
first color television sets in a Sears’s store. “Green” seemed to be the
predominant color as I recall.
Anyway, back to commercials.
Mankind has always marketed their wares by some method or other, but when the
television came into the living rooms, advertising via commercials really grew
wings. When it comes to marketing their products through commercials, the
business folks are all saying one of two things. Their product is always
better, or it is the only one of its kind. Even attorneys and law firms are now
permitted to legally advertise. Their message is always, “Let’s go sue
someone.” On top of that most all commercials are presented with some form of
“sex appeal.”
With commercials, the bottom
line is always about selling a product. There is certainly nothing wrong with
trying to sell a product and advertising your product (depending on the product
and method) so that it will sell and so that you may even increase your sales.
Marketing the product is also accomplished by many avenues other than just
television. Advertising is everywhere. You know that. From the time we crawl
out of bed in the morning until we flop back in at night, we have been
bombarded with marketing in some form.
And now I finally get to my
point. For several years I have noticed that Jesus is treated by some as a
product to be marketed to the masses. Some churches, especially some large
ones, seem to actually be marketing Jesus. Some pastors make statements like,
“I’m a salesman for Christ,” or something along those lines.
With the long route I took to
get here, I now must say that I feel this is just wrong. Jesus Christ is not a
commodity. It seems to me that the world has a view of Christianity as one
among many religions. Also, the world seems to think that Jesus as God comes in
many flavors; i.e. Christian, Jew, Hindu, Confucianism, Catholicism, Islam,
etc.
Is it possible that the world
equates Christianity and Jesus as a product we are commercializing? Don’t some
advertise Him as if they were doing a TV commercial? If this is true, aren’t we
saying in effect, “My God is better than yours,” or “My religion is better than
yours?” If we are saying that, aren’t we giving them credit for having the same
thing we have, but ours is better?
Now I do not actually believe
that true Christians have this intent at all. We know that Christianity is not
a religion. It is a relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Jesus is not “a”
god. He is “the” God.
Actually the world’s mindset of
the commercialization of the one true God is not new. This has always been
going on. Just consider the gods that the civilizations before us had at any
one time. “But we are the enlightened 21st century civilization!”
Nope. We are no different than those in the days of Paul, Abraham, and Noah.
Satan has blinded the world from the beginning in considering all gods, and
God, on equal footing. “Just pick one. Any will do,” says that crafty devil.
I am not a salesman for
Christ. I am not trying to present Christ to anyone as a god better than what
the other guy has. I am simply saying that you are holding on to nothing.
Let me explain it this way. I
am not putting Jesus Christ in the lineup on equal footing with All, Fresh
Start, FAB, Tide, Wisk, Purex, Persil or any other whitener. Yes, Jesus can
make us the cleanest we have ever been, but He is unique, and we are not
speaking of clothes. We are speaking of souls.
“Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah
1:18)
Does this comparison sound
silly? It is silly, but no more so than to compare gods with God. They don’t
exist. God is very real and Jesus is God.
All the false gods of any
religion you care to name are dead and gone. They are in hell today awaiting
judgment by the one true God who is eternal. Jesus lives and is in Heaven
today.
Jesus is not “one of the
boys.” He is not one way to Heaven among others. He is God and He is the only way.
Jesus did not come to earth to
die for our sins, rise again and return to Heaven to be a buffet choice for
those convinced that He is a better product than the competitor’s because our
commercial is better.
“You like FAB. I like Tide.
Oh well, they both get clothes clean.” True.
“You like Allah. I like
Jesus. Oh well, they both get us to Heaven.” False.
Jesus Christ, who is God in
the flesh, came to seek and to save the lost.
“For the Son of man is come
to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
It is time for some
Christians to stop trying to be sales people. Jesus is not for sale. What He
offers mankind is not for sale. He has already paid the price, and it cost Him
dearly. Christianity is free, paid for by God Himself. He only requires our
belief in Him.
Jesus came to this earth,
truly God and truly man, to rescue the perishing. He is not “a” way to escape
judgment. He is the only way. All mankind is on the slave
market of Satan. Jesus came and paid the price to set us free, but our freedom
can only be received by our putting our trust in Him.
Jesus is not an option
brought to you by the best commercial presentation. He is God.
One more point. We all have
our favorites, whether it is washing detergent, cereal, toothpaste, clothes,
cars, etc. We all have different interests in life, different talents, etc. Do
you know that many of our likes and dislikes are probably influences that came
through commercials we have watched?
Satan is presenting other
gods to mankind just as much as Kellogg’s and General Mills present their
cereals to mankind via television commercials and other avenues. They want us
to buy their product. Satan wants man to buy his product.
Once we recognize that truth,
hopefully we will understand that Jesus is authentic and everything else we are
hearing is false.
Folks listen to what others
say about false gods and false religions and compare them with the true God and
Christianity. Most, for whatever reason, will believe the lie over the truth.
Maybe it sounds better. Maybe it looks better. Sin has always had an appeal,
but the Truth remains.
Jesus is not a commercial
product. He is God in the flesh, 100% God and 100% perfect Man. To all who will
listen He says, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
