Penn Jillette, a famous comedian and self-proclaiming atheist, said the following, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward … How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that.”
Ouch!
I believe in God. He is the Uncaused Cause who predates this universe. God is the original Force. God is the original Big Bang. He is the Eternal Personality who speaks everything into being, and God is the Universal Sovereign who providentially governs all things.
I believe in Revelation. God gives insight into his being and thinking through science, conscience, and scripture. Through science, one learns of God’s power, precision, creativity, and special preparation for humankind. Through conscience, one learns of God’s relational and ethical nature. Then, through the Bible, one becomes acquainted with the special revelations of God. In God’s Word, divine information is put forth by our Creator.
I believe in Law and Order. According to the scriptures, man is created in the image of God; he possesses an eternal soul. His purpose is to enjoy glorifying God while loving and serving his neighbors. If man fulfills his purpose — perfectly — he is deemed to be holy, just, righteous, good, and pleasing. Contrarily, if man disobeys God’s will, he proves himself to be satanic and sinful. Sadly, all men and women prove to be disbelieving, self-loving, and arrogant idolaters like Lucifer, and they deserve only the condemnation, excommunication, and damnation of God. And what does God’s curse look like? According to the scriptures, God’s curse includes:
- Earthly excommunication or separation from God
- Earthy morphing into greater and greater depths of evil
- Earthly soul sorrow and emotional disaster
- Earthly relational conflict
- Earthy vocational frustration
- Earthly physical disability and disease — dying
- Earthly global danger — climate change from God
- Eternal separation from God in hell
I believe in the Gospel. According to God’s revealed autobiography — the Bible — He has determined to shower love, mercy, and grace upon many of his enemies. Human hellions can find rescue in God’s performance on their behalf.
- God came to earth and added a human soul and body; he was Jesus Christ
- Jesus enjoyed, glorified, and obeyed his Father
- Jesus loved his neighbors with self-sacrificing affection and actions
- Jesus received the full-wrath and entire-curse of God
- Jesus became the divinely gifted substitute for a certain group of individuals — those who recognize their Deity, duty, depravity, and damnation, and those who in repentant faith call upon Jesus to be their Saving Lord.
This is God’s free offer of forgiveness, reconciliation, communion, and eternal bliss. This is the best of news for the worst of men, and it is for me, you, your neighbor, and anyone-anywhere who finds themselves internally inclined to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
I believe in repentance and evangelism. Thank you Penn Jillette; you nailed me! Thank you Holy Spirit; you used Penn Jillette to call me to greater worship and service! Today, I repent afresh of my revelation-ignoring, self-loving, and neighbor-hating whimpiness. Today, I find myself desiring to be more active and gracious in glorifying God and serving my neighbors. Today, I long to evangelize and see more rebels like Joe Franks and Penn Jillette enjoying life abundant and eternal.
Unfathomable Grace 