There Are Lies, And There Are Damn Lies

Here I was all along believing the Word of Christ. It states that the Triune God created me and everyone and everything that exists. It states that mankind fell from grace and sinned against the Lord. This has made us all worthy of His condemnation.
But it also states that out of His great love for us He would forgive our sins. Since He is an eternal God this can only be accomplished in an eternal fashion. Temporary sacrifices for sins granted forgiveness but they were based on the permanent sacrifice that would one day, when the time was right, appear, and pay for our sins.
This sacrifice would be God Himself, coming in our flesh, paying what He Himself required from us, forgiving all, and granting us His righteousness.
Those that receive this gift will share in eternity with Him, those that don’t won’t.
This  sacrifice was purposeful, planned, and the only way to accomplish our salvation.

But…
Apparently I was wrong. And the Scriptures are apparently wrong too.

Bill O’Reilly has found out the truth. After 2000 years of Christendom he knows better than ALL that came before him. “It had nothing to do with religion at all. It was all about money.” Bill has spoken! The Jewish leaders and Romans killed Jesus over money.

Well Holy Crap! Who knew?
The Son of God came down from heaven and wound up getting Himself crucified over money.
Well don’t we have egg on our faces.

So I ask myself, which may not help since I’m not very bright, why didn’t He just make a pile of money for these guys, and pay them off? How hard could that be? I mean, He turned water in wine, walked on water, made the blind see and the deaf hear, and even raised the dead. Money would be a no-brainer! It should have been a cinch.
Maybe we’ll never know why He didn’t do that, unless of course, Bill writes a sequel to tell us he found the answer.
Some think its good to have vigilant people watching out for us little folks. It’s hard to know what to think so much of the time. It’s good that Bill knows these things. He also told us that much of the Scripture isn’t true at all.
Well alright! We’ll sleep in this Sunday.

Right off the bat that should tell you to run like hell from Bill O’Reilly, if you claim to be a Christian.
Christians believe the Lord.
A good thing would be for real Christians to put down Bill’s book and read the Scripture themselves. The Holy Spirit gives faith and life in Christ through His Word, He doesn’t give it through Bill’s word.
Here are a few passages to read about why and how Christ died, and it was no accident, nor was it left to happenstance:

“Jesus the Nazarene…delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2: 22-24

“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will but as You will.” Matthew 26:39

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”  Ephesians 1:4

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have have both glorified it , and will glorify it again.” John 12:27-28

“But when Christ appeared as the great high priest of good things to come, He entered through the greater more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11-12

“Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us  and released us from our sins by His blood…be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Rev.1:5-6

“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colosians 1:19-20

In short, Christ was hardly killed over money. This horrid suffering and crucifixion He chose Himself to free us from the wrath of God and the penalty of sin. God’s wrath towards us has been put on Christ and removed from us. The resurrection of Christ is proof that His sacrifice for our sin was accepted and all that was necessary for our salvation was accomplished.
Resurrection Day is a good time to reflect on how little we have to do with our salvation. God is a all-giving God and He gives forgiveness of sins lavishly. We are either receivers or we don’t know Him at all. He wants us to proclaim His works for and to a needy fallen people, not our works for a God that needs nothing.
He isn’t impressed with the works of fallen man but wants us to be impressed with the works of a gracious merciful God, giving Himself to death for us.
This Sunday, Resurrection Day, many churches will proclaim, “Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”

Killed over money? The thought would be silly if it wasn’t so sad.