“Jesus Spam”
Blaine Kelly
I do not know anyone who likes receiving junk mail. It is a waste of resources and of our time. While junk mail is usually easy to spot, most of us open it anyway just to make sure it is not something important. Companies evidently make money from sending junk mail, or else they would not do it. Even worse than junk mail, though, is “spam” – the junk email that floods many of our online accounts. Thankfully, there are spam filters that successfully identify and eliminate these useless and often trashy emails from ever reaching our “in” boxes.
It seems, though, that today’s religious world has plenty of “Jesus Spam.” Like spam email, it is full of false advertising and outrageous claims. Because it sounds too good to be true, some people fall victim to “Jesus Spam.” Just consider the following examples.
“Jesus wants me to be happy.” Jesus certainly wants our happiness, but the phrase often implies that Jesus would justify or excuse our sinful desires because they bring us pleasure. Instead, Jesus wants us to find the true happiness that comes by holiness, not by selfish desires. (See Matthew 5:3-11).
“Jesus would not send anyone to hell.” Jesus did not use His time on earth judging others, but He certainly let people know that a judgment was to come. John 12:47, 48. He also made it very clear that souls would be lost. Matthew 7:22, 23.
“One religion is as good as another.” Again, Jesus provides the answer to such spam by telling us that He is the only way to God and that we must believe that He is God’s Son. John 14:6; 8:24.
These are just a few examples of the religious spam flooding our world today. We must inspect the things being taught, hold on to that which is true, and eliminate the spam. The good news is that we have a filter for the “Jesus Spam” that comes our way: God’s Word! Let us be sure to use it. -1406 East Andrew Johnson Highway, Morristown, TN 37814. kelly41@marshall.edu