There was a time when the United States prided itself on having free-speech. That simple right allowed individuals to speak what they wanted. It allowed Christians to tell the world about the good news of Jesus Christ.
It also allowed atheists to speak their minds as well. It gave an open forum to other religions, too.
It seems that those days are long gone. We, as a people, face censorship every single day. Especially Christians. Those who don’t like to hear about sin and salvation have labeled it hate speech.
Not only is the government censoring us, other avenues are also limiting what is allowed to be said. If you say something that they don’t agree with, then your message is deleted and, in some cases, you are blocked from ever posting again.
While it is difficult for someone of my age to accept, those who are younger have always had it and don’t realize the dangers of censorship that await them. When those in power don’t allow individuals to speak truth, the next steps are to destroy those individuals so that truth is never spoken again.
This is exactly what happened to Jesus. He spoke out against those in power who were forcing their view of religion on the people of Israel. He told them of their hypocrisy and their lives of sin. He told them how they gave the appearance of living faithful lives while, in truth, they were sinners just like everyone else.
Those people in charge knew that the masses were listening to Jesus and that if they didn’t act and quickly, they would be toppled from their lofty positions.
At first, they tried to get Jesus to sin and when he did not, they plotted to kill him. They worked unceasingly and sent spies to listen to him to find a reason to have him put to death.
In the end, they trumped up charges against him and got one of Jesus’ own apostles to betray him. Beware of those who tell you that they agree with you but behave differently. Judas told Jesus he loved him but was willing to turn him over to death for the price of a slave.
They pushed the trial through and demanded that the Romans put Jesus to death. Although Pontius Pilate could find no fault in Jesus, he put him to death because the Jews demanded it.
If that happened to the God who created the of universe, why would any of us think that it could not happen to us?
That is where censorship leads. It leads to those with a certain mindset dictating what is good and what is not. It is based on their choices not on the choices of God. God gave us a clear view of what he expected from us.
He also let us know that we would fail and never measure up to that high standard. But, rather than let us be put to deserved death, he sent his own son to die for us and to give us forgiveness for our sins.
No man or woman is sinless, not one. Only Jesus, as God and man at the same time, was able to live a sinless life. Because we all sin, we all need forgiveness.
Isn’t it wonderful that God loved us so much that he gave us the way to get back into his presence? Man is nowhere even close to him.
Mankind will condemn you and destroy you but not forgive you.
Those who follow Christ are taught to forgive those who hurt and sin against them. It is a hard thing to learn to do and Christians fall back into old sins of hate and destruction. With God’s help, they can repent and try again to live according to his will.
Why censorship? At its most basic form, it is to keep God’s story from being told. It is Satan, as he was from our beginning, trying to destroy mankind. He lost the war when Jesus rose again from the dead. While the war is over, Satan wants to take as many people as possible to hell with him for eternity.
The Bible predicts a time toward the end of the age of the earth when teaching sound doctrine will be banned. Sometimes, it feels as if that period of time is right now. Most people only want to hear what is pleasing to them and don’t want to hear about the truth which carries conviction of their sins.
Before it is too late and you will not hear the good news of salvation because of censorship, this is the time to accept Jesus, to have your sins forgiven, to know your eternal destiny and to start living your life for him.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.