Belief vs. knowing

Dear editor:

In response to Michael Preble’s letter (Wednesday, May 17), I’m so sorry that he couldn’t seem to make sense of my letter concerning the death penalty (Sunday, April 30). Since he is obviously an intelligent man, could it perhaps be more accurate to assume that he actually could understand it, but just didn’t care for my orthodox Christian point of view? In this very secular and liberal culture that we are now living in, this is sadly not very surprising.

Our ways and God’s ways are not always the same. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9).

He claimed that I “cherry picked” certain Bible verses to make a point. Again, could it be possible that he just doesn’t always like everything that God has to say in the Bible? Is he just picking and choosing what he wants to hear in the Bible, cafeteria style?

Mr. Preble also stated that I ignored the passage of time concerning my Bible references. Not true. The principals and truths of the Bible are timeless. God gave them for all generations. Also, God, himself, doesn’t change as time passes. “For I am the Lord — I do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

And no, I did not ignore the context of my Bible references. I’ve noticed that liberal-minded people commonly say that something they don’t care for is “out of context.” That is terribly overused and is usually a very weak attempt to fight against good biblical and conservative values.

He also called me a “biblical anarchist” and in a previous letter, a “biblical terrorist.” Wow! God’s Word in the Bible seems to really disturb him. God’s Word is indeed powerful. It is not like the words in any other book. Period! (Look up Hebrews 4:12.)

If I understood him correctly, he said his mother was a God-fearing, God-loving Christian lady, but that he did not claim to be like that himself. I also noticed toward the end of his letter that he used the phrase over and over (three different times), “the God I know.”

Respectfully I ask — do you really “know God” or do you just believe there is a God? Knowing God and believing that there is a God — are two different things. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder” (James 2:19). In other words, Satan and his demons certainly know that God is real, but it does them no good, since they have not been saved by God (no salvation).

None of us can go directly to God (or try to get to Him by our totally inadequate “good works”), since He is perfectly pure and holy, while we are all sinful people. A bridge is needed to reach God.

Have you genuinely been saved by trusting only in Jesus Christ as your Savior? Lloyd Hoffman Hot Springs