Rickrolling and Religionrolling

[Ncdataman]

Rickrolling and Religionrolling

Have you been rickrolled?

For the uninitiated, getting rickrolled is a recent internet phenom where a person basically gets e-punked by clicking on an interesting link and getting redirected to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up - an annoyingly bad yet quirkily compelling 1980's video that (in train wreck fashion) - you just can't seem to look away from.

Who's been rickrolled? Everyone from the New York Mets to the Muppets to Doom to even Scientology!

Here's the way the bait and switch goes:

Person One: "Hey - check out this awesome preview clip for Pirates of The Caribbean 5: The Return of Johnny Depp's Eyeshadow ."

Person Two: "Cool! That sounds awesome (click) - oh nooooo! I've been rickrolled!"

It just seems like human nature to bait and switch, doesn't it? To promise one thing and deliver something entirely different for the sake of fun, cruel amusement or even revenge.

Have you ever been religionrolled? No, this isn't an internet thing. This is a Christianity thing.

Here's the way the bait and switch goes:

Person One: "Hey, can I tell you about an amazing message about forgiveness and the incredible love of God?"

Person Two: "Yes - I'd love to hear about that...(listens to message) - oh nooooo! I've been religionrolled!"

What happened in that conversation? How does religionrolling work? Easy. First, invite someone to listen to the greatest promise in the universe - which is the gospel message. In fact, the word 'gospel' means 'good news'. The 'good news' part is the fact that God loves us too much to live without us for eternity. So much, in fact, that He sent Jesus Christ to earth. Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died. Then He came back from the tomb, proving He is the Savior of the world and that death had been conquered.

That is great news - but that's not the best part. The best part is that we can receive the free gift of eternal life simply by trusting in Christ's death and resurrection as our only hope of salvation.

But here is where the religionrolling comes in. Instead of telling them this amazing news, you bait and switch it like this:

Person One: "Ready to hear this great news?"

Person Two: "Totally!"

Person One: "OK. You can have eternal life in heaven by trusting Christ, but there are a few things you have to do before that. First, you have to repent. Turn from all your sins. Feel really bad about them. Next, make Jesus 'Lord of your life'. I know you can't truly do either of those things until you trust Christ and He gives you the power to repent and submit to His Lordship, but I guess you're out of luck otherwise."

Person Two: "Oh nooooo! I've been religionrolled!"

To me, baiting and switching with a video is one thing...but baiting and switching with the truth of the gospel message is something entirely different. In fact, the Apostle Paul had the same opinion when he wrote these words to a church that was definitely religionrolling -

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:6-9).

These are some of the strongest words written in the Bible, because this is one of the most important things in the heart and mind of God. What Paul is saying is that there is only one type of good news, and that is the good news of salvation by grace through faith alone. To add anything to a simple act of trusting in Christ is to propose another gospel - which is really the 'un-gospel'.

So - if you're in to religionrolling, might I suggest that you change your approach and give people the straight up truth about the straight up good news of Jesus Christ:

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16).

That's no bait and switch...that's the greatest news in the universe!

From Dare to Share

 

[mounty]

Great post brother, thanks for sharing

God Bless and Much Love xxxxx

 

[Faithful Son]

I really enjoyed this post too, thank you brother Ncdataman.

God bless

 

[billyeah]

You are right...there should never be deception when it comes to the Gospel.

But we also have to be sure to present the Gospel in a way they can understand. Giving the Gospel, the wonderful work of Jesus to someone who is not ready for it is wrong and deceptive as well. Evangelism, and presentation of the Gospel, is ALWAYS without exception...Law to the Proud, Grace to the Humble.

If we tell people that Jesus Loves them and can forgive their sins, the result is often, "I don't need a Savior." Why? Because they do not understand their sins have offended God. The have never been confronted with God's Law, the Ten Commandments. As far as they are concerned they are good people who deserve heaven. This is why the Bible says "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

The Apostle Paul made it clear that it was the Law that drove him to Christ. Once he knew His sin, it became clear he needed a Savior. Romans 7:7-9 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died."

Later he said "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Galatians 3:24

So I think if we combine the two points made in this post we will be effective in seeking and saving the Lost of the world. No bait and switch, no Gospel without the Law. But most importantly, trust in the Holy Spirit, and the Power of God, without which anyone will be saved.

 

[Faithful Son]

I said I enjoyed this post. But if we have a look at different parts of the Bible, we'll see John 3:16 is as valid as it comes, but repentance and bearing your cross, all the nitty gritty is just as important.

As Romans 10 points out:
Romans 10:8-13 NKJV
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

That's part of the Gospel, it's part of the message which the Apostles taught.

Repentance and bearing your cross is what Jesus taught Himself, for instance with the woman by the well, where He told her to sin no more.

I enjoyed the article for it's simplicity, it wasn't hard to understand, the main message that I took from the article is that sometimes, just sometimes, don't we have to bait?

Mark 1:17
Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

I won't try to bait them with religion, but there's nothing wrong baiting those fish with the truth

God bless

 

[Ncdataman]

I'm glad everyone liked this devotional. Be blessed!!

NC