Note: Below is a response I wrote in an email to my good friend Dino Minutillo inquiring about the new “Christian movement” within the Democratic Party…
There is a very easy way to weed all these CINOs out (I like that Dino!). The Bible says: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3)
If a person will not acknowledge this about Christ, he or she is an antichrist, not the Antichrist. Being an antichrist means you are against Christ, in other words you do not accept the Truth about Him that the Bible proclaims. If the person answers yes but embraces teachings contrary to the Bible, he or she is also a false believer. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Abortion is clearly contrary to the Word of God. All you have to do is ask the self-proclaimed Christian if they support a woman’s right to have an abortion, reproductive rights, whatever label they want to use. If he or she answers yes, they are clearly in violation of God’s law. There is no gray area with God on the issue of abortion.
People ask me why I use the abortion issue as a litmus test and I say because this cuts to the chase. Anyone who claims to be a Christian, meaning they have the Indwelling Holy Spirit, cannot consciously support abortion; the Holy Spirit will not allow it. Here is why there are no gray areas:
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7)
Now I may be a simpleton, but that is a very clear teaching to me. Either you have the light or you do not. You see, no gray areas! Praise God for the clarity of mind we have; this is why I’m saying we need both political and moral clarity, that is what will clear the fog of political correctness that Dino and the rest of us so abhor, and rightly so.
Humbly in His Service,
Dave Jeffers
I was hoping you’d put this on the blog. I agree with Dave that getting an answer regarding abortion will tell you a great deal about a person but even a non-believer can be opposed to abortion. It’s a fantastic starting point that can point us in the right direction (especially with regard to political beliefs). As I read the post, I was reminded of another kind of “litmus test” for true Christianity (true being the operative word here…as Dave has pointed out, there are people/groups who claim the name of Christ but deny His Biblical claims) . It’s found in Matthew, Chaper 16…
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15″But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,[b] the Son of the living God.”
There are two very key points that I get from this verse. The first is that the world may acknowlege Him as a great teacher, a prophet, etc. These verses tell us in no uncertain terms how to identify true Christianity from “CINOism” (a new word, cool!). A true believer can look anyone boldly in the eye and tell them EXACTLY who Jesus is (the Christ, the Son of the living God). The worlds definition of who Jesus is will always be flawed because if you ever come to the realization of who Jesus really is, you will answer as Peter did. The world can’t answer like Peter did because to do so would require abandoning their sinful pursuits. The second point is that you are REQUIRED to make a decision. “Who do you say that I am”? You can’t ignore the question. In it’s most basic terms, Jesus is asking all of us if we accept that Jesus is exactly who He says He is. He doesn’t leave any wiggle room. Like Dave said, there is no gray area. He either is, or He is not “the Christ, the Son of the living God”. The Bible makes it very clear that Jesus claims to be God in the flesh. Anytime you see somebody or even a group of people (different denominations, different religions, etc.) trying to tap dance around just who Jesus is…you’ll know they either deny Christ altogether or they are a CINO. I’m so fortunate to be able to be involved in these discussions (thanks Dave!) and for the opportunity to say boldly, confidently, and unashamedly that Jesus IS the Christ, the Son of the living God!
Yes He is! Jesus also said something that leaves no room to wiggle:
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
C.S. Lewis said it best about this verse in his excellent book, “Mere Christianity”:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of thing Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
‘Nuff said!
Dave…I have enjoyed your blog. Thanks for sharing the link with me in your message. I agree totally with all you say. I have been studying Islam and trying to tell people on my blog the dangers of believing that it is a peaceful religion. Your blog explains another reason why we as Christians have to be very aware of false prophets.
Well I am rambling now…thanks for your service to our country and obviously you are still serving our country with your wonderful blog.
Peace in Christ…Gayle