Reggie Weems Blog

Recent car bombings in Great Britain have once again focused the world’s attention on Islamic terrorism outside of the Middle East.  What drives this unbirdled passion to kill innocent people?  Actually, according to Muslim theology, there are no innocent people in the world, no civilian by-standers and no such thing as collateral damage.  Islam divides the world into the world of peace and the world of war.  Muslims live in the world of peace (dar al-salam) and all non-Muslims live in the world of unbelief (dar al-kufr); more importantly referred to as the world of war (dar al-harb). 

In other words, it isn’t America’s presence in Afghanistan or Iraq (promoted by a conservative President) that is fueling Islamic terrorists any more than the American philosohy of birth control and abortion (promoted by liberal American agencies) is promoting hatred toward us.  Those are simply excuses used to ignite Islamic hatred of the West and recruit impoverished, hopeless young people.  What really drives Islamic radicalism is the desire to fulfil the ihad-driven conquest known of the world known as “khilafa.” 

Muhammad’s last words to his followers were to rid the Arabian Peninsula of infidels.  Isalm reached its greatest control of the globe under the Ottomon Empire when that dynasty controlled th eland from the Balkan Peninsuala to the Middle East and North Africa between the late 13th century until the early 20th century, reaching its zenish in the mid 1500’s at the end of Suleyman I’s reign.  Khilafa, or world conquest has been the dream and goal of Islam since Muhammad.  In the early 20th century, Hasan al-Banna wrote, “The Koran is our Constitution.  Jihad is our Way.  Martyrdom is our Desire.”   

For Muslims, “the religion before God is Islam” (Sura 3:19).  Any rival religion, culture, state, nation, worldview or personal mindset is rebellion against Allah placing the individual infidel or nation in the world of war.  As such, every person and nation is an active participant in a rebellion against Allah and subject to the punishment due combatants in a world-wide civil war.  In addition, when a Muslim jihadist steps into that world of war, his conduct is no longer dictated by human laws or subject to any code of morality, honor, honesty, etc.  It’s a “anything goes to advance the cause” world.  As such, Muslim extremists even violate the Koran when they operate in dar al-harb. 

Most modern day Muslim scholars agree that jihad is supposed to be regulated by the Islamic state and not renegade invididuals.  Accordingly, individual Muslims do not have the right to declare or conduct jihad in the name of Islam.  But just as there are differing interpretations of the Bible, Muslims also interpet the Koran as is deemed best to promote their own particular ideologies. 

Hence, extremism, radicalism, fundamentalism, etc is really a theological issue, not a social one.  It is fueled by a misunderstanding (some might say the literal interpretation) of Muslim theology.  Isalmic terrorism is not a response to Western ideology.  This is why radical Muslism even attack other Muslims as has occured in Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  Until the West, and all the world for that matter, is Muslim, as radicals define Islam, Islamic extremists will continue to fight for khilafa or world domination. 

Contrarily, Jesus Christ is called the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  Those who personally knew Him and wrote about Him under the Spirit’s inspiration wrote that “God is love” (I John 4:8 & 16).  It is for this reason that the world Christians intend to create and believe will be created by their Sovereign God is a world of peace fueled by love for those who do not know Christ.  Our literal interpretation of God’s message is diametrically opposed to the literal interpretation by which a Muslim terrorist conducts jihad.  The Christian seeks to give life, not take it, to honor God’s image, not destroy it, to live according to God’s laws not violate them.  Instead of the horrendous television images now reminding the world of mankind’s inherent sin nature and rejection of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Christian message is the kind of ‘good news’ every television station wishes it could broadcast and every human being longs to hear and see.          
 

How may a person know they are born again?  J.C. Ryle (1816-1900, the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool) once wrote,

“This is one of life’s most important questions. Jesus Christ said,”Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

It is not enough to reply, “I belong to the church; I suppose I’m a Christian.” Thousands of those who claim to be Christians show none of the signs of being born again which the Scriptures have given us — many listed in the First Epistle of John.

No Habitual Sinning

No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9), and We know that no one who is born of God sins… (1 John 5:18 in the NET Bible(r)” rel=”external”>1 John 5:18).

A person who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole liking. There was probably a time when he did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends.

But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him. It has become a horrible thing which he hates. However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him.

If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying (1 John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or weaknesses, omissions, and defects from appearing in both his words and his actions. He knows that “in many things we offend all” (James 3:2). But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Believing in Christ

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God… (1 John 5:1).

A man who is born again, or regenerated, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Savior who can pardon his soul, that He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and beside Him there is no Savior at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness, but he has full confidence in Christ, and trusting in Him, he believes that his sins are all forgiven. He believes that, because he has embraced Christ’s finished work and death on the cross, he is considered righteous in God’s sight, and he may look forward to death and judgment without alarm.

He may have fears and doubts. He may sometimes say that he feels as if he had no faith at all. But ask him if he is willing to trust in anything instead of Christ, and see what he will say. Ask him if he will rest his hope of eternal life on his own goodness, his own works, his prayers, his minister, or his church, and listen to his reply. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Practicing Righteousness

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him (1 John 2:29), and, little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous (1 John 3:7).

The man who is born again, or regenerated, is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God’s will, to do the things that please God and to avoid the things that God hates. He wishes to continually look to Christ as his example as well as his Savior and to prove himself to be Christ’s friend by doing whatever He commands. He knows he is not perfect.

He is painfully aware of his indwelling corruption. He finds an evil principle within himself that is constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.

Though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether or not he is a Christian at all, he will be able to say with John Newton,”I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Loving Other Christians

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death (1 John 3:14).

A man who is born again has a special love for all true disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who share his faith in Christ. Like his Lord and Savior, he loves the worst of sinners and could weep over them, but he has a unique love for those who are believers.

He is never so much at home as when he is in their company. He feels they are all members of the same family. They are his fellow soldiers, fighting against the same enemy. They are his fellow travelers, journeying along the same road. He understands them, and they understand him. They may be very different from himself in many ways — in rank, in station and in wealth. But that does not matter. They are his Father’s sons and daughters and he cannot help loving them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Overcoming the World

…whatever is born of God overcomes the world… (1 John 5:4).

A man who is born again does not use the world’s opinion as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world’s ways, ideas and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being.

He loves God’s praise more than man’s praise. He fears offending God more than offending man. It is unimportant to him whether he is blamed or praised; his first aim is to please God. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Keeping Oneself Pure

He that is born of God keeps himself ( 1 John 5:18 in the NET Bible(r)” rel=”external”>1 John 5:18 )

A man who is born again is careful of his own soul. He tries not only to avoid sin but also to avoid everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He knows that evil communications corrupt the heart and that evil is more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the use of his time. His chief desire is to spend it profitably.

He desires to live like a soldier in an enemy country — to wear his armor continually and to be prepared for temptation. He is diligent to be a watchful, humble, prayerful man. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

The Test

These are the six great marks of a born again Christian. There is a vast difference in the depth and clarity of these marks in different people. In some they are faint and hardly noticeable. In others they are bold, plain and unmistakable, so anyone may read them. Some of these marks are more visible than others in each individual. Seldom are all equally evident in any one person.

But still, after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God. How should we react to these things? We can logically come to only one conclusion — only those who are born again have these six characteristics, and those who do not have these marks are not born again. This seems to be the conclusion to which the apostle intended us to come. Do you have these characteristics? Are you born again?”