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To the followers of Islam (and of any religion) that would "convert by the sword"
There are religions today who teach they must convert the world "by the sword," even using terror . . .
It is important to note that God, the true God of Abraham, never forces Himself on anyone ... and never in the Bible does Jesus Christ (the Greek-English translation of Yeshua Ha'Mashiach) try to force anybody to believe in Him or to attend His church or synagogue. Jesus-Yeshua simply says that He "Stands at the door and knocks." We have to open that door and invite Him in. God tells us that He has given each and every man and woman a free will to decide for themselves whether or not to accept His offer of salvation (life in Heaven) through Jesus-Yeshua, the promised Messiah. He clearly outlines the choice, and sincerely warns us of the consequences. It is a personal decision. God says that He looks into each man and woman’s heart to see if they are sincere in their belief. God is looking for people to come to Him out of love. If a man or woman ever decides not to believe in Jesus-Yeshua, that is their choice. It saddens God for He knows what their destiny will be after they die. But, never does He ask others to force a non-believer to return, or try to force them into believing through threats of injury or death. God shows us the only places we will find these coercive conversion tactics are from those who are driven by a depraved spirit and the dark power of Satan. God says the Bible is His Word. The Bible says God cannot lie and God says He will never change. The Bible has withstood the test of time. God challenges every religious system to hold the words of their books, their leaders, their founders, their prophets, and their angels up to the light of truth. God welcomes all to search His Scriptures and try to find error, contradictions, or lies. He also includes many, many prophecies to authenticate His Word. If you belong to a religion, or church, that follows a prophet or worships a god who is so small and insecure that he would have people threatened with death if they criticize or refuse to join, and will threaten people with death or bodily harm if they decide to leave through their own free will, then flee! If you follow a religion or belong to a church that is afraid to hold the people who founded the religion or the words they spoke and the books they ask you to believe, up to the light of truth, then flee! God’s warning to the non-believer is clear. But God also tells us clearly that we are not to judge others, for they will be judged by Him after our earthly bodies die. God looks directly into the heart of each man and woman to see what each truly believes. Only a strange, twisted, paranoid religion, driven by the dark and evil powers of Satan himself would ever rape, torture, kill, imprison, beat, kidnap, behead, bomb, burn alive, or harm people in any way as a means to convert or to force people into joining, or staying, in their religion. The god of that religion is not, and never has been, the God of Abraham. Any religion that would do these things is not lead by the Holy Spirit of God. It is a religion of darkness. It is a religion of evil, twisted, wicked men, directed and lead by the power of Satan.
Many blessings are promised in Heaven to those who withstand such religions and suffer or die in their faith for doing so. Remember, being a Christian (all those who love, trust, and follow the Messiah) is a relationship with God, now made possible by having our sins washed clean ('white as snow') through the innocent 'blood of the Lamb'... the promised Messiah who willingly and lovingly laid down His life as the ultimate sin sacrifice ... for both Jew and Gentile alike ... the sacrificial 'Lamb of God' ... and the promised 'light unto the Gentiles' (the whole world). The Bible warns we can't earn our way into Heaven through our good deeds "lest any man should boast." Being a follower of Jesus-Yeshua, the promised Messiah, is a new relationship with our God, Creator, and loving Father in Heaven ... which is only attainable through having our sins washed clean by the innocent blood of the promised Messiah, Jesus-Yeshua ... for He alone can present us righteous, holy, and clean (through His righteousness, not ours) before the awesome and Holy throne of God ... and into the wonders, the peace, the rest, and the beauty of His eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
Grace and Shalom
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