Freedom Fighter Media - Is Obama Christian?

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23 August 2010

Is Obama a Christian?

(art by J C Leyendecker)

What is in this man's heart?
The question before us is a simple one: Is Obama a Christian? The answer is equally simple: I have no idea if Obama is a Christian and neither do you.

Obama claims to be a Christian. Lots of people claim to be Christian, including me. If you knew me, you'd know I go to church every Sunday. I'm in a Bible study group that meets several times a year. I tithe. I read the Bible and have read it cover to cover. I serve every Sunday and volunteer for community outreach. When times are tough I turn to the Lord in prayer. I praise God for His creation and his many blessings. I say grace. At least on the surface, if you had to guess, you'd say, "Definitely not a perfect person, that's for sure, but yeah, I'd say he's probably a Christian."

But you'd still only be guessing. Only God and I know what I truly believe. That's why the saying is, "If it looks like a duck and acts like a duck, it's probably a duck." The saying is not "it's definitely a duck" because, who knows, maybe it's a squirrel heading for a costume party.

Does Obama at least look like a Christian? Or does he look like a Muslim? One poll has it that 1-in-5 Americans think he's a Muslim. So another simple question: Is Obama a Muslim? And again an equally simple answer: I have no idea if Obama is a Muslim and neither do you.

Looks can be deceiving. If Obama is a Christian, perhaps he's just not matured into his faith (and spending 20-years at a questionable church didn't help). I speak from experience. For many years I was what the Bible calls "milk fed." I was a baby believer. When I went to church, I based the experience on what I got out of it. It never dawned on me I was there to worship God (what did He get out of my being there?). When the offering plate went around, I might put a few bucks in. I only read the Bible if a passage was on the screen during service. If I prayed, it was mostly about me. Maybe this sounds like you.

It wasn't until I started "eating meat" that I grew and matured in my faith. Getting from the milk stage to the meat stage took a very long time, not because it takes a long time, but because I took a long time to get myself together (fortunately, the Lord is patient).

Obama said, "I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people."

"Christian tradition" is an odd phrase. Singing "The Old Rugged Cross" is a Christian tradition, but it doesn't make one a Christian. Lots of people like the traditions of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Christ, but again, that doesn't make them Christians.

What makes a person a Christian is simple: Peter replied, "repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) A Christian believes: To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-24) A Christian asks Jesus to be Lord and Savior and will follow Him.

Also, Obama's phrase "many paths to the same place" is like "all roads lead to God (or Heaven)." These are word that may sound sweet -- they're so inclusive -- but they are at odds with Scripture:

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
(Matthew 7:13-14)

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
(John 14:6)

Throughout the Bible, "straight path" is synonymous with seeking, finding, and pleasing God. Other paths lead inevitably away from Him. Making us accept that "all roads lead to God" is a trick of our spiritual enemy. Why? Because confusion and deception are effective. Here's an example from history:

"There are some interesting aspects to the attack and one of them was that Hitler had created a special brigade which would go along with the lead elements of the attack, get behind our lines, and capture the Meuse River bridges so they could hold those until the rest of the troops got up there. This brigade was outfitted with all captured American and British tanks. They had all captured American weapons and were all dressed in American uniforms. The second aspect of their attack was the formation of commando units. The commando units were four men in a jeep, again outfitted with American weapons and American uniforms. One man in each jeep spoke excellent English. Their objective was again to get behind our lines, change road signs, change signs that indicated mine fields, find strong points behind our lines that they could radio back the information, and generally create confusion in an already confusing situation when our troops were falling back and fighting for their lives under the overwhelming force of the German attack."
Battle of the Bulge by Cole Banard

Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns.
(Jeremiah 31:21)

I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
(Proverbs 4:11)

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
(Proverbs 2:12-15)

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
(2 Peter 2:15)

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies -- make straight your way before me.
(Psalm 5:8)

For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver.
(Ezekiel 21:21)

The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.
(Isaiah 59:7-9)

I'd like to think Obama is a Christian man and that he leads his family in God's path. Frankly, I'd like to think that of every member of congress, our Armed Forces, our Police, Firefighters, and the guy at the dry cleaners. I may joke here in my articles and poke political fun, but that's as far as it goes. And when in doubt, the Bible reminds me:

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

Thomas J. Clement

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