Seeking Truth

By Clinton Bezan

Today people are searching for truth in a world embroiled by contradiction, misinformation and blatant lies that have created confusion, division and mistrust in society. The fear generated through terrorism and the handling of the global covid 19 pandemic have many questioning the future of mankind and turning to God for answers. For those genuinely seeking redemption through Jesus Christ, the tarnished reputation of the established Christian church offers little clarity in the path to salvation and serves as a living testimony to the fallen state of man. Where does one begin to sort through the soupy mess that religion has become and discover the true meaning of Christianity? In a revealing and illuminating examination of scripture, history and the authentic Christian message, Clinton Bezan dispels the fallacies and half truths propagated through Christian history by errant religious dogma and traditions. There is a distinct paradox that organized religion fails to recognize in its efforts to maintain growth and influence in a civilization that is increasingly devoid of moral legitimacy and is struggling to maintain its sense of purpose amid the volatile and fluid post truth culture. It is only by returning to the basic premise of faith in Christ that there is hope for peace and purpose in the Christian life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664215245

Clinton Bezan

Clinton Bezan is a compelling and authentic Christian voice who has established himself as an effective apologist and defender of the faith. His unique appreciation and passion for Christ are evident in his answer to God's call to write. The Gospel Truth is his fourth book.

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Copyright © 2021 Clinton Bezan.

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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International

Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-1525-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1526-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1524-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020924070

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/9/2020

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Acknowledgements

A Drop in The Ocean

Great Expectations

Christians in Crisis

Narrow is the Road

The Enemy Within

Church Progress?

Is Allah God?

Immeasurable Blessings

When In Rome

Gratitude in Your Attitude

Ambassadors for Christ

Spiritual Power

Freedom to Celebrate

Endnotes

Preface

With a humble spirit I have waded into the waters of Christian writing in this my second venture proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ. Once again, I wish to affirm that it is only by God’s grace and Spirit that I write, not of my own wisdom. In the words of my brother in Christ, Gord Poley, I am just one beggar telling other beggars where to find good food. The apostle Paul wrote, Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:26-27.

I am not so pretentious as to suggest that I have uncovered these truths alone. I am simply a conduit to convey facts that have been revealed by individuals much more knowledgeable than I. The reality is these truths are known and created by God and have been evident all along and many have simply forgotten the veracity of the Bible. With all of the uncertainties in life, contradictory messages about our purpose and constant bombardment by ever changing narratives of what truth is, establishing a solid foundation from which to function in this rapidly spinning reality is of utmost importance if we are to achieve happiness in our own experience.

If mankind is to enjoy a fruitful existence of harmony and happiness, we must cease struggling against ourselves and become humble, acknowledging that we are sinful in nature and seek forgiveness and mercy from our creator. Humanity is a proud species and has proven itself much more apt to repeat past mistakes than to assume a posture of humility and surrender to God.

Why do humans lash out at each other, condemn each other and mock anyone who has a different perspective than their own? If we were truly happy and comfortable with our own identities, we wouldn’t feel the need to manipulate others into seeing things our way. I have experienced this time and time again by so-called enlightened philosophical atheists who would rather belittle believers and make the same assertions over and over again, based upon their own biased understanding of a Bible they have never read.

The corruption of mankind and the willingness to give in to greed, lust and the temptations of power have left us with a distorted and skeptical perspective that has us questioning our existence yet unwilling to accept the truth. For the past two thousand years, the failures of man to abide in truth with regards to the message of the gospel has twisted the Christian narrative and destroyed the credibility of the Church. Under the umbrella of institutionalized religion, church congregations have become enslaved to rules and rituals that Jesus set us free from, and the messages from many pulpits bear little resemblance to the teachings of Christ and the apostles. Why would a slave who was freed return to bondage like a dog returning to its own vomit?

Religion has become a man-made, self-serving monster that has grown like a malignant tumor. It encompasses many belief systems, corrupts the pure, perverts the vulnerable, deceives the innocent and builds wealth at the expense of the poor. Religion is a tragedy that undermines the very fabric of faith. It eats away at the sincerity of the heart by setting obstacles in the way of salvation that only serve the establishment and lay claim to one’s righteousness through the observance of ritual and ceremony. How is a person supposed to sort through the mountains of doctrine to find the truth? The message of the gospel is simple and yet at the same time it is deeper that our deepest desire to know God. Religious enterprise has thrived on the splitting of hairs in some cases when it comes to interpreting scripture, leading to mass confusion and self-defeating logic that only serves to drive people away. Jesus said, Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Luke 18:17.

I don’t mean to minimize the importance of corporate worship, and church leaders are human and fair game in the eyes of the devil, however we are a called to a higher standard. The apostle Paul wrote, Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 1 Timothy 3:2-5.

Today the message of the gospel, God’s good news, has been lost through eons of half-truths and platitudes that have disregarded the cutting words of Christ in favor of an all-encompassing message of inclusivity. The Church of Christ has become the church without Christ in most denominations. Rather than being a city on a hill, shining its light for the world, it has become hidden, indistinguishable from the world. In most churches, quantity supersedes quality, filling auditoriums trumps calls for repentance and overlooking sin is more important than condemning immoral behavior. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Mathew 5:13-16. The Church has become impotent in the face of today’s culture of subjective truth and morality. In an effort to be accepting, tolerant and progressive in order to grow, it has become false in every sense of the word, with the exception of a small percentage of congregations with fearless leadership.

Mathew records Jesus as drawing a line in the sand and challenging those who would follow him, Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Mathew 10:34-39. Jesus is clear about the temporal nature of mortality and calls those who would follow him to be prepared to forsake their physical lives for something greater. We are called to raise our vision to an eternal perception.

No other human being in the history of the world has created more controversy than Jesus Christ. Why is that? He preached a message of love for God and our fellow man. Nothing he taught was illegal, yet his name is hated throughout the world. His existence is now questioned as a historical fact despite overwhelming evidence of his historicity, authenticity and the impact he had on civilization. Even the way we measure years stems from his birth, so why are we so quick to want to distance ourselves from him?

Christians were not called out of the world to continue in bondage to the world. By dying to the world, dying to sin and turning our backs on worldly treasures and pleasures, we shift our focus onto Christ through repentance. We are then free to celebrate and glorify God in a spirit as free as the wind. Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12.

The question we must all ask ourselves is, Have I truly died to sin? Have I truly forsaken the life I had, the things I cherished and the values I held and wholeheartedly given my life to Jesus? Am I willing to go into the difficult areas of my experience to follow God’s calling on my life? Does my love for God exceed my love of being accepted by my family, friends and work associates?

And when we are shunned by those we love, how do we react? What do you do when your daughter calls you a hypocrite because you can’t agree with her position on abortion? What do you say when others judge you because they believe you are judging them? When you see injustice and intervene in good faith based on the premise of loving your neighbor and are shut down and labeled as religiously extreme, how do you respond?

If I knew the bridge was out on the road up ahead and did nothing to warn oncoming motorists, what would that make me? If I am convinced unequivocally that there is life after death and that apart from Jesus you are certain to be punished for eternity and did nothing to warn you, I would be equally despicable and could not live with peace in my heart. It’s not enough for me to believe that Christ is my Redeemer and simply wish others good day and a pleasant trip on their journey to a destination unknown to them. If I know the secret of eternal life and choose not to share it, I am a hypocrite and least in the kingdom of God. The truth of the gospel is not mine to keep but it is mine to share. It is mine to shout from the rooftops and proclaim to the world!

It is my hope and prayer that God reveals to you, through his light, the truth of his word, as I endeavor to shine that light into the corners of misconception, in the pages that follow.

Introduction

In his poem Ode: Intimations of Immortality, William Wordsworth describes how the innocence of youth is lost as we grow up and our connection with our Creator is forgotten. In our youth we long to be adults and act out our aspirations. Wordsworth asks, Why with such earnest pains dost thou provoke / The years to bring the inevitable yoke, / Thus blindly with thy blessedness at strife? As adults, we desire to gain material wealth and become more distanced from nature and the memories of our childhood. And even though we can still appreciate the beauty of a rainbow, a rose, or the moon, something is missing. Whither is fled the visionary gleam? / Where is it now, the glory and the dream? The callouses that build up with time and experience, desensitize our emotions and deep connections with both the simplicity and complexity of the natural world. We lament the loss of the spontaneous joy of marveling at the wonders of nature as children and the imagination that went with it. As we age, and cling to our childhood memories, the insight we have gained through observing nature fuels our belief that our soul is immortal. We must cherish our memories since they are what binds us to the magic of infancy and the allure of heaven.

To many of us, our childhood memories remind us of a simpler more luxurious time, when the restrictions of career, finances and family responsibilities were not yet on our radar. Summer seemed to drag on as one day of wonder morphed into another and our thirty-year-old parents were old. Our self-esteem was not yet crippled by the disappointment and setbacks of life and our dreams of one day being our envisioned hero were vibrant and full of promise.

I remember as a young teenager, wondering what my future wife would be like. My romanticism would carry me away across time where I was free to imagine the beauty and chastity of a maiden so fair and pure that even the birds would land to marvel at her purity. Those days are a lifetime ago and reality never quite measured up to the lofty thoughts of my youth. Divorce has a strange way of jading your outlook. The brokenness of my life is only outflanked by the saving grace I have in Christ.

Life leaves scars and time strips away our innocence and wonder. When you think about the savage and harsh realities of two world wars, the great depression of the 1930’s, famine in Africa, the vacant stares of ISIS victims just before they die, visions of destitute children, or just about any news story today, they shatter even the enchanted dreams of childhood. Where has hope fled to? The cruelty of existence can seem insurmountable at times and I myself have struggled with serious depression in my life. The failure of humanity to live in harmony combined with the indiscrimination of natural disasters can become overwhelming to the point of suicide and I have stood upon that ledge, looking down. In our lost and fallen state, we have proven our incapability to achieve true happiness and holiness through our actions and our desperate need of redemption.

Co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, in many ways lived the American dream. However, on his death bed he had time to reflect as he lay dying of pancreatic cancer. He wrote, At this moment, lying on the bed, sick and remembering all my life, I realize that all my recognition and wealth that I have is meaningless in the face of imminent death. At the age of 56, Steve Jobs was worth $7 billion when he passed away. He went on to pen, Your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you’re flying first class, or economy class – if the plane crashes, you crash with it.

If all we have in this life are the things of this world, we will never achieve true and total happiness. What drives people to achieve great things, often becomes a disappointment after they have achieved them, or their achievements may be at the expense of their loved ones. Not that they become less than they anticipated, but that the fulfillment from material things is only temporal and sooner or later we all reach the point where we stare at death’s door. The human condition has been inherently flawed ever since that fateful day in the garden, when Adam and Eve made the choice to rely upon their own wisdom rather than trusting God.

The brevity, fragility and frailty of life are all too often not realized until we are aging, and then we wonder where all the time went. We take for granted our health, wealth, physical and mental abilities, not willing to acknowledge that we are all only temporarily able and one accident away from spending the rest of our lives in a wheelchair or a hospital bed. We abuse our bodies with alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, live with recklessness and have little respect for the bodies of others. Our denial of our mortality leaves us with wasted lives and unprepared for our eternal destiny.

Ever since the garden of Eden, mankind has struggled to relate to God. He has revealed himself in miraculous ways only to be ignored each time something inviting and beautiful draws the attention of man down an easier path. God sent prophets and wise men to speak to his people on his behalf, only to have them rejected and killed. Finally, he sent his own Son and they killed him as well. Just like the parable of the vineyard in the 12th chapter of Mark’s gospel, God then offered the vineyard to the Gentiles through Christ.

The Christian Church began making unforced errors immediately after it took its eyes off Jesus and set them on the things of this world. Just as Adam and Eve forged ahead without consulting their Creator, the institution of the church through the ages has relied upon the understanding of men without surrendering the lead to God and subsequently the church itself became compromised. Church history is filled with violence and hypocrisy in a narrative of power struggles and lies in the pursuit of wealth and influence. Learning little from the misdeeds that precipitated the reformation, many of today’s churches bear little resemblance to the body of Christ in the first century and the gospel is often something talked about but not studied or preached or even revered.

The tragedy of how the institution of the Christian church morphed into an entity of power and abuse hangs over the heads of Christians today as we struggle to make sense of a multitude of denominations and messages and of what we must do to merit God’s favor. Religion has become a confusing, soupy mess of contradicting philosophies, traditional rituals, ceremony and unbiblical practices that have little to do with the New Covenant we have through Jesus. Many Pastors, Ministers and Priests don’t know scripture or don’t believe parts of the Bible. The resulting apostasy has led to bewildered splinter groups that wrestle with good deeds as an expression of faith, compassion for each other or through observing certain aspects of God’s law in order to portray themselves as justified before God or to gain some sort of merit. Millions of people are at the risk of losing their very souls to the lie that has deceived so many in the last 2000 years.

Mark Twain did not hide his frustration over religious hypocrisy and his cutting remarks often surfaced in his books and his autobiography. There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money grabbing and predatory….. ours is a terrible religion. Despite his Presbyterian upbringing and belief in God, he was very skeptical of the Bible’s truth claims and denied Christ’s divinity. The religious establishment had left him with a terrible taste in his mouth and he rejected any notion that religion would make you a better Christian. Twain wrote, If Christ were here, there is one thing he would not be…. a Christian. ¹

The simplicity of the gospel has turned into an overwhelming maze of complex, dogmatic obstacles between man and God. Just as the Jewish religious system of Jesus’ day emphasized ritual and tradition, a great many Christians today honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. While popes dabble in world politics - cardinals, bishops and priests chase little boys and nuns down the halls of sanctuaries in a paradox of piety at the expense of the meek. Christianity and Islam are at odds, both claiming they represent the only truth and persecution of Christians by Muslims has become commonplace with complete villages being wiped out in parts of Africa. Islamic terrorism threatens to change the world through violence in the name of Allah and it is the children once again who sweep the mine fields, wear the suicide vests and fill the role of brides and sex slaves to those holding the guns.

Society shakes their fists in God’s face and claims a loving God would not allow these atrocities therefore there must be no God. Or they conjure up their own interpretation that portrays him to be much less than what he is. The Bible is often reinterpreted to be nothing more than allegorical illustrations to guide society down a path that avoids conflict, accepts people without judgement and condones sin. Ultimately humanity puts its faith in itself and history repeats the mistakes of the past and we find ourselves alone in our room, bewildered and searching for truth.

Civilization is attached to a ball and chain of its own making in the form of secular thought and man-made religions. By denying the supernatural, humanity has severely limited its perception of reality to the 3-d physical that we can see, hear and touch. In an effort to fit God inside this box, people have endeavored to create their own interpretation of God and in doing so they have given birth to countless gods and many, many religions, becoming captive to their own inventions. While society tolerates spirituality and discussions about a higher power, when Jesus is mentioned in the conversation, there is immediate judgement and intolerance. Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:31, 32. Again in John 14:6 he says, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

Any concept of God’s purity has been lost in a multitude of ideologies that mankind has formulated from philosophical assertions that lack a Godly perspective. We cannot even begin to describe the holiness of God. The Bible says that even our best deeds are like filthy rags when compared to God’s holiness (Isaiah 64:6). Paul wrote, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans3:23. There can be no sin in God’s presence. His brilliance and purity are beyond our capacity to withstand in person. His power and might are beyond our ability to comprehend. Humans cannot look upon God or they will die. When God met Moses on Mt. Sinai he warned the people not to even set foot on the base of the mountain or he may break out against them. He would not even permit Moses to see his face as he passed by. There was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud covered the mountain and everyone in the camp trembled. Throughout the Bible, encounters with angels are similar with people falling on their faces in reverence to the majesty of the supernatural. Who are we to spit in the face of God as so many do today?

Believers are called to emulate Christ – not to try to make Jesus more like us. The perverse practice of ordaining gay and transgender clergy, performing Affirmation of Baptismal Faith ceremonies that recognize the new names of church members who choose to identify as the opposite sex is an assault on the Bible and on the gospel. It amounts to bending God’s knee into acknowledging and approving of sexual immorality and accepting sin as churches accept anything and everything in an effort to be seen as tolerant, inclusive and progressive

The apostle Paul wrote, Or do you not know that wrong doers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. In an effort to be accepted by the world, these churches have emulated the world and in doing so have distanced themselves from God. Satan has done his job well and the deception seems complete.

Today the prosperity gospel focuses on material wealth and superficial comforts rather than storing up treasures in heaven as Jesus instructed. Taking up your cross and following Jesus in discipleship is fast becoming a foreign concept in most churches. This liturgy of self only serves to pacify our egotistic perceptions and lacks the one true gift that satisfies our deepest longings. It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that blesses true believers who humbly submit themselves to God and his purpose in their lives. So where does that leave us as we seek to know God and draw near to him?

The good news is that our Creator not only understands our predicament, he has experienced it himself. The highest King stepped down from his throne and became one of us in order to reconcile us to himself. Jesus was a gentle and humble man who lived a life without luxury and faced many of the difficulties and challenges any person faces in their lives. Furthermore, he took it upon himself to suffer the most severe punishment and endured the most painful death imaginable for our redemption. He is not a God that does not understand our perspective nor is he unsympathetic to our plight. He provides salvation and the promise of eternal life in his kingdom where He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4.

Faith in Christ provides immediate assurance of salvation. The Bible says we are saved by believing that Jesus is the son of God and that he died on the cross to pay for our sins. If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9. This belief cannot be superficial or insincere however and must be accompanied by repentance, bringing about a change of heart which is being born again.

Furthermore, when we accept Jesus as our personal savior, the Holy Spirit enters our heart and takes up residence within us and when we focus on him, amazing things can happen that will forever change us for the better! When Jesus sets you free from sin, you are free indeed. We are called to walk in the Spirit and when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. This is where the Christian life becomes more than just a label. This is when the believer truly becomes an instrument of God. A vessel through which God can pour out his Spirit for good works through them.

God promises many blessings to those who are faithful. We are called to walk in obedience to his word and when we do, our desires fall into line with God’s will before our very eyes. There are a lot of distractions in life that tend to compete for our focus, and they can make it difficult to hear God’s voice amidst the noise, therefore it is extremely important to focus on him, spending time in his word and in prayer. By listening to the Spirit within you, and allowing him to lead you, God’s blessings will flow through answered prayers, renewed strength, happiness and peace beyond comprehension.

I’m sure you’ve heard that common sense isn’t as common as it used to be. Why don’t we allow God to lead us? Why don’t we focus on hearing his voice? He is the Alpha and the Omega. He knows the end at the same time as the beginning, so it is just common sense that if he already knows the outcome of our actions, we will greatly benefit from seeking his instruction and leadership. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25. It is said that smart people learn from their mistakes, but wise people learn from the mistakes of others. Therefore, it is much more than sensical, it is wisdom to be obedient to the word of God in everything we do. This is more than common sense. This requires uncommon sense! It leads to a deep-rooted relationship with God, an intimate relationship that will stand the test of time and stand the assaults of the worldly and of evil itself! Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13

It isn’t practical to focus on the temporal things in life or cling to things that are fading away. Jesus said, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Mathew 6:19-21. Yet how many of us decline God’s mentorship?

When I was young, born again Christians who lived following the Holy Spirit were considered outliers despite the majority of the population being deemed Christian. In today’s western culture, being on fire for Christ can get you labeled as a right wing, conservative, racist, homophobic, islamophobic, closed minded hypocrite. While