Thursday, October 29, 2009

So you're a Christian and a survivalist? Really?!

This is a guest post I put on Scoutinlife's blog...Since he deleted his blog I will put it up here.

So you’re a Christian and a survivalist? Really?!

When I speak of my preparedness beliefs to other Christians this is the typical reaction. The inevitable next question is “survive what?” My typical answer is “what can kill you?” Then the conversation usually degrades into mumbling about me not having faith.

I have found two common arguments that many Christians use as an excuse to not prepare.

They are:

- I am going to be raptured so I don’t have to prepare.

- God said don’t worry about tomorrow.

Lets look at them separately.

- I am going to be raptured so I don’t have to prepare.Obviously they are talking about surviving the great tribulation. Regardless of whether you believe in pre-trib, mid- trib, post-trib or no trib the great tribulation is not something you will want to live through. In Rev.9:6 the bible says men will seek death and not find it. Over half the earths population will be killed and the rest tormented.

If I’m not preparing for the tribulation then what? Look at Luke 21:9-12 (there are parallel passages in Matt. 24 And Mark 13) Some of the highlights: Wars, great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights and great signs in heaven.This is a pretty good list of things that can kill you.

- God said don’t worry about tomorrow
“Ok maybe there is stuff to prepare for but didn’t God say not to worry? ”Who’s worried? A person that sees possible threats and prepares for them is one of the least worried kind of people I know of. Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself..

”When Christ talked about giving no care for tomorrow it was all about worry not preparation. Look at the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 You have five wise virgins and five foolish virgins. What made the wise virgins wise? They were prepared. What made the foolish virgins foolish? They failed to think ahead and prepare.

I think one of the greatest Christian teachings on how we should approach our preparedness is I Thessalonians 4:11-12“ And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” I will leave the application of these verses to your own study.

Still clinging to my God and my guns,Randy

2 comments:

Amy said...

I think people are lazy, and who wants to admit to that! So they say you lack faith as to not admit they lack motivation

Erin said...

Yes we are not to worry about tomorrow. And yes we are to prepare our family for the future. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Joseph was the best example.

I prepare for the future. I fully trust that God will take care of me.