# My response to the Christian "forwards"/emails



## alwaysreforming (Feb 12, 2005)

I keep getting all of these "Christian" emails that people forward to each other, and today I just had to fight back! This is one I had seen before many times, its the one about how "God wont ask how much money you've made, He'll ask what you DID with it.." type of thing.

A Christian sister sent it to me and my reply is as follows. After critiquing it, if you wish, anyone is free to copy anything you like out of it and use it for your own reply should the occassion arise.

Sorry, its a little long:
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3. And lastly, in my opinion, these "Christian" type of emails are very doctrinally unsound and dangerous. Almost invariably, they display the Law as if it were the Gospel. They give you a list of things you should do and shouldn't do in order to be acceptable to God. Some of them even invent "new laws" that God will judge us by, like "how many people you've forwarded their email to." If God is going to "ask us how we've treated our neighbors," then we're all in trouble! Jesus said if we've loved God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourself, then we've fufilled the Law. Guess what, NO ONE (save Jesus) can or has fufilled the Law, and NO ONE (save Jesus) has perfectly loved his neighbor. When people think they have, they either deceive themselves (and become hypocrites), or if they are honest with themselves, they're driven "to themselves" and to despair and can have no assurance of peace with God.

I believe Satan loves these types of emails. They are so subtle that they raise no hairs or defenses. They almost always mention the name of Jesus, so we accept what's written uncritically. And don't get me wrong, I'm not rebuking you for passing them on, I'm just giving you a little bit to think about in order to judge the merit of the ones you receive. Ask yourself these questions next time you receive one:

"Who's "working" here, me or Jesus Christ?"
"What message does it send on salvation, that we are HOPELESSLY lost apart from Christ?"
"Does it promote the inherent goodness of man, the divine spark within; or does it accurately portray us as born into sin with no hope except spiritual rebirth granted by God, apart from ANY works on our behalf?"
"Does it portray salvation as, "Just say this silly line at the end of the email. Great! You're NOW a Christian!" or Does it preach the hard message of salvation via the cross?"
"Does it give EVERYBODY who reads it the assurance of salvation, even if they are unregenerate? For instance, "God loves you." "God has saved you." etc.? God has enemies and people that are lost apart from Him. How will these people ever know that when the consistent message they receive from Evangelicalism is: "You're ok with God. He loves you. Just accept it and get with the program!" Men must first be driven to despair of themselves and their own workings before they will ever realize their need of a Savior. A "BROKEN spirit and CONTRITE heart" are needed to cry out for mercy.

Remember, Jesus said that He came "not to bring peace on earth, but a sword." (Matt 10:34) He came to divide people, not unite. (Luke 12:51) His message is unpalatable and stirs up enmity in the unregenerate heart. 
If its "as easy to swallow as a sugar pill" , then it certainly isn't the message of Jesus Christ.

Let's just briefly critique this email when all the fluff is removed and see Satan's lie that was stuffed into the skin of the truth:

> >He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation. 
(Answer: not NEARLY as many as I should have! Lord, Have mercy on me, a sinner!)

> >He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. 
(Answer: not NEARLY as many as I should have! Lord, Have mercy on me, a sinner!)

> >He'll ask how many you helped to clothe. 
(Answer: not NEARLY as many as I should have! Lord, Have mercy on me, a sinner!)

> >He'll ask if you compromised your character 
WORKS BASED SALVATION (who hasn't compromised? If we hadn't, we'd be perfect. And if we stand before God and say, "No God, as you can see, I didn't compromise." then we are asserting self-righteousness, a damnable offense.)

> >He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability. 
(of course not, not always. That's why I need a Savior!)

> >He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend. 
(Answer: mainly to those that were "likeable", people "easy" to befriend. Also, I betrayed many, Lord, forgive me! Have mercy on me! I have dealt treacherously with my fellow man!)

> >He'll ask how you treated your neighbors. 
(Answer: Selfishly. I ignored them when I saw their need. Whenever I did good to them, I went away self-righteously with a prideful attitude of superiority for being so "generous" and unselfish! Lord, forgive me!)

> >He'll ask about the content of your character.
(Oh, Good Lord, please don't ask! You KNOW my many failings. Everyday I sinned in thought, word, or deed. I did not do the good I should have done, and the evil I should NOT have done, THIS is what I often did! Have mercy on me Lord! Please, see Jesus and what He has done for me, and not my own works! Grant HIS righteousness to my account. Judge me according to HIS works! Grant forgiveness because of HIS shed blood for my sins. May His precious blood atone for all my sins. May it be a Perfect and satisfactory sacrifice on my behalf!) 

> >He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell. 
(Really? Is that so? I guess NO ONE has anything to worry about. We're all going to Heaven. This is called "Universalism" and its a damnable heresy.)

> >He'll ask if you were ashamed to pass it on to your friends. 
(self-expanatory)

> >Read Carefully 
(good advice! in an ironic sort of way....)

PS. You are my Christian sister and I love you very much! I hope you know that!


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## ReformedWretch (Feb 12, 2005)

Good responses Christopher!


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## bond-servant (Feb 12, 2005)

Excellent!!!!!


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## alwaysreforming (Feb 12, 2005)

FYI:
I should have posted the original email as it read, instead I only took one line out of each "couplet" in my response. For instance, the original would have been:
"God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll only ask how many people without transportation did you give a ride to."

I deleted the first part of the question in each of those, so maybe it might not make a lot of sense if you haven't read it before.

I just can't believe the number of these types of things I get, and how many people must read through that and think: "I'm glad God's giving us the questions in advance, now I'll know what I need to work on so when I stand before Him I can be proud of what I've accomplished!"

Without a sense of God's Holiness, our works can start to look pretty good!


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## BlackCalvinist (Feb 12, 2005)

If you don't mind too much, can you post the original e-mail and your full response ? I'd like to post it on a non-Christian board I frequent where people see this stuff all the time.


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## alwaysreforming (Feb 12, 2005)

I wish I could, but I accidentally deleted it.


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## ChristianasJourney (Feb 12, 2005)

Personally, my policy is not to forward ANY e-mails--Christian, political, urban legends, even funny ones. (Although, if they're really funny and I think a friend will get a kick out of it, I'll send them with a personal letter.) But the truth is, I hardly read them enough to write a rebuttal.

[Edited on 13-2-2005 by ChristianasJourney]


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## Robin (Feb 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by alwaysreforming_
> I wish I could, but I accidentally deleted it.




Hey Chris,

When you get another one - or anybody here - let's post it and analyse it with the right responses, OK?

I think ALL of us need to finally nail these things down - I'm sure we all get them. Especially those "Christian chain-letters."

I've had to disciple some friends (weaker in the faith) that would forward these things to me....it is a very sensitive thing to confront them lovingly - informing of the danger and blasphemy. It might be useful to design a PB rebuttal of one. ??

More ideas about this, guys?

Robin


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## LadyFlynt (Feb 12, 2005)

I got sick of these when my grandmother was sending them to me. I finally told her that it is full of the superstition that the Scriptures speaks against. Some of the funny ones I like and some not. Most ppl I know feel that they are rude to send. I received a "getting to know you better" one once. I felt horrible, I had to tell the gal (a lady at a church we are familiar with) that I had no one to send it to and I really didn't know how to answer some of the questions. I also get a little upset with some answers to these that I have seen (favorite food-hamburger, of course, "this IS America"....my response was cho-pow and hasamaki, this IS America and it is made up of a wonderful variety of ppl). I also got tired of the ones "what the military wish civilians knew"...I'm sorry, but I was raised in the military, I know the attitudes...I am a civi now and I know how civilians feel that some (not all) of the military treats them. I finally started a "what civilians wish military personel knew"...my grandmother didn't take it well...thought I was being anti-american....hah! I am VERY patriotic...but I refuse to raise the military to the point of godhood...I respect them and support them.

[Edited on 13-2-2005 by LadyFlynt]


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## tdowns (Feb 12, 2005)

*Personally*

I've just deleted them, I'd be interested to see what you guys come up with as a loving response, cuz, some of them come to me from Uncle etc. Now days any thing that says fwd, I delete without opening.

TD


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## panta dokimazete (Feb 13, 2005)

I think a loving, doctrinally sound response would be wonderful!

It should be pithy, though...maybe with links as followups or references?

So, what is the action plan?


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 13, 2005)

> _Originally posted by tdowns007_
> I've just deleted them, I'd be interested to see what you guys come up with as a loving response, cuz, some of them come to me from Uncle etc. Now days any thing that says fwd, I delete without opening.
> 
> TD





I usually don't have the time to respond to all the pseudo-christian spam. I just delete it and never pass it on, even if it is funny.


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