I would really like to have comments posted about this. You can post them at the end of this were it says Post Comments.
Here are some questions about this poem
- After reading this poem who would you say would be in Heaven, and why
- How would this be helpful to someone who is not saved
- If you claim to be a follower of Christ would you send this to everyone in your contact list, and why
- What did you get from the section after Judge Not, when it makes a judgement about those who go to church or stand in a garage
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8 comments:
Wow, I hope you sent this to you brothers, remember you told me they where going to Hell because they wouldn't listen to you when you told them they needed Jesus. So with this poem you'll be together!
I think this should be called the best lie in the world.
According to this poem, please tell me if I'm wrong,that everyone born of this planet will be in heaven? Like Hitler, Sadam Housan, and the other monsters who died without Christ. Jesus tells us to be wary of wolf's in sheep's clothing. Jesus also told us in Luke 18:18 what we have to do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and it's NOT what this poem says. Maybe you should read it. Nothing in this poem talks about repentance, or confessing to breaking God's Law and placing your trust in Jesus Christ ALONE. It was His horrific punishment and agonizing death and resurrection that saved a wretched man like me.
Paul tells us in 1Co 6:9 -10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
You my want to read what John says in Rev. 21: "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev 21:8)
So, to share this with those who may be going to Hell would be deceitful, and the work of the Devil. So I guess you can put your faith in what man says to make everyone FEEL GOOD, or trust in what the Bible says. your choice!
I was thinking of placing this poem on my blog to read what others would think if this was what the Lord would want us to be sharing with those who may be lost. I'll let you know what feedback I get.
Your Brother in Christ
Seed Sower,
It's certainly not the best poem in the world... nor is it the best lie in the world. Your either/or framework doesn't provide us enough choices. There ARE others you know. :)
I don't believe that it says or even attempts to say "that everyone born of this planet will be in heaven". I think that it is merely making the point that our limited view into a person's life doesn't give us the infallible ability to judge whether they are saved or will be. That's valid. God surely reserves the right to save anyone at any time... even peeps on their death bed. People may try to use it to promote that, but that's pretty weak...
But I do have a problem with using a trite poem like this in any sharing conversation because it's a loosely contrived scenario that takes liberties with scriptural truth all thru it. It's not scripture. And because it's not scripture, it isn't God's word. Because it's not God's word, it has no authority. Because it has no authority, it's message is questionable.
By using it, one is in essence giving a free "straw man" to the unsaved person who is being shared with. It only serves to distract and muddy up the conversation.
I see stuff like this in my email being manically or mindlessly forwarded. Much of it is insidiously untrue. And unfortunately, naive "christians" actually do use it in an effort to to "prove" things to non-christians. That's nuts.
I think the bigger principal here is to look at ourselves and see if we are doing all we can to promote truth and clarity. Are we compromising in any way? If we are using gimmicks and other fluff that could distract from the pure message of our condition and the Gospel, are we doing it responsibly? Are we guilty of "pious fraud", where our religious zeal allows us to use less-than-true things to promote the message we wish to promote... or dramatic claims to try to make it "more effective"? Does the end really justify the means?
I don't like it, but hey, don't judge me!
What annoys me the most, is the way "judge not" gets thrown around so much these days. Most people don't even know where to find that in the Bible, but go check it out in Matt 7:1, and continue on through verse 16 to get a feel for the context.
"Judge not" was addressed to a hypocrite, and by quoting it out of context, it makes it pertain to the one misusing it in an attempt to continue in their sins guilt-free.
God will judge, that is true. What I generally try to do in talking with people is to cause them to judge themeselves by God's standard, because Hebrews 10:31 says that it's a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Examine yourselves and prepare!
And make a judgement - we ARE to judge those inside the church (1 Cor 5:12). We ARE to make a right judgment (John 7:24).
Ephesians 5:11 tells us, "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them."
How would you do that? Well, you'd have to use a bit of discernment, make a judgment, wouldn't you? Romans 12:9 tells us to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. Use your judgment!
There will be many who will hear the scariest words in the entire Bible on Judgment Day, and those words are found in the same chapter that "judge not" is twisted from.
"Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'" -Matt 7:23
So call me "judgmental." Call me a "hypocrite," call me "mean" and "hateful," I don't care. Any filthy name and hatred that anyone can direct at me is worth it, if the Lord will use me to cause someone to look at themselves, to judge themselves by God's holy standard prior to that day to see where they will stand. To give them a chance at not hearing those fearful words, "away from Me, I never knew you..." and instead, to hear, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."
The poem does bring up a good point, though. The common perception that "good" people will be in heaven, and we are somehow able to determine who fits the category.
Well, I'll tell you right now, there will be no good people in heaven at all, for there is only one good, and that's God.
We cannot earn our way, and none of us deserves it, so the only surprise we should have when we arrive is, "Wow, I didn't realize that you repented and trusted in Jesus before you died! Awesome!" And there will be much rejoicing, not jealousy.
I like this one better:
"My friend, I stand in judgment now,
and feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth I walked with you by day,
and never did you show the way.
You knew the Savior in truth and glory,
but never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim,
you could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together, here on earth,
you never told me of the second birth.
And now I stand before eternal hell,
because of heaven's glory you did not tell!"
-Anonymous
I'm really sorry.. no offense Al, but I don't like your poem any better!
To me it's just another, just as loosely contrived scenario, which again takes liberties with scriptural truth. It certainly could prick the guilt feelings tho. I could see some perceived value in it by virtue of it's ability to motivate people to share; but unfortunately it uses humanistic notions to do so. It flirts with shifting the blame for someone who's facing the second death to those around them who know better. I've not seen that concept in scripture. Sounds more like the anthem of ambulance-chasing lawyers in America. Are we really destined to share in the blame for those who we have not shared with? How does God dispense the shared blame I wonder. Is it by how well we knew the person, by our proximity to them as we passed by them, by whether we saw them, or how long or clearly we saw them, or by how many tracts we had left yet didn't use them...?
Does God really do that? Is fear of additional full and partial blame being attributed to our account really God's methodology for motivating those that He's already set free from blame by His justification? I can't imagine reading Romans and then coming up with that poem. Paul says that the unsaved are without excuse. And Paul is very clear that God is still sovereign over His creation in every way--salvation included. The blame is on the unsaved. But God is responsible.
God is not a mamby-pamby puppet up there, who's hoping against hope that people will somehow choose Him... and that somehow saved people who are clever and convincing will by chance come along and say just the right thing to make that happen. Such a god could not rely on the untrustworthy weakness and ineptness of men to accomplish His plan. In truth, God does use the inept; but He does by shoring up the weak in their weakness and ineptness to accomplish His will... and whatsoever He ordains will come to pass.
My point is certainly not that we shouldn't share... We are obliged to pass on the immense, undeserved grace that we have received. And we should prepare to do it right--without adding or subtracting. It's a joy and a blessing to be so used. There are rewards in Heaven for such.
You know, there are times when people do all that they can to share, up to and including persistent prayer for an unsaved person's soul; yet that person still rejects God. As far as I can tell, that's happened to me. I'd like to see the clever poem that addresses that scenario... I can think of many flavors--many taking us on the road to "theodicy city". But not all would truthfully reflect God's plan. I think it's best to stick with scripture and its message rather than poems.
Hi there,
Someone notified me that my copyrighted poem "Folks in Heaven" appears on your website. I'm happy you like my poem, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would give me credit for the poem and post the uncorrupted version or remove it entirely from your site.
Here is the link to my poem on your website:
https://tillthenetsrful.blogspot.com/2010/03/best-poem-in-world-or-best-lie-in-world.html
Here is the link to my Copyright on the US Copyright Office page:
https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=2&ti=1,2&Search%5FArg=Folks%20in%20Heaven&Search%5FCode=TALL&CNT=25&PID=PUY0tCFXSH2SuF3IuMfD6YNURajv&SEQ=20220402113857&SID=1
Thanks, and God's blessings on your ministry.
Judith Ludwig
Yes, it was Judith Ludwig who wrote this poem. I'm sorry that I didn't know that. So anyone who reads this it not mine it was written by Judith Ludwig. Below is the copyright link to it.
https://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=2&ti=1,2&Search%5FArg=Folks%20in%20Heaven&Search%5FCode=TALL&CNT=25&PID=PUY0tCFXSH2SuF3IuMfD6YNURajv&SEQ=20220402113857&SID=1
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