Sunday 3 January 2016

"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked": Comments on the death of Acharya S

On December 25th 2015, Acharya S AKA Dorothy M Murdock passed away due to breast cancer. She was responsible for teaching the lies that Jesus' story comes from paganism and ran a website called Truth Be Known. She has received criticism, even from Hindu and Buddhist scholars whom Mike Licona had emailed or spoken to had pointed out a number of Murdock's errors. I would suggest reading Licona's original article here: http://www.risenjesus.com/a-refutation-of-acharya-ss-book-the-christ-conspiracy

But I am not here to talk about Murdock's errors, I am just here to comment on her death and to be perfectly frank, I am taking no pleasure in writing this article. It should grieve us when an unrepentant sinner dies and faces future judgement and torment in hell. It should move everyone of us Christians to give the gospel so that no man goes to hell for eternity.

Those who do not repent of the lies they told about Christianity and will perish for their slander and vile blasphemies. They do get what they deserve. That should be in our minds as we deserve hell just as much as those individuals and by clinging to Jesus, we will not go there.

The fact is, NO ONE has the right to go to heaven, it is a privilege granted by grace. No one deserves heaven, let alone a chance to breathe. He could even wipe someone out if he so wished. Why should God allow us into heaven when we have offended him and why should the Father send Jesus to die for our sins if we ourselves don't deserve it? Grace is the reason why.

Having said that, God doesn't take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23 and 33:11) and Jesus tells us that there is much rejoicing in heaven over the repentance of one sinner (Luke 15:7-10).

Let's take a look at the chapters themselves:
"Ezekiel 18:21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die."

"Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness[a] when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live."

A sobering thought this is for someone who thinks they are beyond salvation but at the same time a sober warning to Jews (and later Christians) not to engage in wickedness, lest it lead us to ruin and judgement. The forgiveness one could have if they turned to God and from their evil could be man's if it wasn't for his wicked nature and refusal to submit to God in holiness and righteousness.

Sinners forfeit this wonderful grace that could be theirs simply because they refuse to submit to God. While ultimately all of us deserve the judgement of God, we have a way out through Jesus. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, including Acharya S, but as he is a holy God, one who persists in their wickedness will be judged for their sins and even be judged in a manner like she was, dying on December 25th. Some even go as far as saying Ahmed Deedat, the late Muslim apologist died by God's hand and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case, considering his vile blasphemies he uttered against Jesus. See the following here: http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Deedat/downfall.htm

God may afflict someone with a death befitting to the sins they have committed as a demonstration of his judgement towards them as well as a warning to us, It is quite possible for that to happen. Again, this doesn't mean God is sadistic, he isn't.

Again I say I don't take pleasure in writing this and we should weep if someone perishes without Christ and it is sad that Murdock died without accepting Christ and repenting.

Answering Judaism.

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