11/17/23 A COMMON COMMONALITY

11/17/23 A COMMON COMMONALITY

I watched a video that asked Palestinians, "if their ancestors were Jewish or Christian or something else before they were Muslims?"

GREAT QUESTION.

Most of those interviewed had a hard time conceiving the idea of their ancestors being anything other than Muslims, sometimes saying they have ALWAYS been Muslims.

IMPOSSIBLE.

Islam did not exist before 1413 years ago.
Christianity came into existence nearly 2000 years ago.
Judaism (since the days of Abraham) has existed for almost 4000 years.

The fountainhead of Judaism existed in the Garden of Eden, and continued to be practiced through the times of Noah, to Shem, to Abraham.

All paganism is the result of rejecting the Creator God and His revelation through holy men of old, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, as well as select prophets, priests and kings of Israel.

My Scottish heritage predates the Christian influence in Scotland. My ancient ancestors were pagans, who had been pagans for hundreds and hundreds of years.

I have no problem admitting that my ancestors were converted from paganism to the Christian religion (and possibly to a living relationship with the God of the Bible).

God has always existed.
Men have known about the true and living God since the beginning of the human race.
Men have been sinning against God and rejecting Him since the days of Adam.
God has not only existed forever, His nature has not changed. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

People convert, that is, they change their religion, beliefs, behavior, politics, loyalties for various reasons. This kind of religious conversion is not to be confused with Biblical conversion. Biblical conversion is a spiritual, relational conversion that a person has with God. All men have sinned against God and need to be reconciled to God. Biblical conversion is a miraculous transformation provided through faith in Jesus Christ.

This conversion includes regeneration, forgiveness, internal cleansing and eternal life. Biblical (Christian, spiritual) conversion, also known as salvation, is personal rather than generational or racial. Every individual must be Born Again, personally. 

Salvific conversion is essential because we have all gone astray and we all need to come to a right relationship with God through His Son, Who died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead physically.

I am grateful for those in my heritage who came under the influence of Christianity. I am especially grateful that God gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice, in order for me to be converted, forgiven and transformed.

Apparently, some Palestinians either come from a Christian or Jewish or pagan background, but they have been misled to believe that their religion has always existed.

I think it would be interesting (and maybe an evangelistic tool) to ask folks what their family was before it was Christian.