"The TRAIN to JUDGMENT"
by Richard Scott

ODAY, we live in an age of self-justification.   A time in which every man or woman does what is "right" in their own eyes.   An era in which a man or woman feels justified in judging others by the standards to which they adhere, often regardless of any proof to the contrary that they might possibly be mistaken or wrong in their ready assumptions.

    What follows was originally written based entirely upon a dream vision I was given nearly two decades ago.

    In that dream I was on board a train traveling through the desert, filled with partying people, doing everything they pleased to have "fun," when I was somehow made aware that trouble lay immediately ahead.

    As I tried in vain to alert and warn my fellow-travelers, they at first refused to listen or hear my warning message.   Then they became irate and angry over my interrupting their festivities.

    Finally, I was physically attacked and thrown from the train, coming to rest in the desert among the cactus and sagebrush while my mockers on the passing train threw my words of warning back in my face, saying how the train ride had come to an abrupt end, for me!

    As the celebrants continued to party I watched in horror, but from a safe distance, as the train and all its occupants plunged off a steep cliff, where the tracks ended abruptly, several miles further down the tracks, with the loss of everyone who had remained aboard into the yawning chasm below.

Constructing Destructive Niches

    In the modern mind and way of thinking there are many mental boxes or niches into which those you meet or know may be placed, according to their beliefs.   There is the "wrong beliefs" niche, the "agrees with me" niche, the "mixed-up fool" niche, and the "crazy, insane wacko" niche.

    But the niche you'll almost never find being used is the "he's right and I'm wrong" niche, or even the "he's possibly right and I'm possibly wrong" niche.

    It seems that one of the very first thoughts to cross the mind of a modern man or woman in relation to someone else's religious beliefs is that of classifying them into one of these niches before carefully searching out the facts of what they believe and why.

    And yet, the means by which modern men and women are judging themselves as "good" or "right," and others as "wrong" or "evil," are flawed and corrupt.

    This situation is like a private train upon which you spend your life, traveling from one situation to the next, but where you will only allow those who agree enough with you to be tolerated for the time being to share your traveling arrangements.

    Those whom you consider too different to tolerate are either not allowed on board in the first place, or are physically tossed off, perhaps even while the train is moving full speed ahead.

    The biggest flaw in this entire approach to life, and our fellow human beings, is that, unknown to you, the tracks are out ahead -- over a deep and treacherous canyon -- and you, and all those aboard your train when it comes to that gapping chasm, unless you change course or repent, will plummet headlong to your destruction.


    The end of the line is otherwise known as Judgment Day!

Shadowy "Certainties"

    There is a secret to being able to correctly judge if you are right and others are wrong, and what you should do about it, but it is little understood and barely known or used by anyone.

    Stop and think!

    What is the foundation, or premise, upon which such attitudes of "right" and "wrong" are based?   By what standard are we to discern or view what is actually right, to distinguish it from -- and openly reveal to us -- what is really wrong?

    The common assumption is that your own religious background, upbringing and training (or even the lack of same) has somehow made you uniquely qualified to know good from evil and right from wrong.

    Rarely today does a person question their own religious foundation and moral beliefs, and even when they do it is usually in the context of converting to some "ism" or other that has no more grasp on the reality of good and evil, or right and wrong, than they had in the first place; though they might believe and argue otherwise.

    Instead, believing "truth" to be a smorgasbord of different but equally tasty treats, modern people have learned to pick and choose what suits their current feelings and beliefs.

    So, like shadows that change their appearance and position as the day passes, modern mankind's views of "right" and "wrong," of "good" and "evil," change throughout their lives.   Yet never is there the slightest doubt in the minds of most of these people that their current beliefs are anything other than totally "correct," unflawed, and as perfect as any person could hope to attain.

    The reason is that -- though we think we can clearly see what appears to us to be the all too obvious flaws, sins, errors and faults of the other person -- each of us chooses to see our own selves as "growing in grace and knowledge," and getting ever more "perfect" with each and every passing day.

The Illusion of Perfection

    Such is the lure and strength of the illusion of this modern delusion that grips the minds and personalities of such self-"righteous" people, that many are led to condemn those who strongly disagree with them and actually believe them to be "heretics from the faith once delivered" (as they think they understand it), or "fools," "rebels," and "idiots" when it comes to understanding, accepting and living by what they believe they know to be the "absolute truth."

    The common thread underlying each different but related assumption, that so presumes our own "verity" and the "utter falsehood" of anything or anyone that doesn't wholly agree with our point of view, is that of promoting the self to the level of "righteous judge," while seeing others as mere peons, or religious rabble, needing to repent of their "falsehoods," should they dare disagree with us.

    Almost never, anymore, do you see the true humble attitude of a servant -- or a teachable child -- in need of being trained and taught by someone more mature, knowledgeable and grounded in the faith than themselves.

    But even when this is the case, there are many wolves -- or false teachers -- just waiting to devour the innocent sheep that wander into their vicinity looking for nourishing pasturage.

    Supposed ministers may demand that we accept everything they say without questions, as though it were the very voice and words of the Almighty Creator Himself, even though they are not capable of total truth themselves, or what may be even worse, they leave you to decide and to pick and choose for yourself what you think of what they teach is "right" and ignore whatever you believe is "error."

    Even though modern ministers are indeed deserving of such disdainful treatment, what makes us believe we are any more capable than they are in understanding, accepting and following only the truth?

    The truth is, all modern men and women have gone off into error believing themselves to be "right."   Indeed, there is today -- just as it was long ago prophesied there would be -- a crying need for the "restoration of all things" by a promised prophet to be sent just prior to the second coming of the Messiah (Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12; Luke 1:17; Acts 3:21; Malachi 4:5-6).

    Yet, paradoxically, any attempt to teach the truth which resides outside the realm of modern religious dogmas, of every shade and variety, is met with stern resistance by all who falsely believe their erroneous religious traditions -- whether they are ancient or modern in origin -- will somehow "save" them.

    Sadly, this is how the far vast majority of all people living on the earth today believe and worship!

    Consequently, there is no provision for those who would dare step outside the religious boundaries of what is commonly considered "right," to teach what is thought to be so "wrong," but which is actually the real truth that surpasses all earthly religious "wisdom" and "understanding."

    How many men and women are there today who are willing to accept, much less teach, this despised truth, even if need be through poverty and self-denial?

    Real truth is so hated, despised and rejected by our modern world that those daring to teach it make themselves targets for all who falsely believe it is their "right" and "duty" to oppose and attack anyone daring to speak or teach outside the realm of what is generally accepted or desired, religiously speaking.

    What about you?

    Are you open-minded enough to even consider the possibility that what you have always believed -- or perhaps even taught yourself -- is actually gross error, and not the truth?

    Do you really desire to "prove all things" and "hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21), or will you be "offended" by the truth, refusing to look below the surface of your religious presumptions; wrongly believing the truth could never be so different from what you have always thought and believed to be "the truth?"

    Will you walk away from the Pure Truth shaking your head is disbelief?   Or will you instead thoroughly investigate it from all angles, despite what you may have always been told and believed, in order to prove whether or not there is any merit in what you might otherwise automatically think of as "too strange and different from the norm" to possibly be true?

    You are cautioned in advance that real truth is not so easily believed.

    Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised in approaching any subject purporting to be "the truth," or more especially, "the plain truth!"

    Be on your guard, and do not fail to nobly "prove if these things be so" (Acts 17:11), rather than negatively trying to disprove, or prove these things cannot possibly be true.   Your spiritual life is on the line here, whether or not you presently believe it!

    How you approach the real truth determines whether or not you can ever accept it, or whether you will reject it out of hand as being just too "wacky, weird, or different."   Whatever you do, refuse instead, and deny, so called "truth," which in reality is nothing more than a false "mighty one" you have made in your own image.

    Rather, search out and believe only in the true Almighty Sovereign of heaven and earth, whose truth and wisdom is high above all normal human understanding.

    By all means, never let the prejudices of yourself or others determine the direction of your beliefs.

    It is better by far to get tossed off the doomed train of self-interest, self-righteousness, and self-centeredness, than to ride on to its ultimate end-of-the-line.

    The train to Judgment is not the only way to go, spiritually speaking.

    It is much better to walk through the parched desert of this present evil age, alone, than to ride to judgment in the temporary luxury, convenience and company of your false religious upbringing and like-minded religious acquaintances.