Ted Turner is a sincere man I believe. He is filthy rich, grew up in a religious environment and has said some pretty controversial things in the past; such as, “Christians are losers.” Granted, we all say things we ought not in moments of passion, so I certainly don't judge the man. However, I read something he said that made me sad, because it shows that he is unsaved and headed for the Lake of Fire. The following is a brief transcript from an interview between Tom Brokaw and billionaire Ted Turner on November 30, 2008 . . .
Did Jimmy Carter talk to you about becoming a better Christian?
MR. TURNER: Yes.
MR. BROKAW: You were in an early stage in your life, as you once said to me, kind of a hellfire and brimstone guy. You went...
MR. TURNER: I was. I went to a very religious school that had evangelists come periodically and I was saved, I don't know, six or seven times, including once at Billy Graham's Crusade.
MR. BROKAW: And how do you feel about it now at the age of 70?
MR. TURNER: I still pray when my friends are ill. I make the prayers fairly short because I don't want to load up the wires, there's a lot of messages going, I'm sure.
MR. BROKAW: Well, you said something else that I thought was very Turner-like when that came up. You were talking about praying for your friends, and one of your other friends said, “Ted, I thought you were an agnostic, didn't believe in God,” and here's what you said. “I think God will let me in heaven; he may not let me sit on the 50 yard line, but I think I can get into the end zone.”
MR. TURNER: I think that's true.
MR. BROKAW: And here's what Jane Fonda has...
MR. TURNER: Because, you know, I give a lot of money to those less fortunate than myself and that's one of the tenets of all religions. You know, the wealthy should help those less fortunate than themselves.
[emphasis added]
Oh, the deceit of riches! Mr. Turner is wrong to think that God will allow him to slide concerning his sins, simply because he gives millions of dollars to the poor. Certainly, God will take everything into consideration on Judgment Day, for we are told in Revelation 20:13... “And the books were opened...” Howbeit, the Scriptures also warn in Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Again we are warned in 2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” Could the Bible speak any plainer? Those sinners who die in their sins, having never obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will be punished in flaming fire for eternity. I didn't say that, God did. Oh, that men would obey the Bible.
Jesus plainly stated in John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Ye MUST, not perhaps or only in certain situations, be BORN-AGAIN. Kindly said, Mr. Turner can give away everything he owns in this world, and pray every conscious moment of his life, and do every good work possible; but he will be cast into the Lake of Fire on Judgment Day if he doesn't get born-again.
Mankind is a rotten bunch. We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). The Law of God indicts mankind for our sins (Romans 3:19). We are arraigned at the time the Gospel is presented to us. We must plead guilty or not guilty. If we plead guilty, then Jesus Christ has agreed to pay for our sins and dismiss the case as part of a divine plea-agreement with the Prosecutor (God the Father). If we plead not guilty, then we are summonsed to appear at The Great White Throne of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) and we will be judged according to our works and sentenced to the Lake of Fire. Only a fool would pass up Christ's offer to dismiss our case and give us a full pardon. All Ted Turner needs to do is acknowledge that he is a guilty sinner before God, and then believe in his heart on the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God and the Savior, Who shed His precious blood to wash away and cleanse us from our sins... “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Amen!
