The Faith of Oscar Winner Matthew McConaughey

Christian Post ^ | 03/07/2014 | BY JIM DENISON

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Other viewers were more supportive of the actor's profession of faith. But many were angry: "Matthew McConaughey thanking god…….I hate him so much." Another responded: "I thought we could get through the Oscars without someone thanking god but no he had to ruin it, [Expletive deleted] you McConaughey."

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: They’re mad because McConaughey didn’t respect the separation of church and state.

Did they elect this actor for some Federal office?

[Steely Tom]

The think Hollywood and The Government are the same thing. I can’t imagine why.

[GrootheWanderer]

I’ve never heard the British actor referred to as “Charlie.” Maybe he was quoting Charlie Laughton the acting teacher. He had a number of students who went on to success, though to my knowledge, McConaughey isn’t one of them.

Or maybe it was a Charlie Laughton he grew up with in Texas that I’ve never heard of.

[DaveMSmith]

It was interesting to watch Twitchy with reaction to this public declaration - sort of like snakes hissing on an open fire. More interesting is the reaction on this forum.

So many in Hollywood are so wrapped up in vanity and pride. The Oscar and other awards have become idols. And they see themselves as idols.

McConaughey has the right perspective on things. He didn't quote Scripture but he transmitted his love for his Creator in words his audience could relate to.

My wife was watching in the other room and when he was finished I said: "Nice to hear a sober voice".

[PieterCasparzen]

When we see ourselves as God sees us, we learn that he loves us for who we are, not for what we do.

God hates sin.

It's easy to have a 10,000 member congregation if one tells them that they are free to continue in their sins.

Telling them that God loves them for who they are, not what they do. Upon hearing this from one's pastor, the untrained can't help but hear that they can do as they please, sin or not, because God loves them anyway - just for "being themselves".

That directly contradicts Romans 6:15 "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."

The whole Bible, Old and New Testaments, is instructive in how Christians are commanded by God to live their lives. And we are commanded by our Lord to be obedient to his commandments:

John 14:15

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Our Lord does not ask us to keep his commandments, it's not a request or a suggestion, or friendly advice if you want things to go well. It's an imperative for those who love him - "keep my commandments".

Telling people their sins are forgiven and thus they can do as they please is to pretend to give them license to be disobedient to God's Word, the Bible.

While we can not change our nature of being born into sin, and thus are still sinners, the true believer should see progressive sanctification happening in their own lives, they should notice some betterment of themselves towards conforming to the image of Christ:

Romans 6:6

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Ephesians 4:22

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;"

Colossians 3:9

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"

Insofar as preachers who would LEAD THEIR FLOCKS ASTRAY - hear the Word of God:

2 Peter 2

"1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

[Finny]

Yep. That movie disgusted me on a number of levels. It was almost as bad as “Deep Impact,” another insipid stupid amoral flick.

[xp38]

Unless you want to see the naked butt of an aging Terry Bradshaw I would avoid Failure to Launch in which Matthew McConaughey stars. Remember what has been seen cannot be unseen.

[Finny]

{^) Thanks for the heads-up!

[xp38]

YW....it was your average romance comedy until that came unexpectedly across the screen. The former NFL great played the father of Matt.

[PieterCasparzen]

“Gratitude reciprocates” is unscriptural. If we do good things because we think we may get something in return, such works are then sinful.

Oh my, you are judgmental. And not in a good way.

Gratitude is a real thing. And if you actually live your life truly grateful for your blessings, you will live a good life. Whether you are a rich actor or a poor nun in India (mother Teresa). Gratitude is Gdly.

If you do good things to get things, you aren’t grateful but greedy. So your comment was a harsh non sequitur.

Any mention of sin usually evokes people accusing one of being "judgemental".

I invite you to read the Scriptures I referenced in post #26.

The Bible exhorts us to be grateful to God in many, many places:

Psalm 136:26

"O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Most every professing Christian would agree that we ought to be grateful. On the other hand, we have Mr. McConaughey's quote:

"He has shown me that it's a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates."

Firstly, regarding the troubling phrase "scientific fact". Man can not search out and understand God apart from God's revelation, purely with his own human reasoning. Scripture does not condone those who, wise in their own conceits, would prove scripture from human-devised knowledge (science):

Job 37

"23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart."

1 Corinthians 3:19

"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."

Thus the Bible tells us to not rely on the wisdom of this world to prove Scripture to ourselves, but to accept it as true by faith:

Romans 10

"16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Secondly, there is no guarantee that gratitude - or anything we do that is godly - will be reciprocated during our earthly lifetime.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

" I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is sin.

Isaiah 64:6

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

Romans 14:23

"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

Though the Bible exhorts us to be grateful to God, the Biblical exhortation is the reason why we are grateful, not because we want to it to "reciprocate". Mr. McConaughey used the word "reciprocates". That's the wrong reason to do something. Reciprocates implies someone else will be grateful to you if you are grateful to others. If if no one ever in our entire lives were grateful towards us, for everything we ever did good towards anyone, the God's Word tells us that he STILL wants us to be grateful towards him.

[unlearner]

Matthew was right to acknowledge God even though he may be surprised to discover what God thinks of Mathew’s artistic expression. The Bible says “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.” So, yes, Matthew should thank and praise God because it is God who has given him life, health, intellect, and safety from destruction. Yet, Matthew must either bow his knee at the foot of the cross by trusting Christ for salvation and repent of his not being yielded to Christ’s Lordship, or Matthew will receive divine wrath in the coming day of wrath, just as all of us will. Same goes for Matthew’s supporters and his naysayers.

[Yaelle]

I’m sorry I was a bit rude to you. But I don’t see it the same way. He’s just an actor making his oscar speech and I appreciate that he brought the Almighty to voice there in that house of non worship. Or wrong worship!

I also understood his gratitude statement to mean gratitude for Gd is the way to live. The best feeling in the world is humble gratitude. Better than ecstasy which lasts for a very short time and you’re hungry again later. Gratitude is filling for a very long time, very satisfying. And when you are that grateful, not much else matters. If he had not won, he was just fine. I think he has gotten the meaning of life, and he may have been only one of a handful in that room.

Remember, as a Bible scholar, to let the verses work for you in this imperfect world. There isn’t a utopia on earth, and people around you will always be flawed. Look for the sparks of Gdliness around you. Enjoy what he did, where he did it.

[NKP_Vet]

From the minute he gave the speech his career started going downhill. I don’t think that he cares, he’s already a multi-millionare. Good for him.

[PieterCasparzen]

I understand, apology accepted.

False doctrine is warned against in both Old and New Testaments:

Isaiah 66:4

“I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.”

2 Thessalonians 2

“11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Notice “strong delusion”, i.e., something very difficult to ascertain that it is false.

Matthew 7:14

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Blessings Yaelle !

Psalm 30:12

“To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”

[Fledermaus]

Atheists are no different than tyrants. Just another leg of liberal stupidity.

The tolerance of the left is non-existent.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

God hates sin.

But, God loves the sinner.

Why else would be send his only Son to atone for our sins?

The whole Bible, Old and New Testaments, is instructive in how Christians are commanded by God to live their lives. And we are commanded by our Lord to be obedient to his commandments:

Out of curiosity, do you obey all the laws and commandments in Leviticus? All of them, without exception?

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[PieterCasparzen]

God hates sin.

But, God loves the sinner.

Gods love for the sinner does not mean God is "ok" with men ignoring his commandments. It does seem impudent, "Jesus died for my sins, present and future, so I can sin as much as I want and I get away with it!"

Christ's atoning death on the cross is not a license for us to seek out sin, and glorify it and revel in and wallow in our sin. Much of the New Testament contains admonitions, do this, don't do that. It's not suggestions, it's commands. No, I'm not perfect. No one is perfect. I am a sinner. We all are sinners. But if we truly are born again, then God's Holy Spirit dwells within us; our body is then a temple to God. (this is from the Bible).

Romans 6:15

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

If we truly are saved, we should notice a difference in our lives. How would we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and then be constantly desecrating that temple ?

Out of curiosity, do you obey all the laws and commandments in Leviticus? All of them, without exception?

This is Biblical doctrine 101; there is a difference between ceremonial law and moral law.

Ceremonial laws were fulfilled in the life and ministry of Christ. Christ IS our passover, etc. Of course, there were dietary laws, etc.; this is all covered in the book of Romans. If you ask that question, you really should study the book of Romans.

Insofar as moral laws, of course, God's definition of what is right and what is wrong does not change. Again, it's all in Romans and other NT books.

[saywhatagain]

Wow . . . God bless you for your passion, time and effort you took to respond.

Obviously we are going to disagree on the nuances of verse and their ultimate meaning. And thats ok. But we do agree that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

That is amazing grace, beyond my own understanding.

Several respondents here are missing the context of the bigger picture because they did not take the time to listen to all of Matthew Mcconaughey words nor read all of the author of the articles words. Rather selectively picking a phrase and quickly closing their minds and bringing all of their fire, hell and brimstone thoughts to bare.

As in most of the verses you choose, context is everything. Two learned people could argue the remaining days of their lives the true meaning of each and every verse. Neither right nor wrong. Whats the purpose?

Judge the heart of a man. Words are easily misspoken, taken out of context and have deeper meaning than the receiver hears. Matthew McConaughey acceptance speech was not particularly eloquent nor even completely coherent. Specially for a professional performer. Thats what made him real! In totality, he spoke to the hearts of millions, including myself.

And am sad for you that you are unable to understand and have certain life experiences to appreciate some very poignant concepts that he shared of himself.