“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” - Matthew 7:21
According to a West Virginia Social Survey, nearly 79% of citizens in my home state claim to be followers of Jesus. Yet the same study found that just 27% of the residents of my home state actually attend church on a weekly basis, and just 22% of West Virginians consider themselves to be “very religious.”
Compared to most states, West Virginia is considered a conservative, religious state. That's what makes this data so shocking. While these are just statistics, they represent a growing problem. Many people consider themselves to be Christians but exhibit little or no fruit of genuine conversion.
It is not my place to judge the spiritual condition of others. I will not render the final judgment concerning the souls of men. However, Jesus did say, “By their fruits, ye shall know them.” That's why I am troubled at the state of the American church today. Few professing believers actually manifest Christian fruit.
Referring to judgment day, Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” In context, we realize that Jesus was speaking of false prophets. There will be many pastors, evangelists and spiritual leaders who will be kept out of heaven. If that be the case behind the pulpit, what will be the case of the flock they lead?
These days, there is a superficial style of Christianity that is very popular. Many think that because they repeat a prayer, walk an isle and get dunked in water, they are now heaven-bound Christians. The problem is that they've never repented of sin. Neither have they truly surrendered their lives to the Lord. They are trusting in an experience rather than in Jesus. They have joined a church without being born again. They have been baptized in water, but never been cleansed by the blood. In a zeal to get numerical growth, many ministers and workers utilize flawed methods in order to get quick results. The result is misled people who think they are now immune to the Gospel message. These individuals can now mark “salvation,” from their bucket list.
Several years ago, I stood before my congregation and held up an old $1 bill and a crisp, new $20 bill and asked them which one they would prefer to have. Of course, most people would choose the $20 bill, right? Yet when I turned them over, the $1 bill looked like it should, however the $20 bill was blank. The $20 bill was a fake. From afar, it looked real. Even up close it appeared genuine. Very close examination would tell otherwise. The texture was not like money. Obviously, the back of the bill showed it to be fake. (By the way, there is a story about the “fake” $20 bill --- but it would take too long to share it here).
From a distance, some appear to have it all together. They attend church, have a good family and enjoy a great career. However, upon closer examination, things are not as good as they appear. Like the fake $20 bill, they have a great image, but little substance. From afar, they appear to be genuine, but the truth tends to leak out eventually.
I am not putting myself into a place of judgment. Ultimately, I won't be the judge of others. However, God has already warned that there would be tares among the wheat and goats among the sheep. There are counterfeits among us, passing themselves off as true believers. Some are very devout and are active in ministry. Others can talk the talk but never walk the walk. Sadly, these are difficult to reach with the Gospel, because they think they are immune. They don't believe they need it. It is easier to win a notable sinner to Jesus than a lost church member.
It isn't my job to uproot the tares or unmask the goats. It is my job to simply follow Jesus and proclaim His Word. But I am very concerned about those who claim to know Jesus but show no evidence that they love Him.
One day, the counterfeits will be put to the test. They will be exposed. Just as counterfeit money is confiscated and destroyed, counterfeit Christians will one day be revealed and face destruction.
It isn't what you profess, but what you possess that makes the eternal difference. It is one thing to know about Jesus, it is another thing to know Him personally.
If you were to die today, are you confident where you would spend eternity?
No comments:
Post a Comment