Many “Christians” Won’t Survive

A prominent Christian leader spends many years preaching the Gospel message and denouncing corruption, sin and sexual immorality.  Then it comes to light that he has been leading a double life, practicing the very things he has denounced in his sermons.  How do people react?  How does God react?  Many church members immediately jump to such a man’s defense, arguing that God forgives everything.  ‘He is saved,’ they say, ‘covered by the blood of Christ,’ so he is in no danger.  But they say such things because they believe what popular religious books teach rather than what Jesus taught.

Jesus himself said that “many” who claim to be Christians and who preach in Jesus’ name and who even accomplish great things in Jesus’ name—but who live a lifestyle the Bible condemns—will be surprised to hear Jesus reject them and turn them away from the kingdom of God:

 “‘Not every one who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?”  And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.”’”

—Matthew 7:21-23 RSV

The Apostle Paul made it clear to the members of churches he preached to that they would be misleading themselves if they thought they could continue to practice things God condemns, and still enter the kingdom of God.  He wrote,

 “. . . don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?  Don't be deceived.  Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God.

“Such were some of you, but you were washed.  But you were sanctified.  But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.”

—1 Corinthians 6:9-11

When they turned to Jesus for salvation, those people were cleansed of the sins that would have kept them out of God’s kingdom.  But, if they persisted in those sins, they would have been disqualified.  Even though they called on his name, Jesus would tell them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.”  (Matt. 7:23 RSV)

The world around us today has changed, but God has not changed.  So, even though their church may say it is okay for people to live like that, Jesus does not say it’s okay.  He says he will reject them.

But many churches have given up preaching the real Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible.  Instead, they preach a fictitious Jesus—a Jesus of popular culture who loves everyone and everything, forgives everyone and everything and doesn’t require anything of anyone.  It is just as the Apostle Paul warned:

“...the time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching but will find many more teachers who please them by saying the things they want to hear.”

—2 Timothy 4:3 NCV

People want to hear about this easy-going Jesus of popular culture, not the real Jesus who told a man he healed, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14 NIV)

Paul warned that already in his day some churches accepted false teachers preaching another Jesus, a Jesus different from the real Jesus:

“You are very patient with anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus from the one we preached.  You are very willing to accept a spirit or gospel that is different from the Spirit and Good News you received from us.”

—2 Corinthians 11:4

This same thing has been happening for centuries, with the result that there are many millions of people today who think they are following Jesus, or who say they are following him, but who are not following the real Jesus at all.  Whole churches are misled by pastors and teachers who say it is okay to do the things Jesus said not to do.

And even in churches that recognize what the Bible says about sin, it has become popular to excuse churchgoers or relatives who practice sin.  ‘I know they aren’t living right,’ it is said, ‘but they love the Lord.’ 

Do such practicers of sin really love the Lord?  No, not according to what the Lord himself said.  Jesus said it repeatedly, to emphasize the point:

“‘If you love me, keep my commands. . . . 

“‘Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.  . . .

“‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. . . . 

“‘Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.’”

—John 14:15-24 NIV

So those who live sinful lives contrary to Jesus’ teachings do not love the Lord—regardless of the words or emotions they may express.  Jesus said such people do not love him.  If they don’t obey him, they don’t love the Lord.

But the popular view today ignores what Jesus actually taught, and instead asserts that people who live sinful lives are in no danger of punishment if “they love the Lord.”  And the Jesus of popular culture loves and accepts everything and everyone, not requiring obedience.  People who follow this make-believe Jesus may feel happy, but they won’t be happy for long.  Their problem is that the real Jesus is alive.  He rose from the grave and is active today among his people.  And he is coming again.  He is the same risen Christ who sent this message to the Christian church in the city of Thyatira:

“‘I know what you do.  I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your patience.  I know that you are doing more now than you did at first.

“‘But I have this against you:  You let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings.  . . . by her teaching she leads my people to take part in sexual sins . . .  I have given her time to change her heart and turn away from her sin, but she does not want to change.  So I will throw her on a bed of suffering.  . . .  I will also kill her followers.  Then all the churches will know that I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each one of you for what you have done.’”

—Revelation 2:19-23 NCV

There are Jezebels like that in many of today’s churches.  Those who follow them will someday have to face the real Jesus, and it will not be a pleasant encounter.