DISCIPLESHIP: You Can't Fool Jesus!
There's so much "easy believe-ism" in the Church today that it's scary. I myself have fallen prey to this error from time to time, and have needed a wake-up call from the Holy Spirit to get me back on track.
Jesus asked His disciples if He'd find faith on the earth when He returned (Luke 18:8). He was wondering out loud how many professing Christians He'd have to confront by saying, "I never knew you. Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness."
Jesus gave some very stern warnings about easy believe-ism in Matthew 7:13-29. "The gate is wide and broad that leads to destruction. Enter by the narrow gate." He then goes on to immediately warn professing Christians that what they do for Him, or in His name, will carry no weight whatsoever on Judgment Day. "For every good tree bears good fruit; a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. So you will be known by your fruits. Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven; but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."
True Christianity....the faith that Jesus measures.....is weighed by the fruit of the Spirit ("for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth" - Ephesians 5:9). Christian character will be weighed on the balance; fruitful obedience to God will be the measuring stick. You cannot belong to God and live any old way that you please. The evidence of conversion is the growing fruit of truth and righteousness in your life.
"Therefore, anyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to the wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And....." well, you probably know the rest of the story. If you don't, you'll find it in Matthew 17.
Easy believe-ism says "Yee-haw. Got my ticket to heaven thanks to Jesus death on the cross. Now let's eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die."
True Christianity is the display of godly character and temperament, as I've already explained.
Jesus asked His disciples if He'd find faith on the earth when He returned (Luke 18:8). He was wondering out loud how many professing Christians He'd have to confront by saying, "I never knew you. Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness."
Jesus gave some very stern warnings about easy believe-ism in Matthew 7:13-29. "The gate is wide and broad that leads to destruction. Enter by the narrow gate." He then goes on to immediately warn professing Christians that what they do for Him, or in His name, will carry no weight whatsoever on Judgment Day. "For every good tree bears good fruit; a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. So you will be known by your fruits. Not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven; but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."
True Christianity....the faith that Jesus measures.....is weighed by the fruit of the Spirit ("for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth" - Ephesians 5:9). Christian character will be weighed on the balance; fruitful obedience to God will be the measuring stick. You cannot belong to God and live any old way that you please. The evidence of conversion is the growing fruit of truth and righteousness in your life.
"Therefore, anyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to the wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And....." well, you probably know the rest of the story. If you don't, you'll find it in Matthew 17.
Easy believe-ism says "Yee-haw. Got my ticket to heaven thanks to Jesus death on the cross. Now let's eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die."
True Christianity is the display of godly character and temperament, as I've already explained.
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