If you asked directions to somewhere specific, would you believe the guy if he told you, “All roads lead there, just take any road you see”? What kind of an idiot would you be?
If you asked your doctor for a medication to take away heart-burn, would you believe the guy if he told you, “Take whatever – they all do the same thing!”? What kind of an idiot would you be?
So, nowadays, there really are people out there that say similar things about God! People around you (maybe you, even?!) say all kinds of stupididiotic things about God. Like:
- “All roads lead to heaven, just take any road you see.”
- “Choose whatever religion you want – they all do the same thing.”
- “All these religions – they worship the same God.”
- “It doesn’t really matter what you believe, because we will all end-up in the same place.”
- “Just be as good as you can. God is loving and kind, and will forgive everything in the end anyway.”
Really!? Are you saying those kinds of things yourself? Are you really pinning your hopes on such frilly thoughts? They have no real basis but in childish fantasies! Are you really just going to base your eternity on the whimsical hopes of such foolish thought?
Do you know what the Bible REALLY says about eternity after death? Or will you continue covering your ears and saying “la la la la la” to drown-out the doubts? The Bible says:
I must acknowledge Jesus as Lord, God of all.
I must confess that I fall short of God’s holiness, and repent.
My faith in Christ has to be proven by my living it – by truly following Christ! Otherwise my faith is dead.
Having “faith” does not save you, James says. “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:14-26) Basically James is telling us that saving faith is evidenced by a resultant living-out of what that faith is all about. There will be fruit that reveals you truly are following Christ. “People of faith” work-out their faith!
There are several lists in Scripture showing what followers of Christ will NOT practice. (See the passages below in this article… Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4: 17-19, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). They might commit these sins sometimes, but they do not accept them as part of their belief system.
True Christians do not practice sins as a regular part of their life. A true follower of Christ will constantly “put off” and not let sin reign in them (Romans 6:12).
We all fall prey to sins that easily beset us, because we are weak and in need of His Holy Spirit to cleanse and empower us. But a follower – follows. A Christian is characterized by following – not by sinning.
God’s Normal. There are also several lists in Scripture showing us what IS part of the normal Christian life. See:
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. –Ephesians 4: 1-7
7 The end of all things [f]is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of [g]prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so [h]as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving [i]by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:7-11
We must not deceive ourselves by any stupididiotic reasonings of man – to accept what God has rejected.
7 Do not be deceived,
God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows,
this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh
will from the flesh reap corruption,
but the one who sows to the Spirit
will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:7-8 (NASB)
God rejects evil. Do you? Or have you made it part of your lifestyle? We must not call “good” what God calls “evil”.
God calls these evil, what followers of Christ will NOT practice: immorality [sexual immorality], impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [heresies], envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous, drunkards, revilers, swindlers…. See these in these verses:
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [i]immorality [sexual immorality], impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [j]factions [heresies], 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21
17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, [m]excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality [n]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. –Ephesians 4: 17-19
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [f]effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. –1 Corinthians 6:9-11
- Do you call such evil “good”?
- Is it an accepted part of your life?
- Do you vote for such evil?
- Do you support those who put forth laws that support such evil?
God does not. So the natural question must be:
- If God does not support such evil, are we truly following God when we support what He Himself does not support?
- Can we call ourselves “followers of Christ” if we are not following what He says?
I think not.
whatever a man sows,
this he will also reap
– Galatians 6:7-9 (NASB)
It behooves each of us to periodically examine our self. Be sure you are in the faith. Don’t remain outside of the fold, thinking you are inside!
2 Corinthians 13:5
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
Proverbs 18:17
The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.
Lamentations 3:40
Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord.
Psalm 26:2
Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.
Job 13:9
“Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
