“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:3-6
There has been one message this month that has been continually at the forefront of my mind. It’s a warning message. One that usually makes people uncomfortable if they find themselves on the wrong side. A message of luke warm Christianity and the devastating reality for those who claim to be a Christian, but have no real relationship with Jesus. Our Bible Belt culture is saturated in the lie that wearing the banner of ‘Christian’ will get you into heaven when our wayward hearts could never testify to such on judgement day.
2 Corinthians 13:5 says “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith…”. We need to take an honest look at our hearts and remove the blinders of seeing what we want to see, to stop hiding behind the comfort of complacency and avoidance, and dare to confront what’s actually in there. So that’s my intent for you today. To take a look at your life, and to see if your confession lines up with your actions. To see if the fruit of the Holy Spirit is visible and to see if you have communion and intimacy with Jesus. So with a heart full of love for you, I pose this question: If you were to die today, where would you go?
It is two very different things to say you believe in God and to actually know him. The bible says “you say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God, good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19). So how can we be sure that we are saved? Faith that saves is a faith that knows the truth and acts on it. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14).
When you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, you are saved. The evidence of this? The way in which you live your life. If you have truly repented, then the Holy Spirit lives inside of you leading, guiding, correcting and instructing you, so that your life starts to look more and more like Jesus. Someone who loves God obey’s his commands (John 14:15). And his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). And how do we know his commands? By reading his word. Sanctification requires a dedication to learning and applying the word of God in our lives.
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:9-10
A lifestyle that continually contradicts the word of God is evidence of an unrepentant heart, because true repentance is a TURNING AWAY from sin. When a true believer sins, there is a conviction from the Holy Spirit that helps the sinner become purified. It doesn’t mean we live perfect lives without sin, it means we do not live in a pattern of continual sin.
Yet instead of true repentance we hide behind façades that try and prove to people we are good and acceptable. Our show of self-righteous works and false humility may work on each other but an all-knowing God can’t turn a blind eye in the face of moral depravity.
I fear many who say they are Christians have lives that are seeped in sin instead of sacred and set apart. We’ve ate of the devils deception in thinking that being a good person means we couldn’t possibly be hell-bound, but the holiness of God says otherwise.
This month I have stared into the eyes of many beautiful and incredible people of Malealea Valley here in Lesotho Africa, and I have had the privilege to ask them what they believe and dig beyond the surface of “yes I believe in God” to see if they really know him. And though some do, many are wrapped up in legalism, thinking they are saved by their “good works.” And it breaks my heart because even within the church people are missing the truth. They are missing the relationship with Jesus. They are missing that they need to know God and be known by him.
If we look at Matthew 25, it talks about the ten virgins, and how five of them were foolish. And when the foolish wanted to join the marriage feast after the door was already shut, the response was “I do not know you.” This is serious, because they genuinely thought they would be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they were deceived. It is our responsibility to be ready. And how about the verse “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” (Matthew 7:22-23). Yet his response was “I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” We cannot just go through the motions of religious rituals because without reverence and righteousness, they are empty.
I don’t want you to hear “away from me I never knew you” when you stand before God and give an account for your life. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Our works won’t save us but they will testify of what was really in our hearts.
Our lives are ours to steward, and we don’t have time to be careless when it comes to what we believe. So let us arise and may we walk as children of light (Romans 13:11-14). Revival starts with you and it starts with me and lets not sit back and let the devil take any more ground. Not today.
With Love,
Kaelyn
