Are you A lukewarm Christian?
“I have decided, to follow Jesus, no turning back….no turning back. Iv’e been set free, Christ is enough for me…the cross before me the world behind me…”
These are some extremely strong words, they hold an authority when applied.
How many people can honestly say that they have decided to follow Jesus. It seems like most people are held by some sort of sin, whether it be something small or something big. We live in a culture these days that being a Christian is the new fad. Everyone calls themselves a Christian. Labeling yourself as a Christian is socially acceptable now.
This new 21st century approach of Satan’s deceit is very slick. There was time that people flat out denied Christs existence. However, for every era Satan has a different approach. The era we live in these days welcomes everything. There is no distinction between truth and lies, Satan has implored a new strategy. Even Pope Francis has suggested that all the people of this world are the brothers and sisters of Christ.
Certainly, we are all God’s children, which makes us all brothers and sisters to some extent. But does his statement, as some suggest, mean that Francis has embraced Chrislam (Christians + Islams)? Is he covertly laying the foundation for a one world religion? Is he intentionally planting seeds that will pave the way for a New World Order? Could he be working with the United Nations to introduce a one world economic system?
“Many Christians have been sitting back and waiting for one giant ‘event’ to happen, but the truth is that small steps toward a one world government, a one world economy and a one world religion are happening almost constantly now,” Michael Snyder, founder of The Economic Collapse Blog, told Charisma News. “The apostle John warned that these things would happen nearly 2,000 years ago, and now they are playing out right in front of our eyes. When will people finally start to wake up?”
Even our Churches have been infiltrated with false doctrine. There is so much confusion going on in the Christian community no one even knows what to believe anymore. The churches have been separated into so many different segments there are over 33,000 different denominations of Christianity. That just shows how Satan has convoluted the truth. The Bible talks about it, its not Gods fault that men pervert the truth, we by nature always alter the truth because we start to listen to our emotions instead of the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Although God promised to preserve his word, that doesn’t stop Satan from doing his best to take as many souls with him as possible into the afterlife.
Sadly enough, its very hard to rebuke Christians these days because we live in this politically correct society. People fear persecution so they avoid confrontations. Churches start to overlook everything; Dress codes (women dressing so provocative they look like they work at a strip bar), bad habits that they cater too (places ash trays in front of churches), marrying homosexuals (they fear being sued or persecuted by the law), And all the other things of this world (drinking, weed, partying, fashion, tattoos, piercings, bad surrounding, etc…).
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. (John 2:15)
Being Christian is NOT a label, but a lifestyle. You cannot, I repeat you cannot conform to this world and expect to inherit the Kingdom of heaven.
I once heard a sermon, being a lukewarm Christian is one of the most miserable positions to be in, because you don’t get to enjoy the pleasures of this world without being convicted by the truth that has been planted in your heart, but you also don’t get to enjoy Gods full power and grace which separates and frees you from sin.
When you live in sin you are a slave to sin, when you are saved you are a slave to righteousness. However, when you are a lukewarm Christian you aren’t able to take either side.
So What Does the Scriptures Say about Lukewarm Christianity.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Rev. 3:16).
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
The Bible is very clear about Gods position on this. There is no gray area, God will not put a blind eye to your lifestyle. So unless you make a 180 degree turn and walk towards the cross and leave your past behind, you will never be able to conquer sin in your life. You will be in a vicious cycle of -sin, feeling guilty and then repenting (if you are lucky).
And I just want to point o
ut, that the word Lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron. You cannot be a Christian and be of this world. Therefore you are technically not a Christian.
I use to be a lukewarm Christian myself, I use to enjoy hanging out with friends and participating in all the social activities that God wouldn’t approve of. I would spend my Fridays and Saturdays worshiping one side, and Sundays repenting and worshiping God. Many people live this way, especially among the Young Russian youth.
The typical justifications are; I am young, I am in college, I still have time to repent, God will always forgive me, Im not as bad as some people, I can always repent this Sunday…….
I think people forget that repentance is a gift, a gift that God may take away at anytime. Have you ever wondered why so many people although are exposed to Christianity aren’t Christian? Have you ever seen people that attended church occasionally and eventually left all together? This isn’t a coincidence.
Either God had knocked in their hearts for so long that he finally gave up, or they have never had a visit of the knock. Many people think that repentance is universal. That isn’t true, many people never even get the opportunity to repent. So if God has been tugging at your heart to fix your life, do not take that lightly, he is patient but isn’t naive. He knows the the secrets of your heart, he knows what you are going through and can help you.
Don’t let Satan deceive you like he has deceived me at one point, and the many many young people on this earth. There is a way out, a prescription to your illness. This prescription doesn’t have side effects, and can cure any sickness known to human kind, it can heal any mental illness and forgive any sin whatsoever. So whatever sin you are battling with today, don’t let that sin keep you from Gods plans for you.
Just remember, no turning back. I heard this very good analogy today. The size of your rear view mirror is very small compared to your windshield. The rear view mirror should only have one purpose to give us a peripheral view of whats behind us (our past) but never be the focus of our future. Our future in through the glance of the windshield (which is in front of us). Satan’s method is to convict us and condemn us of our past, therefore we can’t focus on whats ahead of us, what God has in store for our future. Focus on God and he will keep your eyes on the road ahead.
Sources:
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall/53547-did-pope-francis-really-just-take-a-big-step-toward-one-world-religion
