I’ve been street witnessing for the past five years and one thing that you can count on is that over 90% of the people will answer yes if you ask them if they are a good person. The Bible actually backs this up; not that people are good, but that they will proclaim themselves good. Proverbs 20:6 says Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? So this fact shouldn’t be surprising. By the way, the Bible actually says that there are none righteous, no not one (Psalm 14:1).
So the fact that most people say that they are good doesn’t surprise me. But this next statement may surprise you. When my friends and I are out street preaching and witnessing; some of the worst hecklers that we encounter, the most obnoxious, the ones that cuss the most, more times than not – profess that they are Christians. It happens so often that it doesn’t even surprise me anymore. But it deeply saddens me. It is sad that so many people go to church on Sunday (probably asking God to forgive them for the sins they committed on Friday or Saturday night) and then they still spend the rest of the week living for the devil.
Charles Spurgeon had a couple of really good quotes on this subject that I’d like to share with you. He said, “It is no use talking about the higher life on Sundays, and then living the lower life on week days. Mr. Spurgeon also stated, “How can a man be a disciple of Christ when he openly lives in disobedience to Him?” Both of these are great questions, but I especially like this last one. If you are truly saved, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, how can you live your life in disobedience to Him?
Several of us were out witnessing on New Year’s Eve. We had several hecklers that night, but one young woman stood out in particular. She said she was married and had four children. She was stumbling drunk (out with a couple of her friends), she cussed like a sailor and yelled at three different people in our group. She was upset because we were lifting up the name of Jesus on the street in downtown Springfield, MO. She didn’t want to hear about obedience and discipleship. She kept arguing that she went to church every Sunday and that there was nothing wrong with drinking or cussing. In fact she insisted (while saying the f-word) that Jesus would be right there drinking with her if He were here in the flesh.
So if you are reading this and you say you are a Christian I want to ask you if you merely say you are a Christian or are you living Christian? In other words, do your actions match your words? Are you living out your Christian life through your words and your deeds? Or are you like the young lady I previously described where you claim that you are a Christian, maybe because you said a prayer as a child, but you really live your life for Satan?
Please don’t think that I’m picking on you. This used to be me! I was a false convert for 33 years. I said the sinners prayer when I was 11 years old. I went to church most Sundays. I confessed my sins to God. When I was in high school and college, I would go out drinking and carousing around on Friday and Saturday night and I would ask God to forgive me for my sins most nights before my head hit the pillow. But you see, I wrongly thought I had a license to sin. I had said the prayer. I had my get out of Hell free card. I was baptized in 1974. I truly thought that I could live my life any way that I wanted to and that I was alright. All because I had said a prayer. Because I had asked Jesus into my heart as a youngster.
I don’t believe that I ever ran into any street preachers back then. But if I had of, I probably would have cussed them out too, especially when I was stumbling drunk and if I happened to walked by one when he was preaching. The more I think about it, that is exactly what I would have done. When I used to go out drinking with my friends and the subject of religion came up, I would hold the beer can high in the air and say Yeah, I’m a Christian. (Please note that I’m not proud of my past and I do not endorse or encourage drinking alcohol at all and I sure don’t endorse people having sex outside of biblical marriage).
The problem I used to have and the same problem the young lady mentioned earlier has is that she doesn’t understand the word repentance and I didn’t understand it for 33 years. (I guess you could say I’m a slow learner). I had a really low and cheap view of God’s grace. I believed Jesus died for my sins. I had an intellectual knowledge of Him and what He did on the cross. I also wanted Him to save me from going to Hell. But that was it. I sure didn’t want to give up my sins. I loved my sins (John 3:19)! I foolishly thought that I could have the best of both worlds (at least what I wrongly and foolishly thought was the best of this world). I thought I could claim Christ as my Savior and live my life selfishly for myself, enjoying the temporary pleasures of sin while still going to Heaven after I die.
I hardly read the Bible at all. Even during the years when I was a youth group leader and a Sunday school teacher, I merely read the Bible for the lesson for the following week. I had no desire to learn more about God. I had no desire to truly seek God, to draw closer to Him through His word. Sure I prayed at night before I went to bed, but that was just to ask Him to forgive me for my sins. I had no idea that my prayers were wasted and that they were rightly being ignored by almighty God. Proverbs 15:29 states The Lord is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayers of the righteous. And John 9:31 says Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears.
I also used to run around and spout off that you don’t have to go to church in order to be a Christian. Even though that may technically be true, we are not to neglect fellowshipping with other believers. Hebrews 10:25 says Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. Proverbs 27:17 tells us Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Being around godly men and women will strengthen your faith. I can’t imagine going through life now without going to a God-fearing church. I can’t imagine attending a church where they don’t preach the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though I’m soundly saved, I never get tired of hearing that Jesus took my sins upon Himself while He hung on the cross. It’s still hard to believe that Jesus loved me so much that He willingly took the punishment that I deserve. It’s hard to fathom that he bore the wrath of God over my sins!
Back when I was a false convert, I never thought about discipleship or obedience to God. I didn’t understand lordship. I didn’t understand that in order to be truly saved, Jesus has to be your Lord as well as your Savior. I didn’t understand “your will be done Lord, not mine.” I didn’t understand surrendering my life completely to Jesus. I didn’t know (because I wasn’t reading the Bible) that Jesus said you will know my disciples by their fruit – in other words by their works. Matthew 7:16-20 says You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
Please don’t misunderstand me; your works cannot save you. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Timothy 1:9). If you are trying to work your way to Heaven, you will fail miserably. You will fall woefully short of the mark. God’s justice, God’s righteousness demands 100% perfection. No amount of good works can even make a small dent in that.Isaiah 64:6 says our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. In other words our good works, our very best works are as filthy rags in the eyes of God. So if God demands 100% perfection, all of your good works for your whole life amounts to 0%. You cannot work your way to Heaven. But if you are truly saved, you will have works. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20). You don’t do works for salvation, but out of your gratitude for your salvation, you will have works when you are truly saved.
So I ask you: Are you like I was all those years as a false convert? Are you like the young lady that cussed and argued with my friends and myself on New Year’s Eve? Are you a Christian in name only? These are extremely important questions. Look atMatthew 7:21-23 where Jesus says Not everyone that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you that work iniquity. Are you truly a follower of Jesus Christ? Does your life reflect it? Have you turned to Jesus and turned away from your sins? Please don’t get this wrong. Where you will spend eternity depends on this. Have you truly repented by turning away from your sins and have you put your faith in Jesus? Is He truly Lord of your life? Do you live your life for Him?
Jesus said unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Being born again means that you have really been saved. It means that God has taken away your heart of stone and He has replaced it with a heart of flesh. When you have been born again, you are transformed. The old nature has passed away and behold all things have become new. You are now a new creature. You now love the things you once hated (you love God and are living a godly life) and you now hate the things you once loved (you hate your sins, you hate any and all sin in your life). You turn away from your sins (Colossians 3:5-10).
So I ask again: Are you sure that you are saved? Has there been a change in your life since you surrendered your life to Christ? Do you love God? Do you love Him with all your heart, soul and mind? Do you look forward to reading the Bible? Do you read it every day? Are you growing spiritually? Do you enjoy being around other Christians? How are you showing your love for God? Are you living Christian? Do you share your faith with others? How are you the hands and feet of Jesus? Are you sure that you are saved? When you are truly saved God gives you the assurance of salvation. Do you have that blessed assurance? 1 John 5:11-13 states And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If you are not saved or if you are not sure, please recognize that you are a sinner. We have all sinned. We have all broken God’s Law. We all deserve God’s wrath over our sins. We all deserve to spend eternity in Hell. But God, in His great mercy, grace and love has made a way of escape for us. He sent His Son, His only Son to be our substitute our atonement for our sins. Jesus suffered for repentant sinners; He died on the cross and rose from the grave. He defeated sin, death and Hell.
God offers eternal life to each and every person that receives this amazing free gift of salvation. He offers it to everyone that recognizes that they are a sinner and that there is nothing they can do to atone for their sins. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
He offers salvation to those who repent and put their trust in Christ. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life (John 6:47). He also said repent ye, and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). Belief is more than intellectual knowledge. Belief comes when God opens your blind eyes, when He breaks your hard heart, when He grants you repentance and faith. True belief is when you can do nothing else but cry out: God, have mercy on me a sinner. Cry out to God to save you. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Surrender your life to Jesus. Don’t delay. Come to Jesus. Repent and put your faith in Jesus (Acts 20:21). Then you will be made alive in Christ Jesus. Then you can truly be a living Christian – in your words and in your actions, through the power of the Holy Spirit.