Why don’t so many of those who profess to be ‘Christian’...Not...believe what the bible says? 

 Nope...you did not misread that. I meant exactly what I asked. 

 I mean...honestly, it’s a no-brainer why skeptics and atheist and ‘lost sinners’ dismiss the book we all profess and revere and hold up to be ‘God’s Holy Word’. But those who say they believe it is the ‘inspired Word of God’... really struggle to truly believe so much of what it tells us. I won’t lie...my heart is stirred and what I am going to share here today is going to challenge some, offend, if not anger others, and inspire the rest to pull out their swords for debate. I’m welcome to meet with anyone to discuss these things in person but will not engage online on these threads for multiple reasons. But please study this out for yourself first. 

 I think we’ve been duped. I think the church at large has fallen asleep, if not entirely away from the faith as Paul warned would happen in the last days. (2 Thess. 2:3). He writes in other places how many would be carried away with other doctrines and gospels, only confirming what Jesus taught as well.(Matt. 24, 2 Cor. 11:2-4; 2 Tim. 4:1; Eph. 4:14) 

 And get this, you really need to chew on this one...we are told that because folks will refuse to have a ‘love for the truth’...as in believing, embracing and walking in it as opposed to giving shallow lip service...God would reach a point where He would say ‘Fine...have it your way...believe your lies’. Then to make a point, He...God...was going to send a ‘strong delusion that they should believe the lie...and be condemned’. ( 2 Thess. 2:11). That really is in your bible if you want to go check it out for yourself. 

 Years ago, I remember a question that was posed asking this: “Aside from the fact you attend church somewhere, what makes you any different... than your ‘unbelieving neighbor’ who doesn’t attend church or have any religious beliefs? 

 Seriously...let’s spend a moment asking this of ourselves. You do realize there are lots...of people today who claim no religious affiliation or belief in God yet...are good, decent people by today’s ‘standards’. They raise respectable and polite children...they donate money to charitable causes and even take part in acts of service through various civic organizations. They can be ‘model role citizens’, prosperous, polite people. They can demonstrate empathy and compassion. 

 Granted...none of these things make a person ‘righteous’ or insure a salvation that grants them eternal life in heaven some day after they die. 

 But then neither does reading your bible or being a good church member do so either. 

 So what makes YOU different? Where or what...is the defining distinction that makes a ‘Christian’ any different than an unbelieving neighbor? It sure is not by the bumper sticker on your car nor the fact you say you ‘believe in Jesus’...whatever that means anymore these days. I mean, Jesus Himself made it clear that not everyone who ‘says Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of His Father in heaven.”. (Matt. 7:21) 

Now just to clear up any confusion on this subject, Jesus helps us answer this question with a very defining statement. It’s found in the Gospel of John -13:34-35:

 “By THIS...ALL will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” And He does not leave it there. He qualifies what this love looks like. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YOU ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” (I’ve had Romans 5:8 marked next to this verse for years in my bible) 

 Can we all just agree that for those who were gifted with ‘pleasant personalities’ and have a gift for being warm and hospitable is not a substitute for the kind of ‘love’ He is speaking of here. Paul certainly backed this all up in 1 Cor. 13:1-8. He lists multiple things we can do in our ‘religious settings’...yet...if we don’t have this ‘Christ kind of love’ in operation, all these things profit us absolutely nothing. He goes on to help describe what this love looks like in practical ways. It’s not something we ‘aspire’ to manifest some day; on the contrary...it is the only earmark that identifies us as being true followers of Christ. 

 I don’t care what kind of ‘spin’ we put on it, we are either going to be a ‘good tree that bears this kind of good fruit’....or we will be a ‘bad tree that bears the other kind of evident fruit’. (Gal. 5:19-21). Now here’s a tough verse we might not be fond of because in our minds, we want to say God could not have possibly meant this. Well, if He didn’t mean this, then why did He put in in this beloved book we profess to love and believe? And what was that He said? Let’s read– 

 “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good frit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matt. 7:17-20) 

 His words, not mine. 

 I’m going to bring up some other statements that are as clear as can be that you can go underline and highlight in your bibles. And let me give you full advance warning...you’re going to feel something ‘kick’ inside of you that will not like these verses. And in the same way the serpent reared his head to Eve to come against what God said back in Gen. 3, you’re going to hear similar statements in your mind to refute, oppose, dismiss, twist and pervert, and eventually try to ‘explain away’ as to why these statements could not possibly mean what they say. 

 I might also add there is no way these verses can ever be fulfilled in our lives if we are going to refuse to even believe they mean what they say. Goodness gracious, and entire generation of Jews were kept out of the promised land and died off in the wilderness because they refused to believe what God said He was going to do. And Paul warns us to not think God won’t do the same to us as well. ( 1 Cor. 10:5-11; Heb. 3:19)

 Now, using my jigsaw puzzle analogy again, who of you would even start to assemble a puzzle without even at least looking at the picture on the cover of the box? That picture tells you exactly what your puzzle should look like when complete. So it is with the word of God. Jesus came to lead us out of darkness and from the bondage of sin that held us all captive. And God’s plan was to make those who followed...as in trust and obey...conforming them into the image of His Son. There should be no mistaking what His plan and design was from the beginning. You and I were go be a ‘new creation’ where the ‘old was gone and all things become new’. (2 Cor. 5:17). We were/are...to Be. Like. Christ. Nothing Less! 

 Jesus held back nothing in making this clear with His Sermon on the Mount. He literally raised the bar of expectations for what God wanted of us and we were going to be ‘perfect/complete just like our Father in heaven is perfect’. (Matt. 5:48). That meant exactly what it said. He even ‘puts some pieces together’ for us in that sermon so as we would know where he was going with all this. 

 This was no longer a matter of simply not ‘committing the act of adultery’...we were no longer going to meditate on it in our hearts. (Matt. 5:28) This was no longer going to be a matter of not ‘murdering’ people. He said we would be in danger of the fires of hell if we are calling people fools, idiots, etc. (5:22). We were going to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, bless those who cursed us, do good to those and pray for them who spitefully use us and persecute us. (5:44). And one more time...His words...not mine...”YOU SHALL BE PERFECT, JUST AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT.” 

 John’s first letter only re-enforces this teaching. Again...if there is any confusion, let this clear it up: “By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (2:5-6). But wait...there’s more... 

 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (2:4). His words, not mine. 

 Let’s read on...”Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him....Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:6,9). That is in Your bible, yes? 

 If these passages are making you uncomfortable...that is good, they should. Because these are the parts in our beloved bible that we have refused to believe, embrace, and walk out. And you know why? We’ve been lied to and told there is no way anyone could ever do or be like this or live this out. 

 Borrowing a question God asked Eve back in Genesis 3...”Who told you that?” (Gen. 3:11) 

 Who. Told. You. That? Did you read that in some commentary or book? Did someone preach a sermon about the error of ‘sinless perfection’? Who told you that what God said, He did not really mean? Did Paul and Jesus and John, warn us to not be deceived by empty words? (1 John 3:6; Eph. 5:6; Luke 21:8) 

 We have settled for a lie. Yes, I know this kind of talk will infuriate some and make others very uneasy. But please know...all I am telling you is what is your bible. And for whatever reasons...we have been lulled to sleep and deceived. And God...is raising His voice and whomever has ears to hear...better hear. I kid you not...since I began writing these posts...I have not felt such a fire in my bones and a stirring in my heart. I know...these things which I share from God’s word are true. And before you just collapse under guilt and condemnation and frustration and discouragement...let me assure you of this one thing.... 

 IF God laid down this standard...that we were to be ‘holy in all our conduct even as He is holy’, as Peter would write in 1:15-16, then God must have had a plan on just how He would going to do this IN and THROUGH us. And trust me...it had nothing to do with us trying harder to make it happen. When the majority of the church world will openly profess: “Don’t look at or follow me, I’m a mess...look at Christ!”, then something is wrong. IF, there really is a defining difference in us, then we should be able to say as Paul said...”Follow Me (or follow my example) as I follow Christ!”. (1 Cor. 11:1). 

Tough to end here....please read this over a few times today...and then join me tomorrow?