True Christianity - a Relationship
2 Timothy 4:3-5 ESV – 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.
Many of us were raised in "a church". The church I was raised in, I now know would be called "a nominal church", a place where people go to hear what they want to hear and not what God wants them to hear. Nominal means 'in name only'. Nominal christians are christians in name only. They identify with a church but it doesn't require any morality or lifestyle change. They are "good" people.
It scares me that there are so many nominal christians out there claiming to be christians but really just belonging to a social club, perhaps doing good works, going to meetings, following church rules, etc. but not having a true relationship with God.
Christianity is a relationship with Christ who died for our sins and rose from the dead and gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us and help us in this life.
The church I grew up in never mentioned salvation, or relationship, being born again, giving your heart to the Lord or asking Him to forgive you. As a matter of fact, I was once told that I had never done anything bad enough for God to send me to hell.
There is so much wrong with that statement I just don't know where to begin. Let me start with 'a sin is a sin is a sin' so there is no degree of badness in the eyes of God. God can not look on sin - period.
Secondly, God does not SEND people to hell. We have a free choice to either accept that Christ died for our sins and follow Him or not. We choose where we will spend eternity and it is not by our good works that we get to go to heaven. This gift of salvation is free, we only need to accept it.
8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2: 8, 9
That I would be told that at a young age and know that it is being taught in many churches is heartbreaking. How can we reach these people for Christ when they already think they are Christians?
We also need to look at ourselves. Are you going to a church because it is something you are supposed to do? Do you only go on special occasions? Are you a member of different committees and doing good works but going home and forgetting all about God during the week? Do you call yourself a Christian but never talk to God unless you need something? Are there things in your lifestyle that are not in accordance with the Bible? Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God? Does your church preach salvation and being born again? Do you have a real personal relationship with Christ and have you invited Him to be Lord of your life and to forgive you for your sins?
Please take a good look at yourself and your church. Being a nominal christian will not save you. The interesting thing is that nominal churches often have many more rules than having a relationship with Christ. A real relationship frees us from the bondage of the world and of works and the Holy Spirit fills us with joy and a true desire to serve Him. Being born again is so much more enjoyable than the bondage of just attending a church and not enjoying the love of the Lord.
Many of us were raised in "a church". The church I was raised in, I now know would be called "a nominal church", a place where people go to hear what they want to hear and not what God wants them to hear. Nominal means 'in name only'. Nominal christians are christians in name only. They identify with a church but it doesn't require any morality or lifestyle change. They are "good" people.
It scares me that there are so many nominal christians out there claiming to be christians but really just belonging to a social club, perhaps doing good works, going to meetings, following church rules, etc. but not having a true relationship with God.
Christianity is a relationship with Christ who died for our sins and rose from the dead and gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us and help us in this life.
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans 10:9-10New International Version (NIV)
The church I grew up in never mentioned salvation, or relationship, being born again, giving your heart to the Lord or asking Him to forgive you. As a matter of fact, I was once told that I had never done anything bad enough for God to send me to hell.
There is so much wrong with that statement I just don't know where to begin. Let me start with 'a sin is a sin is a sin' so there is no degree of badness in the eyes of God. God can not look on sin - period.
Secondly, God does not SEND people to hell. We have a free choice to either accept that Christ died for our sins and follow Him or not. We choose where we will spend eternity and it is not by our good works that we get to go to heaven. This gift of salvation is free, we only need to accept it.
8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2: 8, 9
That I would be told that at a young age and know that it is being taught in many churches is heartbreaking. How can we reach these people for Christ when they already think they are Christians?
We also need to look at ourselves. Are you going to a church because it is something you are supposed to do? Do you only go on special occasions? Are you a member of different committees and doing good works but going home and forgetting all about God during the week? Do you call yourself a Christian but never talk to God unless you need something? Are there things in your lifestyle that are not in accordance with the Bible? Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God? Does your church preach salvation and being born again? Do you have a real personal relationship with Christ and have you invited Him to be Lord of your life and to forgive you for your sins?
Please take a good look at yourself and your church. Being a nominal christian will not save you. The interesting thing is that nominal churches often have many more rules than having a relationship with Christ. A real relationship frees us from the bondage of the world and of works and the Holy Spirit fills us with joy and a true desire to serve Him. Being born again is so much more enjoyable than the bondage of just attending a church and not enjoying the love of the Lord.
And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Rev. 3:1
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who 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, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
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