When someone says "Christian", what do you think of?
A good person that goes to church?
Someone who follows Jesus?
I used to think that it was only now that people got confused about what a Christian is, but I have found out how wrong I have been. In studying the New Testament in the past year or so, I have found a recurring theme that I never really paid much attention to before:
False teachers.
There are many groups and organizations out there today who call themselves "Christian"; they even have some believing that what they preach and teach is true Christianity.
But when you measure it against God's Word, they are wrong.
What makes you a Christian is what you believe about Jesus Christ.
Some of these groups believe that Jesus was a great prophet, but He was not the Son of God. They believe that He was a son of God.
See the difference there? They play semantics with people while teaching them a doctrine that will send them straight to Hell (and yes I believe that is a real place with real fire that will last real long!).
I used to run from the Jehovah's Witnesses when they would come knocking on Saturday. I can hear my mom now, "Turn off the t.v.! Close the blinds! Be quiet! Here they come!"
But then I got saved. And I realized that I shouldn't run from them. I had an opportunity to share the Gospel with these lost souls, and I didn't even have to go find them...they were coming to my door!
So, I began witnessing to them. And it's amazing to see how easily they can be thrown off track by the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. They come prepared with a script for you to listen to. They have their preferred (hand picked) Scriptures to read to you. But they ignore some very important ones.
Like John 3:16:
For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And John 14:6:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The first time I tried to witness to them, I didn't have my Bible outside with me and they left in a hurry when I went to get it (which is one major reason to memorize Scripture!). The next couple of times they came, I had studied up on their false doctrine and knew what the Word of God said about what they were teaching.
I threw one lady off script so bad that she just stopped talking and looked at me, and didn't know what to say at that point. Because I told her that I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth to die for my sins, and rose on the third day, defeating Hell and death so I could spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
She began telling me this: "Yes, Jesus was a son of God, and he..."
I stopped her.
I said, "No, ma'am, you're wrong. Jesus is THE Son of God, not A son of God."
This is where she got less and less confident, and I just told her that I felt sorry for her because she was deceived and that Jesus died for her as well. And that He has the power to forgive sins. And that I would pray for her to truly receive Him in her life.
She thanked me and left.
See, folks, just because a group or a person says they are a Christian doesn't mean that they are.
You need to ask them some important questions: the first being what they believe about the deity of Jesus Christ.
Because if you don't believe that Jesus is THE Son of God, that He died for our sins, rose again and has gone to prepare a place for those of us who have trusted Him to be our Lord and Saviour, then you are not a Christian. If you don't believe that Jesus is they ONLY way to Heaven, then you are not a Christian.
And folks, that's not judgment, it's Jesus.
I pray today that if you are reading this, that you will really examine what you believe, what your friends believe. Prepare yourself against false doctrines by knowing the Word of God and standing firm on it.
If you're not a believer in Jesus Christ, THE Son of God, the ONLY way to Heaven, then I pray you will ask Him to be your Saviour, and be Lord of your life.
This is Traveling The True Journey.
