I read a few interesting passages this week:
- Jude 4 (ESV) – “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
- 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have done out into the world.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:13 – “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”
As I read these verses, I realized that I had previously
assumed that the deceivers mentioned were people who knew they were propagating
lies and were intentionally leading others astray. But given what I see
happening in the church today, I believe there are many who genuinely believe
they are correct and don’t realize the error they’ve fallen into. And it’s not
always clearly delineated as in the past, such as with cults like Jehovah’s
Witness, Mormons, Jim Jones, etc. Instead they are people who outwardly appear
to be evangelical Christians, but they are interpreting Scripture in ways that
are wrong and will lead many astray (for example Jen Hatmaker, Glennon Doyle
Melton, and the like). They do not see the truth of the Word, no matter how
much they study it, and they don’t even realize they have exchanged the truth
of God for a lie.
I have come to the point of questioning the salvation of
many who claim to be Christians. Yes, God’s mercy is great, but it is limited.
Some people will find that they are saved “only as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15).
Many others will hear “Depart from Me, I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). I am
alarmed by the direction of our “Christian” culture in which moral relativism
is commonplace. Truth is being redefined and the Bible reinterpreted by anyone
who is uncomfortable with its message. There is no longer any fear of God’s
judgment or eternal damnation. Many seem to be more afraid of offending
unbelievers than they are of offending God.
Michael Yaconelli wrote in Dangerous Wonder (110-111):
“I am beginning to wonder if we modern followers of Christ are capable of being terrified of God. No fear of God. No fear of Jesus. No fear of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we have ended up with a feel-good gospel that attracts thousands… but transforms no one… The nice, nonthreatening God needs to be replaced by the God whose very presence smashes our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within…”
This leads me to pray for a couple specific things: 1) That
those who have been deceived and are deceiving others will be led by God to
understand and accept the Truth and repudiate their own lies (such as happened
with Rosaria Butterfield); and 2) That believers will be strengthened to
proclaim the Truth no matter what the consequences may be from society or from
other so-called Christians. One day God’s elect will be rewarded and all others
will see the error of their ways.
Psalm 25:5 – “Lead me
in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait
all the day long.”
© 2016 Dawn Rutan.
