What allows you to say that your saved from the wrath of God? What is it that makes you a son of God?
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21
The same Jesus who said that the poor in Spirit would inherit the kingdom of heaven also said that if one does not the will of the Father, he will not enter the kingdom. So what does Christ mean by this? Is He saying we're saved by our works? God forbid. Rather what He is saying is that a tree without fruit is dead. We are saved by Him and Him alone, but if we have no evidence for it, we are as the dead tree.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:19-20
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.Ephesians 5:10
Keith Green once put it this way, "If your friend doesn't know your a Christian, you probably aren't. If your neighbor doesn't know your a christian, your probably not. If your mother doesn't know your a christian, and she'd know better then anyone, then your probably not." Where is the proof, where is the evidence? Paul Washer put it this way, "If a man came late to a meeting, saying he was hit by a dump truck going 100 mph, yet this man has no scratches or cuts, this man is either a liar or a mad man. If He was hit at a 100 mph. he wouldn't be standing there like that. Isn't it just the same for us. How much more should we be changed, seeing we have been touched by God." There should be fruit, if not it is as the tree that is hewn down and cast into the fire.
Today the Church is filled with far to many converts. As you read this you are pondering if I meant that in a bad way. I did. We have to many converts and hardly any disciples. When Christ commanded for His disciples to "Go", He never said, "Convert men", but rather, "Make disciples of men." The Lord doesn't want moraly good people who confess His name. He wants people who have died from their ways, who don't live by morals but by His rules, and who are disciples not just converts.
What is preached today? Is sin and repentence preached? Is hell fire and God's wrath preached? In todays liberal American Church (whose works are filled with homosexuality, abortion, coveteousness etc.) sin and repentence is seen as a sin in itself to be preached. Rather they preach God's love and grace and peace, never the cross. They preach fun and games, but never denying of ones self. The church of America is a non-cross, non-bible, non-christian organization. What it is, is a social meeting. It has lost it's savor as salt, and now is "good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men." Thus the scipture should be harkened to. It should be obeyed when it says,
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.Ephesians 5:14
It is no wonder such beliefs as the pre-trib rapture is so prominent today in the church, no one wants to suffer in America. I had one girl tell me that the reason the church doesn't go through the tribulation is due to the fact that God doesn't let His bride suffer. Well either this girl hasn't looked in other countries and seen the daily pain and persecution that goes on in those churches, or her church isn't preaching the right gospel. Paul says in 2 Timothy,
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;2 Timothy 1:8
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.2 Timothy 3:12
If you were promised a happy life when you were saved, then you heard the wrong gospel. Sure we all shall have joy forever more, but joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is based on curcumstances, joy will not change according to whats happening around you. Don't expect a happy life, without persecution or pain, but expect persecution and pain with great joy in Christ. Just as the disciples rejoiced when they were persecuted for the gospels sake.
So what makes a disciple different then a convert? In the Webster 1828 dictionary it gives this meaning for a disciple.
Disciple n.
1. A learner or scholar; one who recieves or professes to recieve instruction from another.
2. A follower; an adherent to the droctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called His disciples and hence all Christians are called His disciples, as they profess to learn and recieve His doctrines and precepts.
What does it mean when it says precepts? In short it means any command intended as an authoritative rule of action. A disciple does what Christ tells Him to do. He not only learns Christ's teachings, which means reading His word, but He also obeys His word. Christ said "Go ye into all the world", a true disciple will go, whether it's right outside or 5,000 miles away.If one doesn't obey Christ, then He really hasn't made Christ Lord of His life. Christ is always Lord, don't get me wrong, but if you don't obey His commands then your outlook on Him isn't that of a servant to His Lord. A convert is only one who has changed that which is seen. The dictionary says a convert is one who changes from one religion to another, or one who turns from a bad life to a good one. God is looking for people to convert, but converting is not to make your life better, but to become a disciple which glorifies God and obeys His commands in all ways.
