This shocks me

I'm not sure we should be shocked, after all, Jesus spoke clearly that this would be so. I think of His parables about the wheat and the tares and about the sower. Also, His words "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord...".

There is definitely a vast mission field right within the walls of churches.

In Christ,

Ron

Sadly, I believe they are speaking the truth. America is an easy place to profess belief in Jesus because it doesn't cost us anything to do so.

It reminds me of when Pagan Rome became "Christianized" under Constantine. Christianity began to be favored and great numbers of 'false believers' joined the church.

God has means to purify His church, let us therefore stand close to Him and Him alone.

There is definitely a vast mission field right within the walls of churches.

I'm on that mission field...at a Christian University.

Urgency is needed, but so is patience and longsuffering.

In one sense it is shocking, and yet it is not altogether suprising to me.

Jesus said, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them..." [Luke 6:46]

Many, many people who "join in the prayer" have no genuine comprehension of their heinous crime against God's holiness, their radical need of salvation, or the honest intention of obeying more than a moral code.

I believe that a man cannot be saved who does not acknowledge that he needs to be
[i]altogether saved[/i]; which is to say, he must know that literally nothing good dwells in him, that is, in his flesh prior to Christ. (Rom 7)

Yet, I myself "accepted Christ" while for years maintaining in my heart that I was not altogether wretched. As well, I thought repentance was feeling bad when I sinned, feeling bad for "making Jesus have to die"; I thought repentance was paying back good deeds, itself, rather than the heart that is changed. My understanding is that repentance occurs when a man cooperates with God, who Himself produces a heart that takes sides with God completely, totally, and finally against self and world.

Even though I have read and heard these statistics before, it is still painful to read them again.

When we stop being shocked, or become indifferent, complacent, or apathetic about the degeneracy of Christianity, then, God help us.

It is because of what we know that should cause us to act. To seek God to act.

Ps 119v126, 'It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void'.

It's more than overdue for the Church to weep for it's own condition, let alone the condition of the world.

Ps 119v136, 'Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law'.

When God's law and honour is trampled underfoot by both the world and the Church, be sure judgment is just around the corner. It is either judgment or revival. Let's pray it is revival.

For God's glory.

God bless.

Christ told people to enter in through the narrow gate and walk in the narrow way. In the days when Christ was on the earth, people walked everywhere. Paths were formed by the people who walked on them. Broad roads were broad due to the vast number of people who walked on them. Narrow roads were narrow because not very many people walked on them. I think perhaps this is the picture He had in His mind when He made the statement. He is basically saying that most people would reject Him.

This is indeed a very sobering thought.

Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

I believe that the quotes are true. It has only been in the last 10 years that I've seen the church in America as a mission field. I do believe that amoung those who attend church services though, they are what I would call seekers and I do believe God will be found of them because I believe He'll send a revival. The down side is that in many fellowships the sunday am service is off limits. Most pastors aren't willing to risk thier am service and thier finiancial base to be put at risk to any kind of message that may upset thier people. :-(

We all need to regularly asses our position in Christ. Just by the percentages, it would seem that not a few who venture here, need to seriously examine their foundation.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Phi 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Blessings Greg

Two questions:

First, regarding the Tozer quote, what is he defining as a "Religious Experience"? Is it merely being present in corporate worship on a regular basis or actually experiencing the supernatural on a tangible level?

Secondly, for those that have a pastoral role within their church, have you ever confronted someone who while professing Christ, didn't really have much to show of it?

jimdied2sin wrote:
"It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved" ~A.W. Tozer

"Most people in America who call themselves Christians aren't saved" - Paul Washer

"I believe this with all my heart, that a great majority of people in our churches today who call themselves believers have never been saved" ~David Wilkerson

"I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in the United States are truly born again." ~Leonard Ravenhill

Sadly, this is why I am feeling led to do mission work inside the church. I grew up with the idea that I would "go into all the world," and while that is still needed, I feel it is actually unfortunate that I am feeling called to go into "all the church," as well.

intrcssr83 wrote:
Two questions:

First, regarding the Tozer quote, what is he defining as a "Religious Experience"? Is it merely being present in corporate worship on a regular basis or actually experiencing the supernatural on a tangible level?

I think Tozer is talking about the "Religious Experience" just being a mere good feeling, rather then an actual changed life, and dying to self.

Secondly, for those that have a pastoral role within their church, have you ever confronted someone who while professing Christ, didn't really have much to show of it?

I don't have a pastoral role, but I would say that most pastors today will encounter most of their congregation not really having much to show for their Christian walk.

The down side is that in many fellowships the sunday am service is off limits. Most pastors aren't willing to risk thier am service and thier finiancial base to be put at risk to any kind of message that may upset thier people.

Is this sad...or satanic? Maybe both.

I feel it is actually unfortunate that I am feeling called to go into "all the church," as well.

by BenBrockway

this is why I am feeling led to do mission work inside the church. I grew up with the idea that I would "go into all the world,"

My pastor just preached a sermon this past Sunday using this verse. He proposed it more as viewing the world as system or dimension rather than places on earth. The world is at emnity with God. If the world hated me.....then it will hate you. Go into the world....dimensions as in Ephesians 6 principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. It was a powerful message.

Dohzman

The down side is that in many fellowships the sunday am service is off limits. Most pastors aren't willing to risk thier am service and thier finiancial base to be put at risk to any kind of message that may upset thier people.

I have watched my pastor grow so much in boldness and speaking the truth irregardless. He recently said that he didn't care if it dwindled down to ten, he would speak the truth and I know he means it. I praise God as I have visibly witnessed his fear of God increase and his fear of man decrease. It has been a sometimes subtle shift over several years. He spoke some hard but needed and truthful things this week, however, he did say one thing that I really disagreed with and from the response of the congregation, that was the high point of the sermon. While everyone was clapping and amen-ing, my heart nearly broke. Nonetheless, I praise God for what he is doing and lift my pastor in prayer before God. I pray that the truths spoken were etched in our hearts and the rest burnt away.

I think false conversions take place for two reasons:

1. A false gospel is being preached and the people are believing it.

2. God is being falsely represented. In other words, the god that people are coming to is not the God of the Bible.

One of my favorite quotes of all time: "We need to know God as He, in fact, is."-Art Katz

Just yesterday, I told the Lord, I want to know you. I don't care if you are hideous & frightening, I want to know you. Whoever you are, God, I want to know you. Whatever you are, God, I want to know you.

My greatest fear is that I will have a wrong concept of God that I have adopted from all the thick, multitudinous, bullcrap that this world presents of who God is. I feel that way because I was one of those so-called Christians in the church. I was someone who thought they were a Christian because I had walked down an aisle and said the "sinner's prayer".

You show me someone who fears God and I'll show you a true believer. Love, Dian.

I don't want to change the tone of the original post, but I would like to say this.

Spitfire, please mind your language.

Maybe it is another transatlantic misunderstanding, but I believe the word 'rubbish' or 'garbage' could be substituted to portray what you mean about God being presented in the wrong way.

That's it.

God bless.

dohzman wrote:

I feel it is actually unfortunate that I am feeling called to go into "all the church," as well.

Wisdom makes knowledge exceptable to its hearers, pray for wisdom because it'll take plenty of it inorder to make some of the principles of Christ to stick in such a way that the hearers are challenged to embrace them.

Indeed