A buddy of mine was killed in a car wreck Saturday afternoon. He left 3 daughters, ages 8-14. His wife committed suicide about 3 years ago. He was a guy who worked for our convenience store when I was still in that business until last year.
His funeral was today.
Sad. Tragic for those girls above all.
Or, at least that was the take away. Because the preacher, a guy who I know of around these parts but have zero confidence in him, told that chapel of 200 plus people that because my friend had knelt and said a prayer to ask Jesus into his heart as a very young man long ago, that he was saved. All you must do is believe and call on Jesus. My friend was in open sin and had been. I know because we talked. "Ain't none of y'all perfect, and he was not perfect. But, he was saved. If you want to see him again, you need to call on Jesus too."
I know that the family needs something, and no one should envy a preacher of a funeral of one taken suddenly or young. But, there was a room packed with people who nodded in agreement or did not nod but consider that "the gospel" and will one day rely on just that much of a false gospel to say a prayer and live like hell and, with self satisfaction, deny the truth.
This false teaching is what 70% (aside from the COC and a few Pentecostals) of the folks in my county believe. And that is why the place is darker than the grave in spite of a church on every corner and every country road curve. I am quite mad today. Mad because the family is mislead by a trusted but false teacher. Mad because pride and self righteousness and every other form of justification by self is taken as bible preaching and because true gospel preaching is hellishly mocked.
This is the Bible belt of America, and people have wrapped it around their necks.