Because we have seen something, does not mean that we have experienced it, many have witnessed automobile accidents firsthand, but have never been involved in one.
There are many people that believe they are saved because they repeated the words of a pastor once long ago, many of these don’t even own a Bible, and if they do most of them could not tell you where it is, much less any of the Scriptures associated with salvation. They profess to be a part of something that they know nothing about.
They are not unlike those who attend the religious cults across the planet, they follow the traditions, these show up each Sunday, they repeat the words or recite the appropriate phrases at the appropriate time, these sit quietly listening to a sermon they will forget within a day or two at the most. If revival were to break out in these churches, it would be nothing more than a reiteration of what they are already doing without any real forethought, the zeal to do that which is already being done out of habit would only be enforced.
“And all that believed were together, and had all things common.” (Acts 2:44)
The first century Christians did not wait, as it were, for the Holy Spirit to put them into a position to where they agreed on at least the most basic principles of the faith, they put themselves there, and then the Holy Spirit moved mightily within the group. Because Paul did many signs and wonders, (Acts 15:12) does not mean that we can associate with Paul, simply reading the Scriptures does not make one profitable to the kingdom of God, memorizing verses, showing up to church, attending functions put on by the church is not what make a person a child of God, obedience does. Tradition has replaced that obedience, in fact, if you were to ask most people who attend church on a regular basis, you would find that the attendance record they hold is proof to them of their salvation.
You could ask them how many people they witnessed to that week, in fact you could probably say that year, and still get a look from them as if they had been insulted by you. Visiting the sick and imprisoned, helping the poor, all of these would at best draw a blank stare, but more than likely they would be offended that you would even think to ask them such a thing. They believe they are saved by association, when in fact they are guilty of that which they profess only with their lips. (Matt. 15:8)
Being a born-again believer is a working title, service to Christ offers no breaks, no vacations, no time off, it is a grueling job with little to no rewards in this world, and the one who determines to walk this path seeks none, no glory for ourselves is ever searched for. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20)
Salvation by the grace of God through Jesus Christ places within us a desire to serve, to submit, a desire to depart from the sins of the flesh, from the ways of the world, we search for no righteousness in this world, and we see all our own efforts as useless. (Isaiah 64:6) We are not Christians by association, but by deeds, deeds that we do by the power of the Holy Spirit of God Himself working through us. Those that the Lord has determined to use for His glory know the path they are on, they are walking it, not just reading about it, or hearing about it on Sunday morning. Their desire is to be obedient, and the Lord blesses that desire by showing them how to be a profitable servant by deeds, by actions, not by association.
