I meet a lot of religious nuts, kooks if you prefer, if you have fallen into the trap of “never offend anyone in anyway,” then the title of misguided souls would be your preference. Individuals that are into existentialism, the Roman Catholic cult, Eastern Orthodoxy, everything from a works-based system to Jesus just loves everybody, reincarnation, you name it, the kooks are out there. “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl. 3:11)
But instead of searching for the one true God, they get misled, do no serious research, and end up in hell, and it is completely their fault. Eve didn’t get a break just because she fell for the deceitful lies of Satan, and neither will these people.
The responsibility of the born-again believer is to try to reach out to them, and all that are lost, with the Gospels, with the good news that the price has been paid in full by Jesus Christ, that they are being deceived, and that if they do not repent, they will die in their sins. That is our job, that is what we have been called to do. You will find this a rare message indeed in many if not most Evangelical churches today, they have hired men that will scratch their itchy ears, (2 Tim. 4:3) that will make them feel better about themselves, that will be around to bury their dead and wipe their tears away on those rainy days of life.
Sing the songs, take up the offering, give a quick twenty-minute message about the woes and travails of the world of men, and then think up a way during the week to keep those who fill the pews entertained again next week. “Concern yourself with yourself” is the message today, if you so feel led to, throw some extra money in the plate and we’ll make sure it gets to the needy, you just keep thinking about yourself and your walk with Christ.
It is in a sense a fulfillment of Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” It is a planet filled with Canaanites and every false belief structure, save for a few that He has called to reveal His glory to in this fallen world.
Do not think me harsh or uncaring, do not think that I have attained anymore than Paul did when he said, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12) But do not think that I, or anyone else, who is studying to show themselves approved, (2 Tim 2:15) that has searched for and prayed that the Lord would remove that beam in our eye in this area are cruel and callous, that we do not feel any empathy towards these lost souls, but do not make the mistake that we do not hate evil either.
That is what these people all across the planet that will not serve the Most High are, evil, wicked, they are the ones that the wrath of God is abiding on. (John 3:36) Here is the point that many who call Christ Lord today will not cross, and they do so in great error, they will not stop casting their pearls, the truths of the Word of God, before these swine, (Matt. 7:6) they will not shake the dust of their feet off from them, (Mark 6:11) they will not cast them out from among the congregation, even when their blatant sin is well known. (Matt. 18:15-17) They will call it love, but it is disobedience to the will and Word of God.
They will continue to be friends with those of the world, they will continue to show up each Sunday morning so they can feel better about themselves, never attempting to allow the Lord to remove that beam in their eye, always needing to find some fault within themselves so they will not have to confront the evil around them. They will make no judgment upon any other for to them all judging is judgmental, and all who do so are too contentious, too adamant, too rigid in their interpretation of the Scriptures.
There are a lot of religious nuts out there, and fewer who serve the Lord in fear and trembling than we might like to believe.
