“I must be saved, because I feel happy when I think about Jesus.”
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)
Most people, I will not say many people here, for if it was many these statements would stand as false, so most people want no more proof of their salvation than emotionally uplifting moments, and when adverse conditions arrive in their lives, when the storm clouds roll in, when they are not happy, they begin to doubt. Another truth for you, most people will never admit to this.
If this were not true, you would meet people who profess to know Christ that would rejoice in the turmoil, who would give Him the glory when they have lost everything, when the death sentence arrives, but you don’t, do you? No, you meet with false faces, smiling and happy on Sunday morning, even when they are in mourning, because being happy means you are saved.
They would never dare speak out in public about the burdens they carry, no, that’s between them and the Lord, or at best in a private meeting with the pastor after a promise of secrecy has been given to them by him. No frowny faces allowed, you must be happy, polite, the best face forward always. “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” (Eccl. 7:3)
“And all that believed were together, and had all things common;” (Acts 2:44) The only thing most of them have in common is they show up at the same place at the same time on Sunday morning. Oh, and they make sure to have a smile on their face, no matter what.
Some may show up to the midweek Bible study, with that same smile of course, listening intently, at least outwardly, but when the one leading is says, “Questions, comment, suggestions?” all you hear is the clock ticking in the background, and all you see is those smiles.
Yes, serving the Lord means being happy to most people, they do not have a clue what the word “joy” means. Ask them about the life of nearly every prophet in the Old Testament, ask them if they seemed like happy people to them. Ask them if they would be happy being banished to an island of sharp rocks, cast into prison, feet bound and tortured, ask them if they would be happy when the lions are released from their cages. It isn’t even as difficult as that actually, ask them if they are happy in the Lord when the car will not start, or the alarm clock doesn’t go off in the morning.
A pretense of Christianity, based entirely on the emotion of happiness. Take away their happiness and to them they have lost their joy.
It’s actually very sad when you think about it, even attempting to discuss these truths with them will cause them to stumble in their supposed walk with the Lord. Pretending to be saved, in the vernacular of today’s society, they identify as a Christian, but their hearts, hearts that are to be filled with joy, no matter the circumstances, are far from Him.
