When was the last time you can recall seeing a small group of people standing outside the church after the Sunday service speaking at length about the sermon and the things of God, and when you happened to drive by an hour later they were still there?
How many people do you know that await the Rapture with great anticipation, who just cannot wait to get to heaven, but will not speak for any real length of time here about that place, the Lord Jesus Christ, how the Holy Spirit is leading them or words that glorify God?
It is not our conduct that testifies to the living God, it is our attitude, and our attitude then drives our conduct. Most people go to church because they believe that conduct supports their supposed salvation, because it proves to them they are saved, but these same people, if you attempt to engage them in a discussion about anything pertaining to the Scriptures during the week will soon have places to go, people to see and things to do. They are religious within the confines of that building with a cross in it somewhere, but their daily walk does not profess a true faith in Jesus Christ.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
Even their conversations before and after that Sunday morning service will testify to this truth, concerned around themselves and the world, nearly always with the subtle intonations of feigned compassion when they initiate those conversations, “How are you today?”
“My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:2)
Being saved to them means going to church, being polite to others, feeling saved, doing the right thing, trying their best, but it does not mean fulfilling 1st Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Put this to the test, intentionally seek out during the week someone who professes to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and begin to initiate a conversation with them about the Scriptures, see how long they last. I dare say that you could even do the same with the pastor of the church, and that he will be polite, but will try to set up a time to discuss those things, an appointment for an hour or so, perhaps next Thursday at eleven o’clock.
Places to go, people to see, things to do.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) And my friends, they are in the world.
Think up all the excuses that you can, maybe they actually do have pressing matters to attend to, perhaps you have caught them right in the middle of something. Well and good, so then, after church next Sunday, for perhaps the next four Sundays in a row, try to start that conversation with them, or any subject of the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit leads you in. See what happens.
They want to get to heaven to speak to the Lord, but not here, they are after all busy people, and there is a time and a place for those conversations, they just won’t say when it is. Sunday morning Christians, they fill the pews.
Now then, who am I writing this letter to, them or you?
