I used to say that there are only two types of people in the world, two main classifications, if you will, the lost and the saved, but I am beginning to rethink my analogy, beyond the previous two mentioned. I believe there is a third, those that only profess the name of Jesus with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. (Matt. 15:8)
These are those that the classification of weaker brother mentioned in 1 Corinthians 8:11 is being applied to today, a title that they are not worthy of. The weaker brother is one who is truly saved, who is attempting to glorify the Lord in every avenue of their life yet is most always the one who has only been saved for a very short period of time.
They pour themselves into the Scriptures, searching for His will through His Word, they search out mature, spiritually discerning brothers and sisters in Christ, and then once again search the Scriptures to verify that which they have been informed of. They have a zeal, and not withstanding those times that the forces of darkness hinder their growth through various temptations when the world calls them back into the pleasures of the seasons of sin for a time, (Heb. 11:25) their growth is not deterred, their desire for the One they have found to be most precious does not falter for long.
They will live a life of trials and tribulations as promised, (1 Peter 5:10) and beyond the temporary and short lived complaining, they will rejoice in them, for they have, in God’s own will for their lives, found that He has seen them worthy to be in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, one of the surest signs of a man’s salvation. They have indeed been saved by grace through faith, (Eph. 2:8-9) yet their faith is young.
Our third classification of individuals goes to church, that is their statement of belief, their profession of faith. Occasionally you will find them at the midweek Bible study, unless they believe it to be an obligation, and then you will also find them at the church nearly every time the doors are open, for they are exceptionally good at showing themselves to be religious.
Most, if not all churches, specifically those that claim to be Evangelical, have many of these individuals in their pews, for many various reasons. The pastor is not Spiritually discerning enough to recognize them, or perhaps he does, but has determined that someone in the pew is better than an empty seat, or it may be that he does not want to offend anyone by asking the difficult questions about these persons supposed salvation, of how the Lord is using them for His glory, of that persons daily walk. This is most generally the case, for if they were to find out for sure that this is not a weaker brother, but is indeed a deceiver, not only one who has and continues to be deceived, but one who is willingly deceiving themselves, then certain Biblical principles would need to be applied, and again, the individual in question may be offended, and again, the possibility of an empty seat in the pew arises.
This third classification are those who have overrun many congregations and are responsible for bringing in what they call ‘pastors’ to scratch their itchy ears. They are the cause of the great falling away, and they will be left behind, or die in the sins that they vehemently profess Christ removed from them.
You, my friend, must be able to spot them, to confront them in love, whether they attend the same church that you do, or if you meet them in passing on the street, for if you know this to be a fact about them and do nothing, you will be guilty of James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” And you will be held accountable for your inactions. You will lose their favor, you will be spoken poorly of, you man even be asked to leave that church, but, and if that happens, then you will also be able to confront the deacons, elders, and pastor of the church for the reasons of their inactions in this matter. Your conscience will be clear, you will have done the honorable thing in the eyes of the Lord, the only place that matters. They are dishonoring the name of the Most High to all they meet, and that cannot be allowed.