For many, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, has become just an afterthought
The other night I watched a video about Nabeel Qureshi, and American-Pakistani Muslim who converted to Christianity, and was struck by the man’s absolute commitment and his focus on Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Here was a man (he passed away some time ago) who found freedom, life, and love in a religion that his own people despise. As I pointed out to a group of people I recently addressed, discussing my years working and living in a Muslim country, when they meet the Light of the world, radical Muslims become radical Christians. Nabeel Qureshi was a radical Christian for Jesus Christ. Why is it then that among Christians, especially in the western world, this same Light is being extinguished? Has Jesus become so unimportant that He is just a footnote in your life, information not worthy of inclusion in the main text, but added way down the page, in fine print? This is the reason:
18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. – John 15:18
Jesus’ own people, the Jews, hated Him first, and after His ascension, turned their hate on his followers. His followers were different, like Him, and became the obvious target for the Jews’ hate:
19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. – John 15:19
Yes, you are hated by the world today because you do not conform to its standards:
1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: – 1 Peter 4:1-4
Most people live in lust for anything the world offers. Others, as indicated in verse 4, do not. At least, this is how many believers used to be. Paul described a time when believers would fall away from the faith:
3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; – 2 Thessalonians 2:3
As the falling away gains momentum, for many believers and their leaders it has become easier to compromise. Let’s make church accessible to the masses and build big churches where we can entertain them. When we preach, let’s not mention Jesus too much in case visitors from other religions are offended. Let’s definitely not focus on man’s sin, in case it scares them and drives them away. Let’s not focus on being reborn, and we definitely do not want to confront them with the idea of a blood sacrifice. After all, they have come to be entertained, not to be convicted of sin. Let’s never tell them Jesus is the only way to the Father. (The Muslims do not believe in God as a Father and therefor the idea of Jesus being a Son is just silly to them.) Let’s keep them happy by saying there are many ways to get to God, and you can choose which road suits you. Let’s not say Jesus is the Son, and thus we can settle the argument about God being a Father, for the sake of the Muslims. After all, we do not want to offend them. In the end, what is preached is a luke-warm gospel, devoid of saving power.
This is the rationale of many of our super-sized mega churches. As we wrote in an earlier article, what would Jesus find if he visits the 21st century church today? (See more in our article on the Apostate church.)
14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. – Revelation 3:14-20
Many people in our churches are like this today. They are not so cold that they stay away from church altogether. After all, they need to be entertained and for many, church is still fashionable, the music production is top-notch, and it is important to be seen with the right people. All of this costs money, which they have plenty of. They say they do not need anything. Repentance is not important.
Then again, they are not so hot that they will forget about themselves, repent, and focus on Jesus. They have to find common ground and accommodate all – be lukewarm. This is their downfall, and it will end in hell, unless they repent. Yet, they do not want to respond to the knock on the door, invite Him in their lives and live off the sustenance only Jesus gives. Why? Simply because it requires them to let go of their selfish, narcist attitude and relinquish control of their lives. The world though, has already conditioned most to think otherwise.
What the world offers you and what many want to hear are your rights to do what you want; that you are the creator of your own success; that you can be a better this, a better that; and you can choose to be whatever you want to be. (See our article No, you cannot be whatever you want to be.) The world does not want to hear that they are wrong, and that they must hear the true gospel, respond to it, and turn from their sin. They do not want to subject themselves to the true God and Saviour of the world.
When they listen to their preachers, they only want to hear a message that makes them feel good, and many pastors are happy to oblige. That’s what they give money for:
3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Many, when they do bother to read the Bible, look only for a Jesus that will please them, and skip the parts that address their sin and the need to be saved. Hidden away at the bottom of the page in a footnote, is this:
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. – John 10:10
Many have such a disdain for God, Jesus, the Bible, and Christians, that they do not want life. How is this possible? How deranged can a person be that they will willingly go to hell? God, your Creator, never wanted you as an individual to suffer eternal damnation, which is why He made a way for you to get back to Him. Jesus said that He is the way:
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6
Take the courage to leave behind the lies you have been fed. Look at the footnote at the bottom of the page of the story of your existence. Why would you not want life, and even more, have it in abundance? Many of our overdressed pastors, with eloquent deliveries, in auditoriums that can hold thousands, drive away afterwards in their fancy limos, and jet off in their private planes, with your money in their pockets. You are left in a vertigo, slowly being sucked down. They do not care about you. Get out before it is too late.
Conclusion
God does not want you to die in your sins. He already made Jesus sin on your behalf. Repent and accept Him as Lord and Saviour of your life today.