Perhaps one of the largest group of
unsaved “religious” people in the world are those who sit in the pews of our
churches. Those referred to as false converts are not what are
often called “traditional Christians” (Christmas and Easter Christians”) or “nominal
Christians.” Rather, these are people who profess to be born again, but have
never found a place of biblical repentance. They don’t have “the things that
accompany salvation.” There’s no fruit in there lives to say that they have been
regenerated by the Holy Spirit. They sit among the Church but they are not part
of the Church.
Background
Something certainly is tragically wrong, the contemporary Church has
forsaken biblical evangelism. Modern Christianity has failed to use God’s Law
(Ten Commandments) to bring the knowledge of sin, and has therefore filled the
Church with false converts.
Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:20 (KJV)
These false converts have named the name of Christ, but have never
departed from iniquity (“lawlessness”-transgression of the Ten Commandments).
It is a neglect of the Law that has resulted in our churches being
filled with tares among the wheat, foolish
virgins among the wise, bad fish among the good, and goats among the sheep.
This is why so many profess Christ and have no assurance of salvation. They
have no assurance because they are not saved. This is why so many profess to
have the love of God in their hearts, and at the same time couldn’t care less
that the world is going to Hell. Every Christian should be horrified beyond
words that any human being could be cast into Hell.
Who
Is God
Idolatry is the fertile soil from which a false profession grows. The
Scripture tell us that,
By mercy and truth
iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord
men depart from evil.
Proverbs
16:6 (KJV)
So few fear God because so few pulpits preach the fear
of God. Rarely do sinners hear That God is angry with the wicked every day,
that if they are friends with this world they are enemies of God, and that His
wrath abides on them. Every time they sin, they are storing up His wrath that
will come upon them on the Day of Wrath.
Rather, they hear the unbiblical gospel of “God has a wonderful plan
for your life” or simply that God wants them to prosper. Instead of being told
to repent because they have offended a holy God, they are told that God will
solve their problems.
Who Is Jesus
To the false convert, the Saviour is the One who died for his sins. He
paid his fine. However, you will find that there is a shallow understanding of
the sacrifice of the Father. This is because he has no knowledge of God’s Law.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24 (KJV)
It’s only when he sees his
terrible sin (that he is a terrible Law-breaker) and that he deserves
consequent damnation that he will understand the unspeakable sacrifice that the
Father made in Jesus of Nazareth. The Law makes grace abound. It makes Jesus precious
to him.
Scriptures
A false convert may believe that the Scriptures are God’s Word, but he
usually doesn’t see them as his life’s sustenance. He doesn’t desire the
sincere milk of the Word that he may grow, because he hasn’t tasted of the
goodness of the Lord. “This Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you
from this Book.” Because he doesn’t soak himself in the Word, he is ignorant
about subjects such as holiness of God, the Law of God and its functions and
the reality of true and false conversion.
Heaven and Hell
A false convert usually lacks any depth of sound doctrine. He couldn’t
explain the basics of how we are justified or sanctified. This is because,
without the Law, God seems unjust to condemn sinners (most of whom he sees as reasonably
good people) to eternity in Hell. More than likely he will believe that
everyone goes to Heaven, except people like Adolf Hitler. Hell is a place for
those he thinks are worthy of punishment.
Sin and Salvation
A false convert thinks lightly of sin. This is why he believes he can
be a Christian and still have sin in his life. He is truly a “worker of
iniquity”
And then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:23(KJV)
who
sees nothing wrong with fibs, not
keeping his word, taking things that belong to other people, and giving himself
to sexual lust. His reasoning is, “Who doesn’t do that?” and God understands.
You may even hear blasphemy slip from his lips.
The
false convert has often been through the motions of modern “conversion”
(responded to an altar call, prayed a sinner’s prayer etc.) and has
consequently been given assurance by the preacher that he is saved.
Conclusion:
Use
the moral Law (like a mirror) to show him his true state before a holy God.
However, once you have shown the seriousness of sin, explain that seeing sin in
its true light has been what has been lacking in his life. This will help him
understand why he has never truly repented. Why should he repent if his sin isn’t
too bad? Ignorance of the Law has left him seeing himself as a basically good
person. Without the light of the Law, he has never seen the character of a holy
God, known the fear of God, or understand the sacrifice of the cross.
