Are You a Sermon-Proof Christian? (Matthew 13:15)

There are different categories of Christians in the church and one of them is the sermon-proof Christian (Matthew 13:15).

Besides this, there is the mixed multitude Christian (Exodus 12:38); the true worshiper (John 4:24) (Romans 8:16); and other categories of Christians.

The sermon-proof Christian group is the spiritual dunce group who has spent many years in the church but is not growing in grace.

A sermon proof Christian comes to church to hear the Word of God but has made up his mind not to do what he hears. He may be in a position of authority in the church holding a title such as Overseer or Minister and still be sermon proof.

Sermon proof Christians possess one or more of the following characteristics:

Chronic lack of knowledge of the Scriptures: He has no time for the study of the Word which is a daily requirement for spiritual growth (Joshua 1:8). He may be able to pray the prayer that will bring thunder down but he shows a tragic lack of scriptural knowledge.

Concealed Sin: A sermon proof Christian is unwilling to depart from sin and he conceals them in his life instead of confessing and putting them out of his life (Proverbs 28:13).

Complete lack of interest in evangelism: Every believer should be an evangelist because the call to witness and preach the gospel given in Mark 16:15 is to all believers and not a group within the church. Many modern day Christians are totally uninterested in evangelism in any form either preaching or sharing tracts and the like.

Weak prayer altar: They are unable to pray in their homes though they can pray thunder fire prayers in the church. They lack the spiritual fire for closet prayers.

Lack of quiet time: They have no time for observance of quiet time. They wake up, jump out of bed and rush out of the home.

Poor readership culture: Sermon proof Christians are not interested in reading the Bible and other Christian literature that will help them move forward spiritually. Many of those who have a reading culture are not broad minded readers, who limit their reading to the books written by their General Overseer and do not read the books of other ministries and authors.

Love for position: They are interested in titles and positions where they can be seen as lords and lord themselves over others. Some are ever ready to pull others down in order to take over their positions.

Attention to money: Many Ministers in the modern day church organize services for commercial ends to gather money from the brethren for selfish benefits and for their belly.

Love for entertainment: Sermon proof Christians come to church to hear sermons that make them laugh and which entertains them but do not affect them spiritually. Rather than be convicted and be sober enough to cry out in repentance as in Acts 2:37-38, they hail the preacher, shouting and laughing for the fun of it.

Poverty of revelation: They lack spiritual sight and cannot hear from the Lord. They run after pastors and prophets to pray for them and to do the hearing from the Lord for them.

In summary, the shallow or sermon proof Christians belong to one or more of the following categories:

They have been in the church for many years without any changes in their lifestyle because they do not allow the Word of God to transform them.

There is nothing that anyone can preach to them that moves them because they minds are closed. They are set to do evil and will certainly do it.

They select what they want to hear and lock up their hearts against others. They are the ones interested in teachings on financial prosperity and success but close their minds against teachings on jewelry, divorce and sex perversion.

They invite others to come to church to hear the Word while being hypocrites themselves.

They pretend as it they are hearing and are interested in the Word but the Word does not penetrate their hearts.

They regard the church as a social gathering where they come to display their latest apparel and other material acquisitions.

They are the ones who chat during sermons, receive calls during services but when prayer starts, they jump up and pray the prayers that brings thunder down.

They come to church with no bible, no pen and no notebook and are not interested in taking any records for future reference.

They are so much over familiar with God that His Word has become blunt in them and cannot sharpen them anymore.

Their minds are already made up what they want to hear. They are the ones who do not want to hear that sexual perversions such as oral sex and masturbation are ungodly and abnormal and abominable practices.

They move from church to church seeking for pastors who preach what suits them and their water melon lifestyle. They are in church but not in the church. Their minds are far away buying and selling (Isaiah 29:13).

A sermon proof Christian is so because he is unwilling to depart from sin; over familiar with God; has enrolled in the School of Backsliding and clings to old traditions.

They can see but refuse to see; they can hear but refuse to hear; are capable of understanding but refuse to accept the truth. They prefer to stick to their old religious traditions than to walk in the light of new truth that can set them free.

They lack spiritual discipline and believe that they are above correction. They want to be let loose to do as they like and do not want the restrictions that the Word of God imposes on them.

Many modern day Christians are sermon proof because they are worldly minded, who place one leg in Jesus and the other in the world, running after God and Mammon simultaneously (Matthew 6:24).

They cannot separate from ungodly friends who turn their hearts away from the Lord (Proverbs 27:17) (Numbers 11:1-4). They are unteachable and negatively over confident who conclude that they do not need to be corrected on anything and cannot submit to be disciplined.

Examine yourself whether you are still in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Are you a sermon-proof Christian?

Repent and amend before it is too late (2 Corinthians 6:2) (Hebrews 9:27).

Ayodele Adegbulugbe.