Are We Living or Dead Christians?

Message: Are We Living or Dead Christians?

Text: Revelations 3:1

‘’I know thy works: that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead’’

This verse talks about Christians in the Churches who create the impression that they are alive in Christ – genuinely Born Again - but in the records of heaven, they are spiritually dead. To be spiritually dead means to be separated from life in God or to be separated from the Spirit of God.

God created man to have an intimate fellowship and relationship with Him. God wants a close communion with man. The whole duty of man on earth is to fear God and to obey His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). To fear God is to depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6). To fall short of these requirements is to be cut off from God.

Revelations 3:1 refers to the Christian who is religious but not godly; religious but not saved; who is in the Church but not in Christ, who claims to know Jesus but Jesus does not know him.

• §  Matthew 7:21 says that it is not everyone that calls Jesus his Lord that will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not everyone who claims to be a Christian that will enter into the Kingdom of God. Those that will enter into the Kingdom of God must be obedient Christians. The most important requirement to qualify for eternity with Christ is obedience which the Bible strongly emphasizes from Genesis to Revelation.

• §  Matthew 7:22-23 tells us that working for God alone will not qualify anyone for admission into the Kingdom of God. It is one thing to be working for God and another thing to be walking with Him. Working for God without walking with Him ends in Hell fire. 

Anointing without having the character of Christ ends in Hell fire. One can do great works for God and have impeccable records of service in ministry and still end up in Hell. To demonstrate the gifts of the Spirit without the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life ends in Hell fire.

• §  Mathew 13:15 refers to Christians that are spiritually blind, who refuse to see the truth and refuse to allow the truth set them free. There are some Christians that say the doctrine of an eternal Hell is false teaching and that there are no such things as the existence of, and immortality of the soul and spirit of Man. They preach another Gospel and another Jesus of their own making (Galatians 1:7-9).

Jesus preached and warned about eternal Hell in many scriptures such as Matthew 7:22-23, Matthew 10:28 and Matthew 25:41. The Bible teaches about the existence of, and the immortality of the soul and spirit of man in many scriptures such as Ecclesiastes 12:7; 1 Peter 3:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

• §  Matthew 15:8 refers to Christians in the churches whose hearts are far away from Christ. Their hearts are far away from transformation; worldly, corrupted, polluted, perverted and depraved; stony and rebellious hearts. 

It is those who have renewed hearts that are circumcised and pure in heart that will see God (Deuteronomy 30:6) (Ezekiel 36:26) (Matthew 5:8). Our hearts must be renewed to bring it into conformity with God’s nature and will (1 Peter 1:4) (2 Corinthians 5:17).

• §  John 10:27 refers to the type of Christian that heaven recognizes: the sheep Christian. A sheep is an animal that is gentle, meek, obedient, peaceful, teachable and humble. A sheep is easy to lead, direct and control. In the Body of Christ, there are both sheep Christians and goat Christians (Matthew 25:31-46). 

Matthew 25:31-46 highlights how they will be separated on the Day of Reckoning. The goat Christians in the Body of Christ will end up in eternal Hell while the sheep Christians will go into eternity with Christ.

The Dead Christians (Revelations 3:1) include

•   The carnally minded Christian (Romans 8:6-14) who lives in the flesh cannot please God. His heart is set on the affections, the lusts and works of the flesh and he naturally fulfills them. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Galatians 5:16-25 talks about how not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which is by walking in the Spirit. A carnally minded Christian is not a growing Christian who is not growing in grace (2 Peter 3:18). He has refused to grow from carnality to spirituality despite his many years in the Church. 

• ·        Those walking is spiritual darkness (Isaiah 9:2), who refuse to enter into the light and choose to remain in darkness. The written Word of God is the true light and those who want light will follow it as it is written and reject all things that are contrary to the Word of God. Anything that is contrary to the Word of God is demonic and satanic and not of the Holy Spirit.

• ·        Christians living in sins and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1-2), who believe that holiness and purity are not possible. There are sinning Christians, disobedient Christians who commit willful sins (Hebrew 10:26-31), who commit sin deliberately and presumptuously (Psalm 19:13).

Their hearts still love sin and they enjoy sinning. Some do not commit sin directly but derive pleasure when they see others committing sin. They are not genuinely born again Christians. They confess but do not forsake their sins contrary to Proverbs 28:13. They claim to repent but are not converted contrary to Acts 3:19.

• ·        Those who reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-10). The name of Christ is the name above all names, yet many do not believe in the supremacy of His name and claim to be Christians. They have placed other names above His name.

• ·        Those who live lives of self-seeking pleasures (1Timothy 5:6) are among the dead Christians in the churches. These live riotous and wanton lives (James 5:5) and are lovers of pleasures more than being lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4).  Their hearts and energies are devoted to idols and idolatry that have relegated Christ to the backseat in their lives. The Bible in Mark 8:34-36 teaches about consecration and self-denial.

• ·        Those who live lives of false spirituality are among the spiritually dead Christians. Activity in the Vineyard is not spirituality because working for God without walking with Him is false spirituality (Matthew 7:21-23).

Walking with God is close communion, intimate fellowship and relations with Him. Working for God without walking with Him in an intimate fellowship is mere noise making in the ears of heaven.

Wearing a white gown does not make anyone a Christian recognized in heaven as a holy person. Bearing a Christian name such as John, Moses or Elijah does not make anyone a Christian fit for eternity with Christ. Quoting bible verses and speaking in tongues is not the qualification for admission into eternity with Christ. Regular church attendance does not qualify anyone for heaven.

Bearing high sounding religious titles such as General Overseer, Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, Apostle, Archbishop etc. does not qualify the holder for eternity in heaven.

Having the anointing to wake up the dead, cast out demons and heal the sick will not take anyone to heaven. The most important qualifications for eternity with Christ are Obedience to God’s Word, Holiness and Love.

May we not go from church to Hell in Jesus name, Amen.

Prayers:

1.     God, shake whatever needs to be shaken for my life to become a new creature in Christ in Jesus name

2.     Lord Jesus, show me mercy and forgive me my sins

3.     Lord Jesus, empower me to labor in the right areas to get the right rewards and not a condemnation

4.     O God, teach me to bridle my tongue (Psalm 39:1) (James 1:26)

5.     Lord Jesus, shake out of me every weight and besetting sin that has slowed me down or stopped me from coming into your presence (Hebrews 12:1)

6.     Lord Jesus, deliver me from the spirit of religion without salvation

7.     Holy Spirit, pour on me the anointing, wisdom and supernatural ability that will transform me to a whole new level

8.     Power to hunger and thirst for holy and righteous living, fall on me (Luke 1:75)

9.     Holy Spirit, revive me in body, spirit and soul (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

10.                         Lord Jesus, break the power and hold of sin over me (Psalm 19:13)

11.                        Power to hunger and thirst for the Word of God, possess me

12.                         Empower me O Lord to set my affections on things that are above and eternal (Colossians 3:2)

13.                         Empower me O Lord to become dead to the vanities of life in Jesus name.

14.                        Blood of Jesus, cleanse my heart.

                     Ayodele John Adegbulugbe

                          www.xtianrace.blogspot.com

                          www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com

Beware of This Modern Day Idol That Is Sending Many Believers to Eternal Destruction

Beware of This Modern Day Idol That Is Sending Many Believers to Eternal Destruction

Exodus 20:3 says,
‘Thou shall have no other gods before me’

This commandment forbids making any kind of idol and prohibits every kind of idolatry. An idol is anything that takes over God’s front seat position in our lives. It is anything that relegates God to the backseat in our hearts and lives.

Idolatry is not limited to image worship or graven images made with human hands or the likeness of anything in heaven, on earth or in the waters underneath the earth. Idolatry includes anything on which the heart of men is passionately set, extravagant admirations of the heart.

Idols and idolatry now includes the many modern day hobbies and interests that many devote their time and energies to, which include sports, foods, sex, friendships, internet, social media, computer, mobile phones etc., seeking for a sense of fulfillment through them.

Matthew 22:37-38 says:
‘Thou shall love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with thy entire mind. This is the first and great commandment’’

These verses tell us that our love for God must come from our hearts with all its inward affections; our souls with all its consciousness and our minds with all its thoughts. That means our hearts; souls and minds must be consecrated to God only.

The heart of a man cannot operate in a vacuum. Something or someone must occupy or fill it. There are two forces that seek to gain the control of the heart of a man – God and the Devil – and the one that gains control determines it direction and its eternal destination. Hence, the heart of a man is a battle field.

The heart of a man must be devoted to an affection. Affections are those things that occupy our times, things that motivate our actions and activities and fire our aspirations.

Affections are things waiting to be captured, want to cling to something or someone. Where our affections are, there will our hearts be devoted.

Affections are determines by what a man treasures, i.e. what our hearts will be devoted to will be determined by those things we attach value to. Our hearts always clings to what it treasures. Matthew 6:12 says ‘where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’’

For our heart to love God supremely, we have to treasure Him above everything else. We have to attach value to everything that God stands for. We have to make God, His business and interest our greatest treasure.

When we divert our attention from God, His business and interest, then our love for Him will grow cold. A cold church or cold Christian is a lukewarm Christian whose heart has misplaced its affections; which treasures has been replaced and is no longer devoted to Christ.

One of the signs preceding the 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Social Sign. Under the Social Signs, the higher percentage of the human populace on earth are more inclined and devoted to social activities than the spiritual. The spiritual has been relegated to the backseat in the lives of many Christian believers.

This is one of the grand strategies of the Devil in this end times to lure the hearts of men away from their devotion to God,to derail the faith of many believers and send them to eternal destruction.

Many Christian believers now devote much more time and energies to social media activities –Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram and many other social forum activities chatting away their lives, salvation and destinies – than they devote to the spiritual activities that define their walk with God; that have eternal values and will determine their eternal destination to Heaven or Hell.

The spiritual activities being neglected by many Christians include study and meditation in the Word of God, prayers, evangelism, quiet time, family altar, holiness and righteousness.

It is not uncommon seeing Christians come to church with android phones browsing the net during church services especially when the sermon is being delivered.

Matthew 6:24 says,
‘’ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.’’

One cannot be a servant of sin and Satan and a servant of righteousness and Christ at the same time. If one yields himself as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin, he is a servant of sin and Satan and is not a Christian (Romans 6:13). If men prefer sin and Satan to God, then they are of the Devil and will be sent to eternal Hell with him (Matthew 25:41) (1 John 3:8).

When a Christian believer begins to follow and serve Christ with a half-hearted devotion and neglects the spiritual endeavors that define the quality of his personal relationship with Christ, then he is looking back and is not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

Matthew 15:8 says:
‘This people draw near unto me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips but their hearts are far away from me.’’

A Christian believer whose heart is far away from Christ is a person whose heart is attached to the world, its values, systems and attitudes. He has one leg in Christ and has the other leg in the world. He is a friend of the world and has become an enemy of God (James 4:4) (1 John 2:15-17).

Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32) who was already delivered from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah but looked back and became a pillar of salt. She was destroyed because she looked back. By looking back she lost her salvation and she looked back because her heart was attached to the world and its pleasures.

Are you a Christian believer that is looking back into the world? Learn from the tragedy that befell Lot’s wife. That tells us that salvation is not an un-forfeitable possession. One can have it and lose it afterwards through carelessness.

A believer whose heart is far away from Christ is a cold and lukewarm Christian whose fire is being quenched or has been totally extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13). He is a spiritually dry Christian. Spiritual dryness results from two things – the Sin of Commission and the Sins of Omission.

Sin of Commission is presumptuous sinning that causes sudden darkness while the sin of omission gradually dims and obscures the light through factors such as the neglect of study and meditation in the Word of God and neglect of fervent prayers.

A lukewarm Christian that is neither hot nor cold is an abomination in the eyes of God and God says He will spue them out of His mouth (Revelations 3:15-16).

Salvation is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is based on consecration and self-denial (Mark 8:34-36). There are many worldly pleasures that Christians must avoid to qualify to end well and qualify for eternity with Christ.

The Bible says that in the Last Days, men will be lovers of pleasures more than being lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4). The Bible in 1Timothy 5:6 warns that a person who is devoted to pleasures is dead while alive i.e. he is spiritually dead as far as God and His Word go.

A Christian whose heart and energies are more devoted to the internet and social media activities at the expense of the spiritual activities that define his personal walk with Christ is a worldly Christian and an enemy of God heading to eternal destruction unless he repents and follows God with a whole hearted devotion (Matthew 22:37).

A Christian whose heart has departed from his first love (Revelations 2:4) and is now running after ephemeral, mundane and vain things that fulfill the lusts of the flesh is a person who has lost focus of the things that are eternal (Colossians 3:2-3), putting his eternal soul in jeopardy.

Revelations 2:5 warns that we repent by remembering and recalling how we fell and to return to the first works else our candlesticks will be removed from its place. If your candlestick is removed, that means eternity in Hellfire.

This is calling for us to make a sober reflection of our Christian lives and how we are standing in the Lord. Are we standing or have fallen? 2 Corinthians 13:5 is asking us to examine ourselves whether we are still in the faith. Revelations 3:1-2 refers to Christians who think they are alive in Christ but in the records of God, they are dead.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Prayers:
1. God, have mercy on me for I am a sinner
2. Revival fire of God, possess my life in Jesus name
3. Holy Ghost, incubate my life afresh with your fire in Jesus name
4. Hunger and thirst for the Word of God, possess me now, in Jesus name
5. Blood of Jesus, cleanse my heart in Jesus name
6. Lord Jesus, give me a new heart and a new spirit.
7. Powers quenching the fire of God in my heart, be consumed by fire in Jesus name

Ayodele John Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com
www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com