In these last days it seems that what is up is down and what is down is up. The dynamic, forward moving evangelical part of the visible Church is quickly moving into a form of Christianity that seems oh so right to people. It seeks to offend no one. Many “evangelicals” have openly embraced union with the Roman Catholic church implying that the Protestant Reformation was a mistake. The focus of this form of Christianity is never on the Gospel. Instead it is on feeding the poor or world peace and always seeking to be friends of the world. Then there is the emergent movement. This form of Christianity seems to be all inclusive and friends of everyone, that is, everyone except those who appear to be mired in Orthodoxy. However, even though what we see seems to be many different apostate movements in the Church, the fact is, there is really only two groups of people calling themselves Christians. There are True Christians and False Christians. – Mike Ratliff
The following devotional by Martin Luther is from Faith Alone.
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” John 1:47
The Lord Christ does not want us to brag about being a Christian or, as in the case of Nathanael, being an Isrealite. It’s not enough to say, “I am baptized,” or even to say, “I am a bishop,” “I am a cardinal,” or “I am a preacher.” You must believe in Christ and live like a Christian. You must be righteous both on the inside and on the outside. You must not be embarrassed of the Lord Christ and the Christian faith. If you are, then you are a false Christian. If you don’t believe in your heart, your entire life is a lie and you remain in darkness. You aren’t righteous, and you only appear to be a Christian. Your actions don’t reflect your Christian faith.
If we could separate Christians from one another and divide them into true and false Christians, how many true Christians would we find? The world is crazy, foolish, and wild. It’s filled with all kinds of evil—adultery, drunkenness, vindictiveness, and other sins. Some people no longer consider it a sin for people to cheat each other. Yet these same people want to be considered good Christians.
Believe me, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself. God isn’t fooled or mocked. He will know what you are really like in an instant, just as he knew that Nathanael was a true Israelite who believed in he prophets. He will look at you and say, “Yes, here is a true Christian!”
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Mike,
Bless you for posting that humbling message. I used to be one of those false Christians. I didn’t think I was good though. I knew I believed in our Lord but I didn’t know how to stop sinning. I feel ashamed. I didn’t go to church because they acted just like I didn’t want to. It took me seeking Him and many fervent prayers to change me. He led me out and I am so grateful and always will be a sinner.
Blessings and love to all,
Deborah
Deborah,
I think if we are honest we all were exactly as you described yourself before God drew us from darkness to light. To those in darkness, the truth seems impossible or foolish and obedience is unreachable. However, in the light we see our sin and it breaks our hearts. We turn to Christ for forgiveness and He helps us repent. Amen! I am so glad I don’t have to be obedient by my own strength because it would never happen.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike, What you said is so true. We are so tired of people ‘playing church’ and doing mans thing and not what God really wants at all. Its all a big social club it seems. And what do you do when you can’t find even a half way decent church around? This country is in a sad state. The Lord Jesus Christ sees our hearts and He does know who are His. We have become so thankful for His Sovereignty. Seems the tares sure do look like the wheat, but He gives us the O.K. to check their fruit. Frankly I am so sick of hearing the ‘judge not’ used the wrong way I could puke. Good is bad and bad is good in this world. They’ll see how much ‘God loves everyone’, like they say and preach. He’s coming back in Judgement and He is not a happy camper I might add. Come Lord Jesus!!
Amen Paul – Come soon Lord Jesus!
Mike,
This is a wonderful post and so timely as always. I had mentioned Paul Washer to Sharon (once confused) and she sent me a 4 minute clip that someone had put together off of you tube with audio of Paul Washer. I forwarded it to my sunday school class with a note to check out sermonaudio.com and listen to the sermon he preached to the youth conference in 2002. I also asked a good friend of mine who street witnesses to down load and listen to the youth group sermon yesterday and then I invited a friend from my sunday school class over to watch the 2002 sermon by Paul Washer with me at my home.
Here are the results:
My sunday school teacher sent me an e-mail. He apparently had dismissed listening to the sermon and repramanded me in a rather harsh manner telling me to be careful who I listen to because Paul Washer never used scripture. I sent him back an e-mail urging him to listen to the sermon I had referenced and reminded him that this was only a clip of a sermon someone had put together. I assured him that Paul Washer did use and reference scripture in his sermon. I’m glad he noticed there was not scripture but Paul’s words were true and I wished he had checked out the sermon to see what one of his members was listening too if he was concerned.
My friend who street witnesses, (using the sinners prayer, and who says there’s no such thing as easy believism, well they say they’re a christian so they probably are even though they’re living in sin) called me and said that Paul Washer is a heretic. I asked him if he had listened to the entire message. He said no he turned it off after ten minutes and that Washer is a heretic. I urged him to go back and listen to the entire message.
My friend from sunday school class (who does much selfless work in the church) came over and watched the video. She left in tears and went home to show it to her husband and e-mailed it to her mother.
I had a rough day yesterday.
On the upside a co-worker who I have been witnessing to for 9 months called and asked me some questions about Jesus and God. (We will be going to a bible study together starting June 2) She referenced a letter I wrote her at Christmas that I called “The Christmas Story”. It wasn’t actually the christmas story, it was the history of man from Adam to the second coming complete with the gospel! But she didn’t know the difference so I called it the Christmas story because it was in there. I had hand written it and included it in a card. She had never mentioned it so I didn’t know if she ever read it. Yesterday, she told me she had read it, and she was crying.
I worry about my own salvation, making sure I am indeed in the faith, examining myself. Jesus is my only hope, my blessed hope. These are crazy times. Thank you for the post.
Love in Christ,
Rachel
Rachel,
For someone to call Paul Washer a heretic means that whoever that is has a very skewed view of the gospel, grace, and our sovereign God. Amazing and crazy indeed. I pray that God will sustain you and give you peace and joy in your obedience.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
While Washer does have a habit of “running rabbits” (straying way off course), especially from the Scripture verses he reads initially, what he says is usually in line with Scripture and he is faithful to proclaim the truth. Plus often he says things that are references to verses those of us who’ve read a Bible will recognize. He preaches the true gospel though. That’s a lot better than the vast majority of preachers out there and
Rachel ~
If it’s any consolation to you, most of my friends who profess Christ have also been less than pleased with Washer’s sermon. For awhile, I honestly thought I was “off” because SO, SO many could not see what I was seeing. However, after prayer and staying in the Word, the Lord comforted me in that what Washer speaks is true. There was a time in my life I know that his message would have offended me, too.
I praise God for giving me a saving faith. I have had to work out many things in fear and trembling and it is a continual process. Things I once believed, I have wrestled with God over, but I see things much more clearly now. I have lost most of my “Christian” friends, but I can tell you that I have a peace and joy that I’ve never had.
Stay the course and continue to feed yourself with sound teachings. I have been enjoying Jeff Noblit’s series through Hebrews on his daily radio program. It is awesome, and I highly recommend it.
Wake,
I have heard two of his sermons and they were both rock solid and I did not witness him doing any “running rabbits.” Also, he was ALWAYS in line with scripture not “usually” in the sermons I heard. He preaches the gospel to people who are not believers or think they are but really aren’t. I find his sermons very convicting because he uses the law with grace as we are supposed to do.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Melissa,
I have found that those who are determined to manipulate to get people to make decisions don’t like Paul very much. Also, those who say they are Christians based upon a prayer they said or what church they belong to won’t like him either. He preaches the gospel as it should be, from the point of all men are sinners who have broken God’s law and their only hope of salvation is God’s grace through faith. Justification by Faith alone. His missionary group is rock solid as well.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike,
I’ve listened to over thirty? forty? of his sermons. He uses the term “running rabbits” himself – it was new to me before he used it himself to describe his own aptitude for getting off on a tangent. =)
And while his specific gospel outreach messages are indeed very solid and very needed, there are times in other messages where he gets a bit carried away on tangents. It’s not a big deal. Like I said, he’s usually very solid. But you questioned my use of the word “usually”.
I have a great deal of respect for him and actively support his ministry, I just take care not to talk more highly of a man than I believe is appropriate. I also recognize some doctrinal differences in certain areas that come up in a couple of the messages I’ve heard. They’re not a big issue but since you’re pressing me, I will note that. I must admit I find it funny that anyone would jump down my throat because I don’t praise someone as highly as they do.
While no man’s perfect, God’s used/using Mr. Washer to do a mighty work in our generation. I am very grateful for that, I just don’t idolize him. Not saying you do, just in general it seems some folks are easily given to exaggerating their opinion of someone based on only having heard one or two things they’ve said – and worse they go into attack mode when someone else doesn’t agree with the same enthusiasm. =/
Thanks for the encouragement.
Rachel
Wake,
That’s okay. I was basically going off of a testimony from a Romanian Evangelist who, when interviewed by an American Christian Radio reporter, said that they didn’t want any more American Missionaries who practiced manipulation non-gospel stuff. He said that those they have from Heartcry are the only American missionaries who preach the real gospel. That really got my attention. Yes, there are still people of God who do it right, but we are becoming the few rather than the majority. God help us.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
I think it’s telling how those living in the non-western world fear more the spread of western secular influence than the despotic regimes they are living under. Even in Cuba, for example, those in the true church there (which is underground) fear the death of Castro and the fall of his regime as it will bring in massive influx of western pagan hedonistic influence that their culture currently avoids.
They fear much more the subtle, enticing weakening of their walk than the straightforward confrontation with obvious evil.
As Washer retells in one message, he said to an enthusiastic young man who said he wanted to come along with him and work with the native churches in Peru: No you wouldn’t, they would excommunicate you.
It’s true – there is a much purer form of the true church in places where it is persecuted, because there are no ‘posers’ because there is nothing to gain from being a part of it in this life. It is much more likely to be a true convert that is faithful to attend and identify with Christ in such environs. One might imagine it also has something to do with the lack of ‘entertainment’ and western pagan culture inundating them with self-focused and lust-filled media.
Btw, if you haven’t heard it yet, I highly recommend the first part of a three-part series Washer did on the Holiness of God. It is a message I dearly love to hear.
Rachel, I just want to say how awful I feel for your situation. When I was first saved, I assumed that everyone that was a Christian believed the same thing (really, I did!…no, stop laughing!) and I launched enthusiastically into a few conversations with fellow believers where I was met with anything from disagreement to all-out fury or angry sarcasm. It was a hard thing to realize there are doctrines of devils that divide and confuse God’s people. You will be blessed for your stand.
Meanwhile, I have to go listen to this Paul Washer and see what the fuss is about! This weekend!…
Chin up…
Mike, great article.
May that be said of me! Good post, Mike. I’ve been doing a study on the 7 churches in Revelation and just talked about the dead church on one of my blogs…it sounds a lot like the churches here in America.
I just listened to the video. I can see why he does not get invited back. That was a message few people want to hear.
I will listen to his other sermons. I hope they are as good as that was. I have several people who need to hear that.
I would not want to stand in judgement of who is a “true or false” Christian as applied to movements. When anyone does this they are laying themselves wide open for criticism.
I think that one needs to take great care in evincing a point of view that one movement has it right and all others are “lost”.
Believe me I have seen this happen.
Barry, who is making statements like that? The Bible is very clear that it is by their fruits we shall know whether a person is a Christian or not.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
The parable of the Sower of the Seed in Matt. 13 would be an interesting one to consider here. When I read that parable and our Lords explanation of it to his disciples I wonder if 2\3rds of the people sitting in church pews every Sunday are those on rocky or weedy soil. However we still need to pray for one another because we do not know for certain beyond any doubt which ones are the wheat and which ones are the tares. I know that by looking at the fruit and by listening to those who preach “another gospel”, I will be quick to declare them to be tares but then I will pray for them because I really do not know if God may not save one of those or many from His wrath to come. I know I have been on the receiving end of faithful Christian prayers when I was in the “word of faith movement” and the person who was praying for me continually prayed for over 5 years before my eyes began to open to God’s beautiful Truth. Do not grow weary of well doing or of faithful prayer because we do not know whom God will snatch from the fire of His wrath in the last moments of that person’s time in this world. Who of the remnant in Judea would have ever dreamed that King Manasseh would, after he was taken captive, seek out the Lord God and humble himself greatly before God and would come to know that the Lord He was God? (2nd Chron.33:12-13)