1   A form of Christianity that imitates the ways of the world...

   Why? . . . Because God says: "For they that are after the flesh do MIND THE
THINGS OF THE FLESH; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit" (Rom.
8:5).   The "things of the flesh" are the physical, sensual, fun, pleasurable, self- directed,
body-oriented things this world offers.   The "things of the Spirit" are the things of God;
the things any true born again Christian would pursue.   Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see [perceive, understand, or relate
to] the kingdom of God [the things of the spirit]" (John 3:3).   A person must be born
again, spiritually, if he/she is to personally understand the spiritual things of God.   "Even
so the things of God KNOWETH NO MAN, BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD."   1 Cor. 2:11

If most professing Christians are indeed not saved, then they are not born again.   They
are still in the flesh, and thus can only relate to, and thus gravitate toward, the things
of the world.   Therefore, you would expect that, in trying to live the Christian life, they
would take the things of the world and try to make them look Christian.   You would find
"Christian" versions of what the world offers, all around you.
   For example: "Christian" rock, "Christian" rap singers dressing like their secular
counterparts, "Christian" health spas, "Christian" non-alcoholic nightclubs, "Christian"
NFL players who don't seem to mind missing church on Sundays, "Christian" Yuppies,
"Christian" motorcycle gangs, "Christian" t-shirts, "Christian" romance novels,
"Christian" science fiction novels, "Christian" satellite T.V., "Christian" psychology,
"Christian" self-help books, when SELF should be dying daily (1 Cor. 15:31), "Christian"
talk shows, "Christian" concerts, "Christian" social reform, and so on . . .

God's Word says that when someone is truly saved, they are a new creature (2 Cor.
5:17).   "BUT YE ARE NOT IN THE FLESH, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you.   Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."   Rom. 8:9
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in TIME
PAST YE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD."   Eph. 2:1-2

"As obedient children, NOT FASHIONING YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO the former
lusts in your ignorance: But as he which called you is holy, SO BE YE HOLY IN
ALL MANNER OF CONVERSATION [lifestyle]; Because it is written, BE YE HOLY
[sanctified, set apart from this sinful world]; FOR I AM HOLY."   1 Pet. 1:14-16

True born again Christians don't imitate the world.   "And BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS
WORLD" (Rom. 12:2).   They don't get mixed up in it, trying to fulfill worldly ambitions.
"No man that warreth ENTANGLETH HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE; that
he MAY PLEASE HIM who hath chosen him to be a soldier."   2 Tim. 2:4

"Teaching us that, DENYING ungodliness and WORLDLY LUSTS, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world."   Titus 2:12

2   You would expect a marketplace flooded with study Bibles . . .

Why? . . . Because God says: "But the natural man RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF
THE SPIRIT OF GOD: for they are foolishness unto him: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM,
BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED."   1 Cor. 2:14

The unsaved, unregenerated person is referred to in the Bible as a "natural man[.]"   The
natural man can't readily understand the Bible without some outside help.   When Philip
the evangelist encountered the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts, chapter eight, the Bible says
the eunuch was reading God's Word (the book of Isaiah).   "And Philip ran thither to him
[the eunuch], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, UNDERSTANDEST
THOU WHAT THOU READEST?   And he said, HOW CAN I, EXCEPT SOME MAN
SHOULD GUIDE ME?   And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him."
Acts 8:30-31

That is the cry of many an unsaved person who can't make sense of the Bible: "how can
I, except some man should guide me?"   The saved, born again, true child of God,
however, has the Bible's author, the Holy Spirit, living inside of him/her.   The Apostle
Paul said: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of
God; THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which
THE HOLY GHOST TEACHETH; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."   1 Cor. 2:12-13

If a professing Christian is not truly saved, he/she is still a "natural man" that "receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God."   He will have trouble understanding the Bible unless
someone tells him what the Bible is trying to say, someone who has compiled a study
Bible, for example.   Therefore, one would expect to find a lot of study Bibles full of man-
written commentaries and study aids, trying to make up for the lack of spiritual
discernment.   And, since different people learn on different levels, one could expect to
find a wide variety of study Bibles such as: The African Heritage Study Bible, The Quest
Study Bible, The Life Study Bible, The Harper Collins Study Bible, The New Geneva
Study Bible, with an ad, listing 45 contributing scholars, that ask: "What would it be like
to study the Bible WITH some of THE LEADING SCHOLARS OF OUR TIME?", . . .

men.   More than 80 women, scholars, and leaders from various denominations and life
situations, contributed.   The Bible addresses issues from a woman's point of view.
According to general editor Dorothy Patterson, it expresses our desire to combine THE
DISCERNMENT OF INTUITION with the discipline of scholarship to bring a completely
new dimension of EVANGELICAL INTERPRETATION."

We could list more, but the point is, the truly saved, born again Christian does not need
"45 contributing scholars" to reveal the meaning of God's Word.   He has the Holy Spirit,
living inside: "God HATH REVEALED THEM unto us BY HIS SPIRIT: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10).   Jesus even told a group
who didn't understand what He was saying: "He that is of God HEARETH GOD'S
WORDS: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."   John 8:47

Jesus Christ DID NOT promise the born again Christian 45 contributing scholars, or the
combined intuition of 80 women, scholars, and leaders.   Instead, He said: "Nevertheless
I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, THE
COMFORTER will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. . . .
Howbeit when he, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, IS COME, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL
TRUTH: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
speak: and he will shew you things to come."   John 16:5- 13

"But the Comforter, which is THE HOLY GHOST, whom the Father will send in my
name, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you."   John 14:26

Friend, we could cover several more things that you would expect to find if most
professing Christians today were not truly saved.   Obviously, the two we looked at can
be found prevalent within modern Christianity.   Surely, there is reason to question
whether most are truly saved.   But how about you?   Where do you stand?   If you are a
professing Christian, are you sure you are saved?   (See Matt. 7:13- 14)

Perhaps you feel that questioning one's salvation is wrong, and in bad taste, but God's
advice to every professing Christian is to, "EXAMINE YOURSELVES, whether ye be in
the faith; prove your own selves.   Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ
is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Cor. 13:5