Who are These People?!

Who are
These
People?!

ü A Little Quiz Every
Professing Christian
Should Take

What do all the people in the following
"Judgment Day" scene have in common?
Jesus Christ warned: "NOT EVERY ONE that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY,
LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM
ME, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23
(NOTE: Jesus, Himself, provides a hint)
q They didn't believe in God.
q Christ knew them all, at one time, but in the end,
"They lost their salvation."
q They all assumed their ability to perform miracles came from God.
q They all assumed their many wonderful works would impress God.
q They were all false prophets who prophesied
(preached) in Christ's name.
q They never truly repented.
q None of the above
Look inside [below] for the ONE thing they
all had in common . . .

THE ANSWER IS NOT "They didn't believe in God"; the people standing before
Jesus refer to Him as "Lord." Neither were they "people who Christ knew at one
time" because Christ tells them "I never knew you[.]" They were never saved
in the first place. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I KNOW
THEM." "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE
SHEEP" (John 10:11). "And him that cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT"
(John 6:37). Once Christ knows you, He never forgets you!
As for those people who claimed they performed miracles, wonderful works, and
preached in Christ's name, not all of them had all of those acts in common. This only
leaves one possible answer. They were people who never truly repented.
Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth THE WILL OF MY FATHER which is in heaven" (Mat. 7:21).
And what is the will of the Father?
The Bible says: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING that any should perish, but
that ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE" (2 Pet. 3:9). If you don't repent, you're
not doing God's will. "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY WHERE TO REPENT." Acts 17:30
To repent means to change your mind about your known sin, recognizing it as
something God hates, and FORSAKING it. It also means to SUBMIT to Christ's rule over
your life, making Him your one and only Lord. Not "in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18
Christ doesn't want lip service. He's looking for genuine submission. That's why Jesus
specifically said, "Not every one that SAITH Lord, Lord....BUT he that DOETH THE
WILL of my Father." There are many "unrepentant" people who call Jesus, "Lord," and
yet are not truly following God's will. In fact, on one occasion Christ asked a group
of so-called followers, "and why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and DO NOT THE THINGS
WHICH I SAY?" Luke 6:46
Too many professing "Christians" have never truly repented and made Christ their Lord.
They are still the lord of their own lives, directing their lives according to their goals
and aspirations. Their motivation is not to fulfill God's will, but to fulfill what they feel
is best for their own lives, their own wants and desires. Sadly, they approached Christ
looking for only a Saviour, with no resolve to make Him their Lord as well.
But, you can't accept Christ as Saviour without accepting Him as your Lord. Notice in
the following verses that it is THE LORD JESUS CHRIST who does the saving: "But we
believe that through the grace of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST we SHALL BE SAVED"
(Acts 15:11). "Believe on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and thou SHALT BE SAVED"
(Acts 16:31).
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth THE LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou SHALT BE SAVED....For
whosoever shall call upon the name of THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED." Rom. 10:9,13

For Example . . . Many erroneously assume they are following God's will because
they have redirected their lives and now read "Christian" romance novels, go to
"Christian" health spas, listen to "Christian" rock music, party at "Christian," non-
alcoholic nightclubs, or have subscribed to "Christian" satellite T.V.
But, they are merely pursuing a "Christianized" version of what they would be pursuing
had they not "called" upon Christ. NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED! They are still
desirous of the things of the world. They have subtly avoided having to forsake the
things this God-hating world offers by participating in "morally acceptable" imitations.
God wants Christians to evangelize the world, NOT IMITATE IT!
God says REPENT! "BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD" (Rom. 12:2). REPENT!
"Love not the world, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD" (1 John 2:15).
REPENT! "Wherefore COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, and BE YE SEPARATE, saith
the Lord, and touch not THE UNCLEAN THING." 2 Cor. 6:17
REPENT! "Teaching us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Titus 2:12
REPENT! "SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE
EARTH. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:2-3
REPENT! "As obedient children, NOT FASHIONING YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE
FORMER LUSTS in your ignorance: But as he which hath 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).
Sadly, even after reading all this, many will still not repent, but, instead, rationalize
away these verses. They will justify acting, dressing, and living like the world because
that is what THEY want to do. "...but he that doeth the will of my Father[.]"
Too many professing, unrepentant, "Christians" have not made Christ the ONLY true
Lord of their lives. Everything still revolves around them, and THEIR WANTS. They
"assert THEMSELVES in Christ" they "boast THEMSELVES in Christ" they "love
THEMSELVES in Christ." Yet, Christ said, REPENT! "If any man will come after me, let
him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME." Mat. 16:24
To take up one's cross means to die to self. It means the end of the old life, not its
redirection into a mere "Christianized" version of the same self-willed life. "Therefore
if any man be in Christ, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY;
behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17
Friend, please don't get offended . . . Please consider everything you have
read. Don't be among those poor souls who will find out, too late, that they are not
truly saved. Examine yourself (2 Cor. 13:5). Are you saved? Are you sure? If Christ told
you to start living according to His Word and not man's world, would you do it? The fact
is, He has already! Who's truly running your life, you or Christ?
Have you ever truly repented and made Christ your ONE AND ONLY Lord? Remember,
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Mat 7:21). "And why call
ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven? The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).
BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you
from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated
between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For
all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.
SECONDLY, you must realize that there is
NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn
Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9 Baptism, good
deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are
all examples of good works that cannot save you,
because: "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he [Christ] saved
us," Titus 3:5.
THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through
Jesus Christ. He said: "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) THAT'S
WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." (Rom. 5:8-9)
THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your
mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner
and can't save yourself. And call upon Christ, and
Him alone, to save you. "if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and
shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved." Romans 10:9
SEND THE LIGHT
P.O. Box 815 Fargo, ND 58107

[ Christian Helps Ministry (USA) ] [ Christian Home Bible Course ]