I awoke this morning with a huge heart for the lost, mostly for the deceived that sit in our pews with a false sense of security. I feel like most true Christians are numb to the sheer reality of hell. I think we forget because we are promised that a better place awaits us and all the while we oftentimes ignore the perishing around us. For the first time in a long time this morning, I shed tears for the unsaved. My quiet time actually happened to fall in Romans this morning. Ironic, eh?
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.
6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is, to bring Christ down),
7 or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”
8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART“—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”
16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?”
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,
AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”
19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,
“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION,
BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.”
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,
I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”
21 But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
Romans 10:1-21 (NASB)
Verses 4-5 are the ones which really ministered to me today:
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.
Lately my heart has been filled with great compassion for the great many who practice a righteousness that is “based on law.” Paul is in essence saying that that is what becomes their salvation in their minds. They claim to have Christ and live by what they choose to believe is true from God’s word, but they have never been brought into an understanding that Christ puts an end to the law.
As Nancy Leigh Demoss states: “…a person may know all about God, say all the right things, and even have deeply religious experiences without ever being converted.”I have also been reading in 1 John concerning how one will be certain of a genuine conversion. What a beautiful book that many overlook, I believe. We cannot find better assurances of our salvation than in 1 John. True believers in Christ will meet all, not some, of these criteria according to God’s word:
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1 John 2:3-4
By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. v. 5b-6
The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness… v.9
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him v.15
…if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us…v.19
By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
1 John 3:10
I think at first glance most supposed believers would say: of course I do all those things. But when one is willing to be completely honest with themselves, it can seem much different when you take a deeper look into each of these verses.
I think some important questions to ask one’s self are:
- Are we keeping God’s commandments? Or do we consistently find ourselves failing to do so?
- Are we portraying a picture of Christ in the way we live our lives. Are we, in fact, walking as Christ did? Or do we consistently find ourselves walking according to our ways and for our own good?
- Do we love our brethren? Is our lifestyle indicative of a love for those around us? Do we find ourselves constantly “at ends” with others? And simply put, do you just find it hard to love other people?
- Are we continually pulling away from the things of the world and growing more and more discontent with this world with each passing day? As time passes in the life of the believer and that Christian continues to grow, their should be a noticeable lessening love for this world. Practically, are we saddened by what we see on T.V. to the point that we can’t expose ourselves to it any longer? Are we hurt by the way sin is laughed at and made to be a joke to the point that we realize we are laughing at what put Christ on the cross…and are no longer able to laugh at or even watch such things?
- Are we persevering? Hebrews 3:14 says: “for we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” The true believer will persevere through trials and tribulations, while the unbeliever will waver in those same trials.
What saddens me is that I can think of at least 10 people right off the bat who fit this criteria of a “so called” believer! I am so hurt for these family members and friends who, most likely, have a very false sense of security. I am most saddened by those who live by a “righteousness” that tells them that if they don’t “do” right, then they will lose their salvation. They also have a very “works-based” faith, which is so incredibly unbiblical I don’t even know where they find proof of it in their own Bibles.
Would you take time to pray for the lost and deceived today? I know my words aren’t even in the slightest flowery and I may have not even properly conveyed my point this morning, but we as Christians have a responsibility (and a command) to pray for the lost. Take it to the throne today. Ask God to bring lost family members and friends to mind. Pray for the unknown as my friend Becky pointed out so wonderfully yesterday. We are intercessors for the perishing and I believe we will be held accountable for it. We have been called to “approach the throne of grace with confidence…” and we need to do so! Have that mustard seed of faith! Sometimes I find myself praying “God, I am gonna pray for “said person”, but I have done everything I can do and they are still lost…so what’s the point?”, but that is not how God called me to pray! I have to have that bold confidence and hope. If I never see the harvest of all the countless times of interceding, it doesn’t matter. We have to be obedient to the Lord’s command to pray for the lost.
Oh how I hope this touched at least one person’s heart. As David and I talked this morning, I said: “hell is real and when did we get so comfortable with the thought of ANYONE going there?” A real place…of torment…of suffering…and it never ends. When I put this reality into perspective I wonder how much God could do with little me if I just committed myself to everyday going to the “ends of the earth”…or just to the grocery store….that ALL may know.
