Christianity Lite - From His Heart - Week of July 14, 2017
CHRISTIANITY LITE
Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 1 John 3:7-8
Do you remember the famous Miller Brewing Company advertisement campaign for their “Lite” beer? The slogan said, “Tastes great! Less filling!” The thinking behind the ad was this: you can have your cake and eat it, too. You can still enjoy the great taste of your Miller beer while consuming less calories. It’s a win-win … so they said.
Did you know the devil tries to sell that same concept in Christianity? Satan—the deceiver of the whole world—has a “Christianity Lite” gospel. It is a false gospel that requires no repentance, no adherence and submission to orthodox theology and Christology, and no obedience. Satan’s Christianity Lite tastes great! It is less filling! It has only one slight problem—it does not save!
HOW TO RECOGNIZE CHRISTIANITY LITE
1. Repentance is rarely mentioned and never emphasized. Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). Repentance involves a change of mind. When a person repents, he/she has a change of mind concerning sin, self, and the Savior. This person turns from sin and self-rule to Jesus and His Lordship.
2. Holiness is rarely mentioned and never emphasized. The Lord clearly says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Holy living is not an option; it is a command. Jesus said the way you can tell if someone really loves God is by his/her obedience to the commands of God (see John 14:21). The bottom line is this: if you say you are a believer in Jesus and your life is characterized by sin and disobedience, you are a liar. Don’t get mad at me for that last sentence. This is precisely what John said in 1 John 2:4, “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.”
3. Proper theology and Christology are rarely mentioned and never emphasized. The pastor of one of the largest churches in America has publicly stated he believes Mormonism is Christianity. It is a false cult. Mormonism adheres to “another Jesus whom we have not preached” (2 Corinthians 11:4). The Jesus of the Bible is Creator God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Jesus Himself said, “Unless you believe that I am He [I am the great I AM (the He is added by the translators of the NAS for readability)], you will all die in your sins”(John 8:24). Does proper theology and Christology matter? YES!
4. All people are lumped into the same category—broken, sinful people. There was a preacher I listened to from time to time who loved to tell his church, “We are all just jacked up, broken, sinful people.” That may sound hip, cool and inclusive, but it is theologically wrong. All of us live in a broken, sinful world. All unbelievers are broken and sinful … but a Christian is a new creation in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian has been saved and set free from the penalty and power of sin (see Romans 6). A Christian is a partaker of the divine nature (see 2 Peter 1:4). Does a Christian still struggle with sin? Yes, but not in the same way a non-Christian does. A Christian has a new nature that abhors sin; a non-Christian does not. A Christian has power from the Holy Spirit to say no to sin; a non-Christian does not.
DO NOT BE DECEIVED
In these dark days in which we live, it is imperative that we not be deceived. There is no Christianity Lite. There is simply Christianity. Jesus is God in the flesh—the way, and the truth, and the life. He alone can save … and He will save anyone who comes to Him in brokenness, repentance, and faith in His cross and empty tomb. This is the narrow road that leads to life. This is the only way to be saved.
To learn more about who Jesus is and can be in your life, go to www.fromhisheart.org/whyjesus.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
P.S. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Direct questions and comments to pastorjeff@fromhisheart.org.
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 149 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
Foundations
Every builder knows that the foundation is critical to the stability and longevity of the structure. If the foundation is faulty or compromised in some way, the result will be disaster. God has established foundations for a successful society. Tragically, these foundations are under attack. In this powerful series, Pastor Jeff Schreve boldly shares biblical, politically incorrect truths to help us stand on the Lord's strong and solid foundation.
