July 10th was one year ago that my dad passed away. I’m thankful that several weeks before he died he hopefully became a believer. Even though he had served as pastor of churches, preached many messages, taught many Bible studies, and led people to Christ… at the end of his life he realized he was not saved. Click here and here…
Being a preacher doesn’t save you. Leading people to Christ won’t save you either. Neither will praying a prayer… walking an aisle… or getting wet in a baptistery. Tithing, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, and/or going to church is not how a person is saved. It is possible to be falsely converted. I know… my dad is/was an example. Salvation is described in two passages…
Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”
Romans 10:9-10, “Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Given the situation of my dad, consider the possibility of a false conversion… which should be one of the greatest concerns for all of us. There are three passages I submit for your meditation. The first I call “The Judas Factor.”
Judas was an Apostle. He lived with Jesus for at least three years. He saw all the miracles. He proclaimed the Gospel. He baptized people. He cast out demons and healed people (Click). And he was lost… not saved… and died that way.
The second case is found in the words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 7:21-23…
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy (Preach) in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The last case has to do with a man named Simon in Acts 8:9-24. According to the Scripture he “believed” (8:13), was baptized (8:13b), and followed the Apostles (8:13c). Yet he was not saved (8:20-22). His is a sobering case indeed!
We are all speeding toward eternity. Toward that end we are encouraged regarding our salvation by Paul (2 Cor 13:5) and Peter (2 Peter 1:10-11). Paul tells his readers to test themselves to make sure they are saved. Peter tells his readers to make their salvation sure. Read both passages.
Are you saved? I’m not asking if you’ve prayed a prayer… walked an aisle… and/or gotten wet by being baptized. I’m asking if you are genuinely saved? The answer is so important that it is worth putting everything else in your life aside until it is settled.
Answer these three questions:
Who was Jesus?
What did He do?
Why does that matter?
Then get alone and rid yourself of all possible interruptions. Open the Scriptures and ask God to reveal Himself to you through them. I suggest reading the following texts slowly…
If it means taking 1… 3… 7 hours or more to settle your conversion, do it. Which would you rather hear Jesus say, “I never knew you…” or “Well done good and faithful servant!” I pray it will be the latter…