A Personal Guide To Christian False Security

#20 Sermon on the Mount                     11/25/90

Text: Matt. 7:21-23                         E.B.C.

A PERSONAL GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN FALSE SECURITY

INTRODUCTION

A.  Now, just as the twentieth century is drawing to a close, I have finally entered the twentieth century myself. Yes, I have purchased a personal computer. But having done so, despite the excellent training I have received and the extensive tutorial which comes with it, I find that I remain somewhat mystified. Although I have the computer and good software in my possession, I still am in need of a simple guide which would assure to me that, if followed, I would become the most accomplished computer hacker of all time.

B. Turning this to the spiritual realm, I think we all have a similar craving in terms of entrance into God's kingdom. We have the parcel in our hands but what we desire is a guide which, if followed, will offer us assurance of God's favorable verdict. We are told that in order to have assurance of being  saved we need to confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe this with our hearts (Rom. 10:9,

10). So, let us imagine that someone had written a personal guide to confessing Christ which, if followed, might assure us of heaven. I think it might offer the following four pieces of advice.

I. FOUR GUIDELINES WHICH PRODUCE FALSE SECURITY

A. MAKE SURE YOUR MAKE THE CORRECT PROFESSION

1. It is possible to profess Christ as your Lord without trusting in Him for your salvation. Everyone is a friend of the teacher when the candy is handed out! Remember the Jesus movement of 60's and early 70's? Remember the "Born Again" phenomenon of the late 70's?

B. MAKE SURE YOUR PROFESSION IS DONE WITH RESPECT

1. It is important that our confession is done with full recognition for the one to whom we are appealing. The most respectful manner in which we can address Jesus our Saviour is "My Lord."

C. MAKE SURE YOUR PROFESSION IS WHOLEHEARTED

1. To call anyone "Lord" was a common way of paying respect to a fellow human being. But to refer to Jesus as "Lord, Lord" denoted total devotion.

D. MAKE SURE YOUR PROFESSION IS PUBLIC

1. To profess Christ in the privacy of your prayer closet is necessary but what bravery when you boldly declare, for all to hear, of all the great things you have done in the name of Lord (Ie. professional athletes after a big win). Things as great as prophecies, exorcisms, and miracles.

II. THE VERDICT OF SUCH PROFESSIONS

1.  Jesus should be seen in this passage as acting as our judge. What sense of assurance should we have for glorious professions such as these? What would his verdict be?

2. If all we come before Him with is orthodox, reverent, sincere, and public confession, he will say to us, "I never knew you."

3. All the miracles in the world, all the sincerity in the world, all the correct words in the world, of themselves can never assure us of a place in God's kingdom.

III. THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WE CAN DO WHICH OFFERS US ASSURANCE

A.  What could be wrong with such professions? They consist of words but lack action of the heart. God described such people to Isaiah long before, "... this people draw near with their words and honor me with lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of traditions learned by rote."

B. Jesus offers the only thing which brings assurance to us, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My father who is in heaven."

CONCLUSION

A. Let's suppose you enlisted in the army, pledging allegiance, and are sent into battle. When the battle is over and your side as been victorious, you run up to your comrades shouting "let us celebrate." But to your horror you discover you are wearing the uniform of the enemy, you possess the weapons of the enemy, you manifest the characteristics of the enemy, and there eye witnesses who testify that you had been fighting continuously for the enemy. A matter a fact, people come forward who say that they also had nearly turned to fight for the enemy because of your influence.  What do you think your fate would be? All the right words in the world would not spare your life then.

B. Which manual have you been following in your life? The manual which says much but delivers little? Or the manual which says little but offers much? How is it in your life, are you depending on a verbal confession of Christ as your Lord, or are you confessing Christ as Lord through an obedient life?