How many of us have witnessed unbelievers' tears and a rush of other emotions following a witness or a sermon given by our Pastor, only to watch those expressing themselves in this way to maintain their old pattern the moment they leave the church or our presence?
Some excuse away the words, behavior and attitude of the recipient of this stream of emotion as merely being one working out what has been worked in; a sort of sanctification process; a continual conviction until the person finally yields completely and becomes that "new man" who begins a "new life" with Jesus Christ. We are told we need to be patient and give them space and to continue to love them unconditionally, in spite of their lack of proof. They will eventually figure it out.
Hogwash.
As much as the majority of the church would like to believe these types of conversions are legitimate, emotional
and sentimental conversions are non-existent and, to my way of thinking, false conversions.
The true emotions come after the realization
you are a depraved and wretched sinner in need of repenting before a
Holy and Righteous God.
When the understanding that you, by your very existence, have greatly offended Almighty God, and that there is a final and eternal judgment reserved for the unrepentant unbeliever, true emotions begin to overtake you. You see that your "good works" you think are so efficacious, your "tender heart" toward the less fortunate you see on the street, your willingness to turn a blind eye to this sinful world and embrace diversity then pat yourself on the back for being so "accepting," never "judging" those who are "different," always making excuses for your own sin and the sin of others around you, has bought you absolutely nothing, nor gained you a toehold of heaven. The sudden realization of your unworthiness and unholiness comes crashing down upon you, causing sincere grief for all that you have done to your Creator and Savior, and you experience a genuine desire to fall on your face before His throne and beg His forgiveness.
Then, and only then, should we look upon this person as justified, saved, and in the process of sanctification. He may stumble on occasion. He may be tempted back into his old lifestyle. And he may even become a prodigal son. But he will always return because the distaste and repugnance for the world and its sinfulness will propel him to do so.
The proof of this is in the discernment pudding.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." ~ John 14:15-17 ESV
Before one is born again, the ability to understand and apply the Word of God is also non-existent. Without the indwelling and intervention of the Holy Spirit, an unsaved person can read the Bible from front to back and back to front multiple times, but still not see and understand the great message contained within it. They may give their nod of approval to certain passages containing morality and virtue, and even apply them to their lives. However, the unbelieving sinner will close his Bible and still be in a mind-muddled state of confusion over the point Scripture is applying to us, or most likely be bored with or insulted by it and place it back on the shelf to gather dust, unwilling to re-open it and take another stab.
With this inability to be able to discern the Word of God, it becomes evident there was a false conversion when the one we thought was changed continues to embrace and hold dear what are clearly abominations to God. One of the litmus tests we should apply to all those confessors of Christ we are uncertain about should be whether or not they have the ability to discern God's Word and instructions. That is not to say that they won't have questions or occasionally stubbornly insist they are right and we are wrong. There will even be debates over doctrine as they grow in spiritual maturity. But if the person is truly saved, the Holy Spirit will make clear to him the truths of God. More importantly, he will demonstrate an understanding and a willingness to turn from his old way of thinking and acting and avail himself to studying Scripture.
As each second ticks on, the world we live in is becoming more and more wicked and depraved. With the passage of new laws granting Americans more licentiousness and freedom to commit gross sins, like termites, the false conversions are coming out of the woodwork.
All we have to do is keep our eyes and ears open to know a pretender when we suspect one. And because we should never be ashamed of pointing out their errors for the sake of Jesus Christ and His honor and glory, we are bound by the grace that He has bestowed upon us to uphold His Gospel with fierce determination.
A friend shared the following link and I would encourage all to read the short message, even those of you who think you were saved when you felt tears well up in your eyes as you listened to a sermon, a witness, or responded to an "altar call." You may just find yourself asking the important and horrifying question, "What if I'm pretending, too?"
If the answer is "yes," it's time to stop pretending like we did as children in play because the evidence of your hypocrisy has become more glaring, and the eternal destination of your very soul depends upon it.
“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. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ~ Matt 7:21-23
Click on the link and may the Holy Spirit genuinely convict, convert, and justify you, for the glory of God. Nothing would give me greater pleasure and joy than to truly call you a sister or a brother and spend an eternity in praise and worship for the One Who saved us.
