One of the devil's most clever deceptions is that as long as you are a good person and go to church every week, you don't have to worry about being saved. This outlook does not align with God's Word. Being saved is all about our faith in Christ, that it is He and He alone that saves and going to church is good, but it isn't what we do that saves us. Sadly, for many believers this lie has been believed like the truth of the Gospel.

This is what the Bible refers to as the "Lukewarm Church." Jesus warned about this in Revelation 3:14-22. The problem stems from people who think that as long as they are aware of who God is and what Jesus did for them, they are saved, especially if they said the salvation prayer, when all along God is calling them into relationship over religion, intimacy over carnality and freedom in Christ over legalism.

The Bible teaches that we should be on fire for God, seek after righteousness and live in truth; putting others above ourselves and God First in everything and in every decision we make. Therefore, to those who live in carnality, we ought to give a loving warning and urge them to surrender completely, as He has shed His Blood for ALL of us, even despite our persistence in sin. Hence, this is part of our faithful service that we give our lives, our bodies to Him in holy sacrifice, as the Apostle Paul teaches in Roman 12:1:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

And Paul taught that we ought to be consecrated; bondservants (Romans 1:1). He even described that he considered himself already dead. Inasmuch as his flesh was dead to sin, he considered himself dead, soulfully. He taught us to "put off the old man" and "put on the new man" in Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 6:6 & Colossians 3:9-11. And he presents a similar narrative in Galatians 5:13-24.

Moreover, Paul warned that there would be a great departure from the faith in 1Timothy 4:1; speaking of the End Times:

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,"

And Jesus Parable about the 10 Virgins, which He presents immediately following His detailed description of the Tribulation in Matthew 24 and the events that are now preceding that time, make it clear that this parable is addressing backsliders and carnal Christians and the extreme danger they are abiding in, as we near the return of Christ Jesus for His Church. See Matthew 25:1-10.

NOTE: We can be confident that the 5 lost virgins were carnal believers because Jesus wouldn't refer to them as virgins if they did not believe on Him. (But being lost, they were carnal, not serious in their walk with Him and more interested in their fleshy needs and desires.) Further to this end, they were waiting for their Bridegroom, which also tells us they are to be considered believers in this parable.

Furthermore, Jesus pointed out all throughout His Gospel message, the stark difference in following Him, with His Disciples as our example and not following Him, with the Pharisees as our example. He said "take up your cross and follow Me," "If you love Me, you will obey My Commands" and that "those who try to save their lives, will lose it and those who give up their lives for Him, will save it" in John 14:15 & Matthew 16:24-26.

Also, to carnal Christians who think they are saved, Jesus declares in Matthew 7:21-23 and He's speaking of the End of Days:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' "

TO EVERYONE STILL HANGING OUT ON THIS FENCE, I IMPLORE YOU TO ****OR GET OFF THE POT because JESUS SAID SO!

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:14-16)

NKJV

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.